How long is the race?

The race is 628 nautical miles long, or 1163 kilometres. Despite being quite a short race in comparison to other globally recognised ocean races, the race has been described as one of the most gruelling.

How many boats are racing this year?

A huge number of boats will take part in the races' 75th anniversary. The bluewater classic has 157 entrants, which includes eight overseas boats. The starting lines will be quite crowded in comparison to last year, when there were 85 entrants.

Who is competing?

As usual Wild Oats XI is one of the favourites to take out line honours but is currently behind Comanche as the favourite. Black Jack, InfoTrack and Scally Wagg are also among the main competitors to first reach the finish line.

What is the forecast, and which boats look to benefit from it?

The forecast can either be good for Comanche and InfoTrack, who both have big heavy boats, or good for Black Jack, Scallywag and Wild Oats XI, who have skinnier boats. The latest forecast has predicted the race will be in a 10-15 knots north to north-easterly breeze, which is bad for the heavier boats, which require a lot more wind to hit top speeds. There's the potential for a southerly change, though it is unlikely to bring heavy winds.

What do the bookies think?

For line honours, Sportsbet currently has Comanche sitting comfortably as favourite at $2.75, with Wild Oats XI at $3 and Black Jack on $3.50. Behind them, Scallywag sits at $5.50 and InfoTrack sits at $12. For handicap bets, Ichi Ban is the favourite with $3.50, while the oldest boat in the race, the Katwinchar, sits seconds at $5.50. Black Jack is third to take out the overalls at $6.50.

The race will start at 1pm on Boxing Day. The start of the race will be broadcast through the Seven Network on 7Mate.