First contested in 1965, since 1968 the Vic-Maui has run in even-numbered years,[2][3] starting in June or July off Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and finishing near Lahaina, Maui, United States, a distance of approximately 2,308 nautical miles (4,274 km).
[6] Success depends on the navigator's skill in predicting where the high pressure zone of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre and trade winds will be, nearly a week into the future.
The race was created by Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC) member Jim Innes, at that time a pilot for Canadian Pacific Airlines.
He talked about the idea of a race originating in Victoria and ending some 2308 nautical miles away in Maui,[8] and convinced three other skippers to start with him off Brotchie Ledge in 1965.
In 2016, on the 50th anniversary of the race, "Valkyrie", a TP52 of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club skippered by Jason Rhodes and Gavin Brackett set a new record of 8 days, 9 hours, 17 minutes and 50 seconds.