Record rum storm in March for Miami

The 98th Bacardi Cup and 2025 Bacardi Invitational Regatta (BCIR), taking place from March 3-8, will set a new benchmark with a record-breaking entry list among the six fleets in Miami, FL. Building on the record-breaking success last year, the 2025 edition is already poised to shatter expectations, with over 210 entries representing twenty-six nations on the provisional entry list.

Racing kicks off on March 3 with the 98th Bacardi Cup for the Star Class, followed on March 6 by the J/70, Melges 24, Snipe, Viper 640, and VX One classes. All racing ends March 8.

“We are super proud of the record-breaking level of entries, the largest ever gathered in Miami,” said Eddie Cutillas of Bacardi USA. “The Bacardi Cup and BCIR are a celebration of sailing excellence, camaraderie, and, let’s be honest, a whole lot of fun. This is where champions come to sail, and we are proud to see the regatta’s legacy continue to grow.”

The 98th Bacardi Cup and BCIR are organized in collaboration with our club partners: Coral Reef Yacht Club, Shake-A-Leg Miami, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, Coconut Grove Sailing Club, the US Sailing Center, and Dinner Key Marina.

Event information – Race details – Results – Facebook

98th Bacardi Cup
The Bacardi Cup, a cornerstone of sailing excellence since 1927, will once again showcase the legendary Star Class, with seventy entries representing sixteen nations set to compete. Per Class tradition, the 6-day schedule features one daily long course race.

Last year’s Bacardi Cup reached new heights as Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada clinched their historic fifth consecutive victory, cementing their legacy as one of the most dominant teams in the event’s storied history. The defending champions will return to face competition from past winners, including Eric Doyle and Payson Infelise, as well as Frithjof Kleen who teams up with Paul Cayard.

While Cayard boasts a Star Worlds title, he has yet to capture the elusive Bacardi Cup victory.

A host of top international Star teams will be in the mix, including Piet Eckert and Frederico Melo from Switzerland, Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne from Ireland, and Jørgen Schönherr and Markus Koy from Germany. They will go head-to-head with former Star World Champions, including Augie Diaz and John MacCausland.

The Bacardi Cup U30 Program has further bolstered the fleet as it helps to nurture young sailors through financial support and competitive opportunities. In 2025, ten U30 teams are poised to make their mark. The Bacardi Cup U30 program operates in partnership with the Star Class and their Star Education and Access (SEA) program.

Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta
The BCIR, taking place from March 6-8, will once again feature the J/70, Melges 24, Snipe, Viper 640, and VX One classes. Over the three-day event, each fleet is set to contest three races per day, for a total of nine races.

The 2024-25 Bacardi Winter Series for the J/70 and Melges 24 will conclude at the BCIR, the third and final event of the series. In the J/70, all eyes will be on Peter Duncan’s Relative Obscurity, who claimed victory at BWS2, alongside strong contenders like Charles Thompson’s Brutus III and Cate Muller-Terhune’s Casting Couch, which won BWS1 and secured third in BWS2.

In the Melges 24, Peter-David Karrié’s Nefeli is a standout after winning BWS2. They will face stiff competition from a host of teams poised to challenge for the top spot, including Harry Melges IV’s Zenda Express and Laura Grondin’s Dark Energy. Geoff Fargo’s Sentinel, the 2024 Melges 24 Worlds bronze medalists, along with Paolo Brescia’s Melgina, will also be in close pursuit.

The Viper 640 and VX One classes will see defending champions and fresh challengers alike vying for supremacy. In the Viper 640 class, Mary Ewenson and her team on Evil Hiss return as the top finishers from 2024, ready to defend their position. The VX One will see seven of last year’s top ten teams reunite, with defending champion Chris Alexander, alongside Grace Howie and Madeline Baldridge, aiming to maintain their winning streak.

The Snipe Class is set for a rematch between last year’s top two teams, Ernesto Rodriguez with Issa Uribe and Enrique Quintero with Nico Ocariz. Since their last encounter on Biscayne Bay, Rodriguez has added a silver medal from the 2024 Snipe Worlds and the North American title to his sailing resume. They will be joined by sixteen other teams from Argentina, Poland, and the USA.