99th Bacardi Cup Day 2
by Hannah Lee Noll 4 Mar 06:16 UTC
March 2-7, 2026
The downwind battle begins on day 2 of the 99th Bacardi Cup © Hannah Lee Noll
The 99th Bacardi Cup delivered another classic Biscayne Bay test on Tuesday, as a steady 13 to 15 knots from the east powered the fleet through Race two of six.
At the front once again, Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen (USA) converted an early strategic separation into their second consecutive race win, finishing ahead of Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada (POL), with Robert Scheidt and Austin Sperry (BRA) third.
The race hinged on the opening beat.
Halfway up the first leg, Cayard, Kusznierewicz, and Scheidt punched out together on the left side. From there, the trio built leverage and extended, creating a gap that only widened as the race progressed. Olympians Eivind Melleby (NOR) and Christian Nehammer (AUT) kept the pressure on throughout.
On the final downwind, the leaders stretched further ahead. Cayard rounded the right gate first, Kusznierewicz close behind and immediately tacked, splitting to the left. Scheidt rounded the left gate in third. Now two hours into the race, teams still raced full effort. Cayard expertly managed the fleet on the final beat, and the top three finished in the same order they rounded the gate.
"Can't start Bacardi much better than that," Cayard joked when asked about his 1-1 scoreline. "But it was very tough racing out there with Mateusz and Robert: very physical in 15 knots. It's a two-hour nonstop physical exertion."
The back-to-back wins give the American-German team early momentum, but Cayard was quick to temper expectations. "It won't be any different tomorrow, and it won't be any easier. Long way to go."
For Cayard, a veteran of multiple America's Cup campaigns and one of the most decorated resumes in sailing, the Bacardi Cup remains a singular proving ground. Will he earn his first Bacardi Cup title this week, less than a year after winning the Star World Championship?
"I don't think you have harder sailing than what you find in the Star Class," he said. "If you want to find out if you're a good sailor, you need to sail in the Bacardi Cup with the Star Class — then you're going to find out."
Results after Day 2: (top five, 2 races)
1. Paul Cayard/Frithjof Kleen (USA)
2. Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada (POL)
3. Robert Scheidt/Austin Sperry (BRA)
4. Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA)
5. Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA)
Building for the Next Hundred Years
If Race Two reinforced the competitive standard of the 99th Bacardi Cup, the dockside conversations underscored something deeper - continuity. For nearly a century, Bacardi and the Star Class have grown together. What began as sponsorship evolved into stewardship. What began as an event became a tradition.
"Bacardi Cup, for me, is second only to the Star Worlds in all of sailing," said Augie Diaz. "It's the perfect storm - Bacardi's passion and the Star Class. It's a meeting of two great families. The formula is unreproducible."
That word surfaced repeatedly this week: family.
"It really comes down to the people," said Danny Cayard, committee member of the Star Education and Access (SEA) Program. "The boat is special, but at the core of it, it's the people. Everybody always comes home to the Star Class because it's family."
The SEA program works in partnership with Bacardi to bring young teams into the fleet, supplying boats and financial support to ensure global participation. This year, nearly 10 under-30 teams are racing in Miami, a visible signal of generational investment.
"We have sailors in their 60s, 70s, and 80s racing at a high level," Cayard said. "And at the same time an incredible U30 group comes in from around the world. That depth of talent is rare."
For German sailor Nick Heuwinkel, racing under the SEA program for the second time, the opportunity is tangible: "It's the 99th Bacardi Cup, and we're already looking forward to the one hundredth," he said. "That's why we're here - to be part of that future."
The partnership is not static. It is active. Intentional. Led by people who care deeply about what this regatta represents.
After 99 years, the Bacardi Cup is not looking backward.
It is building forward.
The Invitational Arrives
Nearly 80 Star teams will cross the starting line Wednesday at noon for Race Three of the Bacardi Cup. Wednesday afternoon, Bacardi opens the floodgates and welcomes hundreds more sailors from an additional 111 boats from the J/70, Melges 24, VX One, and Snipe fleets for the Bacardi Invitational Regatta. It all kicks off with a Bacardi party, dinner, and competitors’ briefing at Shake-A-Leg Miami.
The 99th Bacardi Cup is supported by Centennial Bank, North Sails, Shore Premier Finance, Palm Beach Yachts, Regatta Brokerage - the Brian Kamilar Team and Shake-A-Leg Miami.
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