The climax of the Star class at the 97th Bacardi Cup and Bacardi Invitational Regatta in Miami was a day of anticipation and pressure. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the boat park this morning belied the intensity about to unfold, racing against many of the best sailors in the world.
All eyes were riveted on the three-way tie-break to determine the winners of The 97th Bacardi Cup. Biscayne Bay set the stage for a spectacular finale, kicking off with a building 12 knots breeze and waves.
With unwavering focus, Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada controlled the fleet from start to finish, clinching an unprecedented fifth consecutive victory and once again forced the chasing fleet to walk in their shadow.
In a fleet brimming with former Bacardi Cup winners and Star World Champions, maintaining consistency across six races to seize The 97th Bacardi Cup title was never going to be easy.
After five races, Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada, Augie Diaz/Henry Boening and Doyle/Payson Infelise had elevated themselves into a class of their own, setting the stage for a three-way tiebreak showdown in the decisive race 6.
The showdown, however, never materialised, as Kusznierewicz/Prada took control from the start and never looked back.
The three teams all fielded strong starts separated along the starting line, with Doyle/Infelise to the right, Kusznierewicz/Prada in the middle and Diaz/Boening on the left. Doyle/Infelise continued up the right side, while Kusznierewicz/Prada went left. By the first mark, Kusznierewicz/Prada had secured a big jump on the fleet, leaving the other two teams back in 6th and 8th.
On the first downwind, Doyle/Infelise made inroads and geared up to second. They split through the gate and back upwind, where Kusznierewicz/Prada shook off their assault. Focusing on their own race, they accelerated away in stunning style to hold firm and take the win. Diaz/Boening crossed the line in 4th and Doyle/Infelise in 5th, securing second and third overall.
Following tradition, Eddie Cutillas of Bacardi was at the finish line to congratulate the winners of The 97th Bacardi Cup.
A meticulous performance from Kusznierewicz/Prada ensured they remained strong in the decisive moment. They have forged a genius and formidable team to remain as custodians of the Bacardi Cup Trophy and Tito Bacardi Cup for five successive years – in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The duo first made history in 2024, as the only same-crew team to win four consecutive times and now return to the history books.
“We knew it was going to be tight racing as they are superfast, very smart, experienced sailors and we knew that we had to deliver everything,” commented Kusznierewicz. “It’s a fantastic feeling. I wish to everyone to win Bacardi Cup! It is a legendary regatta and to be part of it and making history it is special.”
Kusznierewicz attributed victory to their process, saying, “From the beginning we trust in our process. If you know how to set up the boat, if you know what to do before the race, when you know how to make decisions where to start, how to start, what to avoid, how to sail, the results will come and here we go. We’ve got it.”
“Five times in row is really out of the box in terms of the Star Class,” said Prada, who won his first Bacardi Cup in 2020 after fifteen years of trying. “It is a really tough class to win. Five in a row never happened before so it is some historical moment and we need to enjoy it. I am super proud to win five Bacardi’s, five Worlds and be a little part of the Star Class history.”
Kusznierewicz/Prada celebrated their remarkable achievement by sipping Bacardi rum from the iconic Bacardi Cup Trophy and Tito Bacardi Cup at the prize giving to huge applause.
There is plenty of potential in the Star fleet, with thirteen U30 teams competing. As the top placed U30 team in 20th overall, Facundo Olezza/Ricardo Vadia will be supported by Bacardi to compete at the Star Class Worlds in San Diego, USA from September 4-13, 2024.
Ireland's Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne finished 16th overall.
Final Top 3
1. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada (POL 8559) - 14 pts
2. Augie Diaz / Henry Boening (USA 8509) - 17 pts
3. Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise (USA 8580) - 18 pts
Prizes were also presented to the age division winners:
- U30 (skipper under 30) - Facundo Olezza / Ricardo Vadia
- Master (skippers aged 50 through 59) - Eric Doyle / Payson Infelise
- Grand Master (skippers aged 60+) - Augie Diaz / Henry Boening
- Exalted Grand Master (skippers aged 70+) - John Dane III / Dave Martin
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Leading by one point at the start of the day, a tough battle saw Laura Grondin’s ‘Dark Energy’ close out the series with scores of 5,7. Grondin’s team worked through their opening day struggles and maintained greater consistency to win over the forty-nine boat fleet. A second Irish entry in Miami, Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary finished 34th in the class.
