Three O’Learys Enter Stars in Bacardi Cup Regatta, Miami

24th January 2026

Afloat.ie Team

O’Leary family entries to race at 2026 Bacardi Cup in Miami

Three members of the O’Leary family—Anthony, Peter (above), and Robert—will represent Ireland at the 2026 Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta in Miami’s Biscayne Bay this March. Credit: Martina Orsini

Ireland will be represented by three entries from the same Cork family in the Star Class at March’s 2026 Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta in Miami, Florida.

Father Anthony O’Leary and two of his sons, Peter and Robert, are all officially entered in the prestigious event.

Irish entries confirmed in the 65-boat fleet are IRL 8118 Swifty, crewed by Robert O’Leary and Fionn Lyden from Baltimore in West Cork, IRL 8379 Antix with Anthony O’Leary and Steyn van Dryessel, and IRL 8465 Dafne sailed by Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne, both from Royal Cork in Crosshaven.

The regatta runs from March 1–7 and draws more than 600 sailors from over 20 nations.

Cork‑based O’Leary family boats: Swifty (Robert O’Leary), Antix (Anthony O’Leary) and Dafne (Peter O’Leary), all pre‑entered for Bacardi Cup, Miami.

Organisers describe it as a blend of “world-class racing” and “unparalleled hospitality”, with daily social events, live music, and complimentary Bacardi cocktails.

The event is known for its diverse fleet, welcoming Olympians, world champions, and passionate amateurs alike. Five entries remain available, with 65 teams already registered.

See the full entry list here

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The Star keelboat is a 6.9 metres (23 ft) one-design racing keelboat for two people designed by Francis Sweisguth in 1910.

The Star was an Olympic keelboat class from 1932 through to 2012, the last year keelboats appeared at the Summer Olympics at which Ireland's representatives were Peter O'Leary and David Burrows.

Ireland has performed well in the class internationally thanks to some Olympic campaigns including a bronze medal at the Star World Championships in 2000, won by Mark Mansfield and David O'Brien.

The boat is sloop-rigged, with a mainsail larger in proportional size than any other boat of its length. Unlike most modern racing boats, it does not use a spinnaker when sailing downwind. Instead, when running downwind a whisker pole is used to hold the jib out to windward for correct wind flow.

Early Stars were built from wood, but modern boats are of fibreglass and carbon construction.

The boat must weigh at least 671 kg (1,479 lb) with a maximum total sail area of 26.5 m2 (285 sq ft).

The Star class pioneered an unusual circular boom vang track, which allows the vang to effectively hold the boom down even when the boom is turned far outboard on a downwind run.

Another notable aspect of Star sailing is the extreme hiking position adopted by the crew and at times the helmsman, who normally use a harness to help hang low off the windward side of the boat with only their lower legs inside.