Ireland’s Peter O’Leary remains firmly in the top ten after four races at the 99th Star Class Bacardi Cup on Biscayne Bay in Miami.

Sailing Dafne (IRL 8465) with Joost Houweling, the Cork Olympian is eighth overall in the 77-boat Star class fleet.

O’Leary, considered one of the pre-regatta favourites, was granted redress in Race One and has backed it up with consistent results to remain in contention heading into the final stages of the six-race series.

At the front of the fleet, Robert Scheidt and Austin Sperry won Race Four to halt Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen’s run of three straight race victories.

Scheidt controlled the race from the front while Cayard battled with Italy’s Diego Negri and Sergio Lambertenghi through the final legs.

Cayard secured second place, with Negri third.

Despite losing his unbeaten run, Cayard’s consistency keeps him in overall control of the regatta.

The American-German team now holds a near-perfect 1-1-1-2 scoreline after four races.

“Paul is on fire,” said Scheidt. “He’s having a super great regatta. Not making any mistakes.”

Cayard acknowledged the depth of the competition in Miami.

“There are a lot of world champions, a lot of top-quality sailors in this class,” he said. “Everywhere you look you are in a battle.”

After four races, Cayard and Kleen lead overall on five points.

Scheidt and Sperry are second on eleven points, while Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada (POL) are third on seventeen.

Irish Fleet Update

Also flying the Irish flag, Robert O’Leary and Fionn Lyden sailing Swifty (IRL 8118) are 23rd overall after four races.

Another Irish connection in the fleet sees four time Olympian David Burrows of Howth and Malahide, now based in Florida, back in the Star class, crewing for American veteran Augie Diaz, a former Snipe and Star World Champion. As regular Afloat readers know, Burrows and Peter O'Leary campaigned for London 2012 in the keelboat class.

Diaz and Burows pair lie 16th overall after four races.

Anthony O’Leary and Steyn Van Driesessel aboard Antix (IRL 8379) are currently 59th overall.