New Bacardi Champions Crowned in Miami
MIAMI (Jan. 25, 2026) — A new name is etched into the Bacardi winners’ circle: Harry Melges IV earned his first victory at Bacardi Winter Series Event No. 1 on Biscayne Bay, while simultaneously becoming the 2025 Melges 24 North American Champion — a title his father, Harry Melges III, held back in 2000, before winning the World Championship in Travemünde, Germany, in 2002.
Bacardi Winter Series Event No. 1, held January 23–25 in Miami, also served as the 2026 Melges 24 North American Championship. Harry Melges IV and his Zenda Express team — Allan Terhune, Ripley Shelley, Will Huerth, and Colleen O’Brien — delivered a steady climb through the 28-boat fleet to take the title. After opening the regatta with a tenth-place finish, the team found their rhythm and closed out the event in style with two race wins on the final day.
It’s a new roster for the Zenda squad, including Terhune, the new co-owner of Melges Performance Sailboats.
“It was tight all the way through,” said Melges. “It came down to the final race, and winning that last one was pretty special. It’s a new team, but they sailed really well together, and I’m excited about where it’s heading. There’s no better place to start the season than Miami with Bacardi. Winning in a fleet this strong means a lot.”
The win sends a strong early-season signal with the Melges 24 World Championship returning to the United States later this year. Will Zenda Express be there? “Definitely.”
Eddie Gary made his Melges 24 debut with his new boat, Troublemaker, and earned top Corinthian honors.
Final Results:
1. (USA) Harry Melges IV, Zenda Express
2. (USA) Drew Freides, Pacific Yankee
3. (USA) Bora Gulari, Mavi
4. (MON) Christian Schwoerer, Nika
5. (USA) Geoff Fargo, Sentinel
GROVE LIFE
The Bacardi Winter Series is supported by partners who make this regatta what it is. BACARDÍ’s 99-year legacy in sailing remains unparalleled, anchoring the event with its signature hospitality each day.
North Sails supported teams with weather briefings, post-race debriefs, and on-site sail service, while Centennial Bank, Regatta Brokerage – the Brian Kamilar Team, Shore Premier Finance, and Palm Beach Yachts enhanced the sailor experience. The event is hosted at Shake-A-Leg Miami with race management by Coconut Grove Sailing Club and Sail22.
