Bacardi Rolls Out the red carpet for Melges 24s
Harry Melges’s Zenda Express, Bacardi Winter Series Event No.1 Melges 24 Champions
As nearly 200 boats converge on Biscayne Bay for the 99th edition of the Bacardi Cup and the accompanying Bacardi Invitational Regatta, Miami once again becomes the winter epicenter of international sailing. For one week, Coconut Grove transforms into a global dockside crossroads where Olympians, America’s Cup veterans, and emerging talent share the same racecourse and pursuit of excellence. Against that backdrop, the Melges 24 fleet arrives 26 boats strong, many of the sport’s most established programs carrying momentum built over the winter circuit.
Recently crowned 2025 North American Champion Harry Melges IV headlines the fleet aboard Zenda Express, joined by Bora Gulari’s Mavi, Peter McClennen’s Gamecock, reigning U.S. National Champion Cuyler Morris racing Dark Horse, and Sandy Askew, who returns on Flying Jenny after securing victory at Bacardi Event No. 2. Laura Grondin, recently named Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, adds further pedigree to the lineup, with tactician Taylor Canfield at her side, fresh off a Sydney SailGP USA victory and bringing current high-performance experience into the Melges 24 arena.
The Bacardi Invitational carries added significance for the Melges 24, serving as North American Sailing Series Event N.2, but also the decisive event in determining this years Bacardi Winter Series champion. Overall standings are calculated by combining results from the Bacardi Cup with each team’s best finish from Bacardi 1 and Bacardi 2, making performance on Biscayne Bay the final arbiter of the winter campaign. Margins in this fleet are thin historically and consistency in everything this weekend will make all the difference..
The Corinthian division is notably concentrated in talent, currently including a highly competitive eight entries. Among them are St. Petersburg Corinthian Champion Jamie Torres aboard Smile & Wave, Bacardi 2 Corinthian winner Stuart Simpson on Team Barbarians, and Eddie Gary’s Troublemaker team, which captured both the North American Championship and the Bacardi 1 Corinthian title. Clean starts, solid tactical decisions will prove essential.
New energy enters the class with first-time Melges 24 participants David Taylor racing Five Lines and Stuart Hebb at the helm of Thin Ice, underscoring Biscayne Bay’s role as both a proving ground for established champions and a gateway for new programs stepping onto one of sailing’s most storied race tracks.
As racing unfolds by day and the Bacardi bar opens beneath the palms each evening, the week represents more than just another start line. For the Melges 24 fleet, it is the culmination of the winter season, the final calculation of the Bacardi Winter Series, and an opportunity to measure performance early against one of the most accomplished fleets to assemble this year.