Bacardi Winter Series opens the 2022/2023 sailing season

The 2022/2023 Bacardi Regatta Series opens this weekend, December 17th-18th, with the Bacardi Winter Series Event 1 featuring racing for the J/70 and Melges 24 classes.

A strong line-up of forty teams will rise to the Biscayne Bay challenges, with the predominantly American entry list joined by teams from Canada, Cayman Islands, Germany, Italy and Mexico.

Hosted at Shake-A-Leg-Miami, three races are scheduled per day, for a total of six races. Post-race Bacardi will host its renowned cocktail parties to ensure the spirit of fun and friendship continues long after the racing.
 
"On behalf of Bacardi, I extend a big welcome to the J/70 and Melges 24 sailors who join us for Event 1 of the Bacardi Winter Series," commented Eddie Cutillas of Bacardi USA. "We are immensely proud of our long partnership with sailing. As ever, the racing will be world class and Bacardi will host an event to remember. Enjoy the racing, the partying, the Miami vibe and the Bacardi rum!"
 
Teams will also be supported by event partner Quantum Sails, with pre-race weather briefings hosted by SailFlow Weather and Sail 22. Quantum Sails one-design experts will also provide racetrack insights to kick start everyone's day. 

J/70

Amongst the names set to be up in the twenty-two boat J/70 fleet action are Richard Witzel and his team on 'Rowdy', who nailed last year's Bacardi Winter Series opener with a win and followed up with a second at Event 2. Most recently Witzel claimed the silver medal at the J/70 Europeans.
 
Daniel Goldberg and crew on 'Bazinga!' have always mastered Biscayne Bay and shown consistency across the three events of the Bacardi Winter Series, with a 2nd at the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta last year.
 
Representing the Cayman Islands is Peter Cunningham's 'Powerplay', whose crew are ever consistent and will be looking to improve on their 2nd place from last year's Event 1. We can also expect a strong showing from David Jannetti's 'Very Odd', most recently boosted with a 3rd at the Melges 24 North Americans in September.
 
John Brim's 'Rimette' team know how to give everyone a run for their money. After an absence from the 2021/2022 Bacardi Winter Series, they will be looking to duplicate the form that helped them deliver a second-place finish at the 2021 Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta.
 
Victory will not come easy and the difference between a podium finish or disappointment will be very slim. 

Melges 24
A fiercely competitive Melges 24 provisional entry list of eighteen teams sees a host of top names ready to claim the spotlight. These teams race frequently, know each other's strengths very well and what it will take to win.

Recent silver medal form at the 2022 Melges 24 Worlds in September, puts Harry Melges IV on 'Zenda Express' as one of those to beat. He will face plenty of teams with vast experience of how to find the fast route and make the right calls on Biscayne Bay. Included on this list is Laura Grondin's 'Dark Energy' team, who are regulars in Miami. They won last year's Bacardi Winter Series Event 1 and were not far behind 'Zenda Express' at the Worlds, finishing 4th.

As a measure of ability, fifty percent of the teams competing at Bacardi Winter Series Event 1 raced at the 2022 Melges 24 Worlds. Six of those teams finished inside the top ten, so you can be sure this opening event is set to be a spectacular masterclass.

'Warcanoe' skippered by Michal Goldfarb also has plenty of talent on board and will be well prepared to set the pace. Ready to challenge are Germany's Peter-David Karrié and crew on 'Nefeli', who finished 2nd this time last year, just ahead of Drew Freides and his 'Pacific Yankee' team.

The Bacardi Invitational Winter Series Event 1 and Event 2, January 27th-29th, 2023 will see prizes presented at each event. The overall series winners in the J/70 and Melges 24 based on final scores including Event 3, the Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta, March 9th-11th, 2023 will receive their overall trophies in March.

The 2023 Bacardi Invitational Regatta kicks off with the Star Class racing for the iconic 96th Bacardi Cup from March 5th-11th, 2023. There will be three days of racing for the Melges 24, J/70, VX One, Melges 15, L30 and 69F classes from March 9th-11th, 2023.