It all came down to the final race in the battle for the 96th Bacardi Cup in Miami on Saturday, with eight teams theoretically in the running for the trophies. After two general recalls, the elite of Star sailing embarked on a 5-leg race.
Unfortunately for overnight leaders Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne, who were on an upward trajectory all week on Biscayne Bay, the Cork-Belfast pairing scored a 20th dropping them from the lead and the podium into fourth overall.
Hans Spitzauer/Christian Nehammer led to the first mark, but with series, frontrunners close behind they were off podium contention. Kusznierewicz/Prada thought they had a disadvantage by choosing the left side, but it played out well as they rounded in third.
From early, it was evident huge disappointment was on the cards for O'Leary/Milne. After finishing the Bacardi Cup in 2nd place three times, they dreamed 2023 would be their year. They started on the right side of the course but couldn’t execute their plan and slowly slipped through the pack.
Kusznierewicz/Prada reeled in Spitzauer/Nehammer to go for the win. Rounding the final upwind mark, they had a 30 second advantage, extending even further to the leeward mark. The other teams could only battle it out for second and third.
Their passion for a perfect mission was precisely executed, and by the finish Kusznierewicz/Prada secured over a one-minute lead to win the 96th Bacardi Cup. The duo made history last year as the first ever same-crew team to win three consecutive times and are now back in the history books with their fourth successive win. No skipper or crew has ever achieved that.
“Sometimes I am thinking how much longer we can go,” grinned Kusznierewicz. “But I must say at the beginning it is a great fun, pleasure but also an honour to sail with Bruno. Unbelievable how I enjoy the week spent together. Thanks Bruno.”
“The week was a tough one. Mateusz started the week a little bit sick, we had the ‘old man’s funeral,” said Prada, in reference to the passing of Gonzalo Diaz, a renowned sailing personality and father of Augie Diaz. “It was tough to have our minds focused on the regatta, but we were able to manage all these outside odds and still we are super happy.”
“It was the toughest win out of the four,” continued Kusznierewicz. “The level of the competition was very high, and the five top teams were sailing just brilliantly. They played strategy and tactics very well. This time we had to fight to the end, but I like it.”
Whilst appreciating their momentous achievement, Prada had another motivation to win, rivalry with an old friend, saying, “For me the only important thing is to be ahead of the best crew in the world, that’s Frithjof. Once I am ahead of him, I am happy! I am not worried about records, if I am ahead of the best.”
“I know that he really likes the winning,” chipped in Kusznierewicz. “The race when we finished 21, Bruno was so angry. He is addicted to winning. I say, ‘let’s have some fun’, and he says, ‘you know how I spell fun, W-I-N’! This is good, this is what I like, because we are athletes. We really enjoy sailing and competition.”
They have already confirmed they will return in 2024, with Kusznierewicz affirming, “Once you have Bacardi, you want to have it more.”
A meticulous performance from Kusznierewicz/Prada who celebrated their remarkable achievement by sipping Bacardi rum from the iconic Bacardi Cup and Tito Bacardi Cup trophies at the prize giving to huge applause.
In paying tribute, Eddie Cutillas said, “Last year, you made history as the first same team crew to ever achieve three back-to-back wins. Whilst there had been skippers who had won three times in a row and crew who had won three times in a row, never had the same skipper and crew won three times in a row.”
“This year, you go one better and become the first skipper or crew to ever win four times in a row in the ninety-six-year history of the Bacardi Cup. Simply phenomenal. I don’t want to predict the future of the Bacardi Cup, but it is going to be a long time before anyone will ever have a chance at breaking your record,” Cutillas concluded.
As custodians of the Bacardi Cup for four years, the legacy secured by Kusznierewicz/Prada will be hard to beat. However, the quest for dominance and ambition to be part of the rich heritage of the Bacardi Cup will continue.
A sixth-place finish for Eivind Melleby/Mark Strube upgraded them to second overall, and Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise crossed the line in 3rd to leapfrog from leader board fifth to third.
Star Final Results – Top 4
- Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada (POL) - 15 pts
- Eivind Melleby/Mark Strube (NOR) - 21 pts
- Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA) - 26 pts
- Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne (IRL) 29 pts
Prizes were presented to the top five and to winners in the age divisions:
- U30 (skipper under 30) - Matthew Rajacich/Eric Wagner
- Master (skippers aged 50 through 59) - Eivind Melleby/Mark Strube
- Grand Master (skippers aged 60+) - Paul Cayard/Frithjof Kleen
- Exalted Grand Master (skippers aged 70+) - Larry Whipple/Killian Weise
The 2024 Bacardi Cup will be held from March 3-9
Results here
