Star Class Barcardi Cup at Miami Sailing Week - Overall

Merriman and Trinter win

American Skipper Rick Merriman and Crew Phil Trinter were able to come out on top with a first place victory on the sixth and final day of Star Class sailing helping push the U.S. team to the top spot overall in their first ever BACARDI Cup win. With strong gusty wind conditions puffing up to 24 knots on a clear sunny day, at least five Star Class masts were snapped off navigating strong winds including the day's early leader Bermudan Skipper Peter Bromby and Crew Magnus Liljedahl, giving Merriman-Trinter the chance to take control of the session, coming out ahead in the eighty four boat field to win one of the sailing world's most prestigious accolades, the coveted BACARDI Cup. With Merriman-Trinter taking the win, the end of the day found Irish Team Skipper Peter O'Leary second place overall with a first place finish on the third day, and American Skipper Andy Horton and Crew James Lyne taking third overall through a weeklong run marked by solid finishes in the top ten consistently throughout the week.

With wind becoming an increasing concern early in the afternoon, the decision was made to not hold an additional Star Class race to make-up yesterday's cancellation due to windy weather, and in its final day, the BACARDI Cup settled for five instead of six total sessions. As the Star Class BACARDI Cup competition concluded, BACARDI Miami Sailing Week was able to continue with Melges 20 and Melges 24 as well as Viper and J/24 all able to compete.

"We had good speed off the start staying with everyone, and then we were able to hit one tack that edged us out ahead of Andy Horton and got us trailing Bromby. We were right behind him (Bromby) until he broke his mast trying to jib in one of the bigger puffs at the mark," comments BACARDI Cup winning Skipper Rick Merriman. "Then the wind luckily backed off for us a little and we were able to survive the jib and after that, we just focused on sailing conservatively. We played with a couple good shifts and protected the left, making sure we didn't let anyone get out in front of us. The wind was pretty light for first three quarters of the BACARDI Cup, and then big pressure came down the last part of the day and the boats behind us got this huge puff and surfed all the way up until we finally got the pressure. Luckily, we were able to stay out in front of everyone and take the win."

An internationally renowned sailing tradition since its founding in Cuba in 1927, the 83rd annual BACARDI Cup hosted world class sailors from twenty-three different countries from across the world, all competing in the Olympic caliber Star Class competition. The BACARDI Cup Star Class competition also served at the marquee event for the inaugural BACARDI Miami Sailing Week, which also included new classes competing in Miami, such as the Melges 20 and Melges 24, as well as the Viper and J/24 classes.

"The BACARDI Cup has always been one of the most prestigious honors in sailing, and winning today is huge," Continues victorious Star Class Skipper Merriman. "You look at the list on the Trofeo BACARDI and it is an amazing group of competitors. This is always a tough one to win here in Miami in the wintertime. There is always a big fleet and the race is always filled with the best of the best sailors. Without a doubt, Phil and I would put the BACARDI Cup right up with there with very highest honors in sailing. We were happy to come out on top and we're looking forward to the future as we continue competing."

The inaugural BACARDI Miami Sailing Week also saw Skipper Jeff Eckland take his boat Star to the top spot overall dominating Melges 20 sailing in a fifteen boat field, while Skipper Donald Wilson won out in the standings in the Melges 24 class in his ship Convexity to take the top spot among nine other boats. In the twenty boat Viper class, American Skipper Lee Shuckerow won the Viper North American Championship Saturday edging out Bermudan Skipper Somers Kempe by three points. In other BACARDI Miami Sailing Week classes, J/24 standings were topped by American Skipper Trish Walker in Scouts' Pride in the six boat competition.

"With the close of the 83rd annual BACARDI Cup, we would like to thank the world class competitors coming from around the world to compete as they honor one of sailing's grandest traditions in the Trofeo BACARDI," comments BACARDI Miami Sailing Week Chair Gabriele Pedone. "With the always generous support of BACARDI, we were pleased to see this eighty-three year old legacy continue on as we started a new tradition this year with the first ever BACARDI Miami Sailing Week. We were pleased to see BACARDI Miami Sailing Week begin as the BACARDI Cup did so long ago in 1927 with a time honored tradition of friendship and camaraderie and look forward to 2011."

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