The historic Bacardi Cup Regatta for Star Class sailboats originated in 1927 in Havana, Cuba, the Trofeo Bacardi. The Bacardi family and business were driven from Cuba by Fidel Castro, relocating in Miami, the existing location of the Bacardi Corporate U.S. offices. The Havana Yacht Club venue for the original regattas was seized by Castro to serve as his private club. The last Bacardi Cup Regatta was held at the club in 1957.

Preceding the Bacardi family to Miami was fellow expatriate and International Star Class Champion and Commodore Carlos de Cardenas, a Coral Reef Yacht Club member. In 1961 he approached Bacardi Corporation President Pepin Bosch with a proposal. Coral Reef Yacht Club would host the Trofeo Bacardi, if the family approved and the corporation would provide support. The family enthusiastically endorsed a resumption of the regatta and the corporation would begin one of the longest recorded successful associations of a business with a sporting event.

The Bacardi Cup was successfully renewed in 1962 at Coral Reef Yacht Club. The prize-giving was a major gala at the colorful Bacardi Building, attended by an ebullient Bacardi family. The tradition of the Bacardi Cup would be continued, combining world-class competition with a week of exceptional hospitality.

In 2001 a special event occurred, Bacardi donated a five-hundred-pound bronze sculpture to Coral Reef Yacht Club. Tito Bacardi expressed the sentiment behind the gift, “This is a permanent way for us to thank the yacht club for being there for us all these years.”

The Bacardi Cup trophy dates to the first event in 1927, won by Isador Iselin from Long Island. The Iselin family, hearing of the resumption of the Cup, donated the trophy to the International Star Class, entrusted to Coral Reef Yacht Club.

The regatta is an open regatta without prequalification requirements, attracting top-tier sailors from the iconic Star class as well as other classes. The competition has been described as fierce. Paul Cayard, winner of seven world championships in other classes as well as the Star Worlds, expressed frustration of his forty-five years in pursuit of the Cup before finally winning in 2026.

Star Class World Champion and seven-time Bacardi Cup winner James “Ding” Schoonmaker stated it best, “It’s a wonderful event, simply one of the world’s best regattas...... high level of competition, quality race management and incredible hospitality provided by the Bacardi family and Coral Reef Yacht Club.”
 

A Century of Great Competition and Camaraderie

Don Facundo Bacardi Masso invited sailors from around the world in 1927 to a new, open Star Class regatta in Havana, Cuba, the Bacardi Cup. Don Facundo was not a sailor and was probably persuaded to create the event by his close cousin Charles de Cardenas, an avid sailor and member of the Havana Yacht Club. The Havana Yacht Club was known in the 1920s as the venue for the popular Copa de Cuba, a limited regatta only for Star Class district winners.

Imagine the appeal for a Long Island sailor to leave the snow and sleet of March behind to enjoy sailing in bright sunshine in the warm breeze over blue Gulfstream water, to compete with top-tier Star sailors and enjoy evenings in the “Paris of the Caribbean” without prohibition!

The Bacardi Cup was forced out of Cuba by Fidel Castro’s revolution. The “Bacardi” found a new home at Coral Reef Yacht Club in 1962. It is now recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious regattas and every sailor’s favorite event, the competition fierce, the hospitality unexcelled.