Bacardi Cup History Overall Winners 1927-2016

Compiled by David Bolles

In 1927, one year after the Mid-Winter Silver Star Championship for the Cup of Cuba began, a second series was inaugurated in Havana. The Bacardi family, the makers of Bacardi rum, created the Bacardi series. This series was used as a warm-up for the Mid-Winter's, and of course helped prolonged the reason for staying in Havana, the better to enjoy the freedom of a Prohibition-free environment!

The first winner of the Bacardi Cup was the perennial winner of major regattas, Adrian Iselin with his Ace. He went on to win the regatta three more times: 1933, 1935 and 1936.

This series was interrupted as an annual event three times. The first time was in 1934, then during World War II, from 1943 to 1947. The third time was due to the Cuban revolution in 1957. After the Castro take-over of Cuba the Bacardi family and their business moved to Miami. After a five year hiatus the Bacardi series began again in 1962, now hosted by the Coral Reef Yacht Club. Over the years this series has become the premier Star event, ranking second only to the World's. In fact, people say that the Bacardi is the World's without all of the red tape.

The Bacardi winners read like a who's who of Star Class greats. While the series was sailed in Havana the names were Iselin, Bedford, Shields, Nye, Pirie, Etchells, Knowles, Lippincott and de Cardenas. When the series began again in Miami the tradition continued: Duplin, Stearns, Buchan, Brun, Reynolds, Schoonmaker and Macdonald.