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MIAMI (March 5, 2026) — Cayard holds a strong grip on the fleet at the 99th Bacardi Cup. Robert Scheidt and Austin Sperry won Race Four at the 99th Bacardi Cup today, snapping Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen’s run of race victories, but not quite loosening their grip on the overall regatta.
Scheidt controlled the race from the front, but behind them the fight was relentless. Cayard and Diego Negri with Sergio Lambertenghi traded pressure throughout the final legs, each looking for the moment to gain the upper hand. Scheidt held on for the win. Cayard secured second. Negri finished close behind in third.
What Cayard & Kleen have built through four races is simple: consistency, in one of the strongest fleets the Bacardi Cup has assembled in years. Among the 77 teams are 17 Olympians, six Olympic medalists, three Olympic champions, and 14 Star World Champions. Yet Cayard has posted a near-perfect 1-1-1-2 scoreline.
“Paul is on fire,” said Scheidt. “He’s having a super great regatta. Not making any mistakes.”
Cayard understands exactly what that level of competition demands. “There are a lot of world champions, a lot of top-quality sailors in this class,” he said. “Everywhere you look you are in a battle.”
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The approach onboard Cayard’s boat has remained deliberately simple. Start clean. Trust the speed. Then react.
“Our boat speed is good, so we’re not changing much,” Cayard said. “We try to stay clean on the start and let our speed work for us. Then halfway up the first beat we try to find where everybody is and make a strategy from there.” In a fleet where dozens of sailors are capable of winning a race, that discipline has kept Cayard firmly in control heading into the final two days of the 99th Bacardi Cup.
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99th Bacardi Cup - Top 5 Overall After Race Four
1. Paul Cayard/Frithjof Kleen (USA) - 5 points
2. Robert Scheidt/Austin Sperry (BRA) - 11 points
3. Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada (POL) - 17 points
4. Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) - 20 points
5. Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA) - 22 points
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Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
