MENDELBLATT And PRADA Win Day Three at Bacardi Cup

Mark MENDELBLATT, the 2005 Bacardi Cup champion and America’s Cup tactician, and crew Bruno PRADA of Brazil won the third race in the six-race series at the 82nd Bacardi Cup Star Class Regatta on Biscayne Bay, near Miami.

Their first place finish in Tuesday’s race moves them up six slots to third overall.

Mark MENDELBLATT (USA) credits his win today to Bruno PRADA (BRA), silver medallist at the Beijing Olympic Games as crew for Robert SCHEIDT (BRA), who he is sailing with for the first time. “He called the right off the start, fixed our rig for speed adjustment on the first run, and pulled the seaweed off our bow.”

The duo took a sharp left tack off the downwind mark after noticing more wind on the left. “I like the left in Miami,” said MENDELBLATT. “It seems the way to go more times than not.”

Light wind this morning pushed the race start back an hour, but the six knot breeze had little effect on Bermuda’s Peter BROMBY and crew Magnus LILJEDAHL (USA) who had great speed on the course today and finished in second for the second day in a row.

“We concentrated on staying in pressure and it made the difference today, as well as having Magnus on board,” said BROMBY who is a two-time winner of the Bacardi Cup. “We had a good first half and now we need a good second, but there are a lot of good sailors in this competition.”

BROMBY and LILJEDAHL, who were in the top five in a fleet of 62 boats for the entire race today, maintain their first place overall after three of six races.

Californian Andy MACDONALD and crew Brian FATIH (USA) of Miami finished third and are in 25th overall. 

John MACCAUSLAND and crew Kevin MURPHY (USA), both from New Jersey, finished in fourth and had a strong race today rounding the first upwind mark second just behind Mark REYNOLDS and crew Hal HAENEL (USA), and coming through the downwind gate first. They are in 10th overall.

Floridian Arthur ANOSOV and crew Mark DOLAN (USA) of Michigan finished in fifth place and move up to eighth overall.

Italians Lucio BOGGI and crew Manuele LAPORTA, the day two leaders, finished ninth and keep their sixth place overall. San Diego’s George SZABO and crew Rick PETERS (USA), the day one leaders, finished 25th and drop to 11th overall. Jon VANDERMOLEN of Michigan and crew Geoff EWENSON (USA) from Maryland finished sixth and move up two slots to fourth overall. 

Results – click here