Cayard and Kleen make it two from two on the second day of the 99th Bacardi Cup

The USA pair finished ahead of Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Bruno Prada (POL) in second with Robert Scheidt and Austin Sperry (BRA) third.

The race hinged on the opening beat.

Halfway up the first leg, Cayard, Kusznierewicz, and Scheidt punched out together on the left side. From there, the trio built leverage and extended, creating a gap that only widened as the race progressed. Olympians Eivind Melleby (NOR) and Christian Nehammer (AUT) kept the pressure on throughout.

On the final downwind, the leaders stretched further ahead. Cayard rounded the right gate first, Kusznierewicz close behind and immediately tacked, splitting to the left. Scheidt rounded the left gate in third.

Now, two hours into the race, teams still raced full effort. Cayard expertly managed the fleet on the final beat, and the top three finished in the same order they rounded the gate.

“Can’t start Bacardi much better than that,” Cayard joked when asked about his 1-1 scoreline. “But it was very tough racing out there with Mateusz and Robert: very physical in 15 knots. It’s a two-hour nonstop physical exertion.”

The back-to-back wins give the American-German team early momentum, but Cayard was quick to temper expectations. “It won’t be any different tomorrow, and it won’t be any easier. Long way to go.”

For Cayard, a veteran of multiple America’s Cup campaigns and one of the most decorated resumes in sailing, the Bacardi Cup remains a singular proving ground. Will he earn his first Bacardi Cup title this week, less than a year after winning the Star World Championship?

“I don’t think you have harder sailing than what you find in the Star Class,” he said. “If you want to find out if you’re a good sailor, you need to sail in the Bacardi Cup with the Star Class — then you’re going to find out.”

Top 5 overall after two races

1. Paul Cayard/Frithjof Kleen (USA) 2
2. Mateusz Kusznierewicz/Bruno Prada (POL) 4
3. Robert Scheidt/Austin Sperry (BRA) 6
4. Diego Negri/Sergio Lambertenghi (ITA) 14
5. Eric Doyle/Payson Infelise (USA) 14