Championship drama came down to the final race across every fleet at the 2026 Bacardi Invitational Regatta, where 177 boats from 23 countries battled all week on Biscayne Bay before champions were finally decided on Saturday afternoon. Part of the larger celebration surrounding the 99th Bacardi Cup, the Bacardi Invitational Regatta once again brought together top sailors in the J/70 and other Classes. In the end, John Heaton emerged as J/70 fleet winner. Biscayne Bay delivered the kind of sailing conditions Miami is famous for. Consistent easterly breeze in the mid-teens, warm sunshine, and steady seas created what many competitors described as near-perfect racing. The J/70 fleet came down to the wire, with Heaton’s team on Empeiria delivering a steady performance throughout the week. “We just tried to be consistent and precise, not take too many risks, and sail the boat well,” Heaton said. “Plus, we made sure to have fun. Miami is a great place to sail, and the competition here is really strong.” The week-long Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta is known as much for its atmosphere as its racing, and once again the shoreside experience matched the action on the water. Hosted by Bacardi at Shake-A-Leg Miami and across most of Miami’s yacht clubs and sailing centers, competitors enjoyed daily debriefs, live music, and the legendary Bacardi hospitality that has made the event a favorite stop on the international sailing calendar. The regatta is made possible thanks to the continued support of its partners and sponsors, including North Sails, Centennial Bank, Premier Shore Finance, Palm Beach Yachts, Regatta Brokerage – the Brian Kamilar Team, Tuuci, TeamOne Newport, Hatuey Beer, Jaguar Therapeutics, and Shake-A-Leg Miami, along with many dedicated volunteers and race officials who deliver world-class racing on Biscayne Bay year after year.
Top three J/70s:
1. EMPEIRIA – John Heaton / Gonçalo Ribeiro / Paulo Manso / Mark Spearman
2. MAGATRON – Margaret McKillen / Orrin Starr / Lucas Calabrese / Scott Norris
3. CATAPULT – Joel Ronning / Jeremy Wilmot / Stephanie Roble / Sarah Douglass / Rebecca Anderson
Text Credits: Hannah Lee Noll
Results: bacardiregattas.sailti.com
Photos: facebook.com/BacardiCupInvitational/photos_albums
Web: bacardiinvitational.com