Speed Rack bartending competition happening in Puerto Rico
In support of women’s contributions in bartending, Puerto Rico Cocktail Week (PRCW) announced that the Speed Rack competition will be held in Puerto Rico for the first time, May 31 at La Factoría in Old San Juan.
Speed Rack is known worldwide as the first exclusive speed cocktail competition for anyone who identifies as a woman and was created by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, both bartenders and mixologists born in the United States.
Marrero has established herself in the hospitality industry to such an extent that she was inducted into the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Dame Hall of Fame and named one of Fortune Food and Wine magazine’s “Most Innovative Women in Food and Beverage.”
Meanwhile, Mix owns the James Beard Award-nominated Leyenda bar in Brooklyn, New York. She was also named 2015’s “Best American Bartender” in Tales of the Cocktail.
“I’m very excited and proud to bring the Speed Rack competition to my home country of Puerto Rico. Ivy and I started this project in 2011, and seeing it expand around the world is an achievement I’m very proud of. I can’t wait to see what the women of Puerto Rico bring to this competition,” said Marrero.
This edition of Speed Rack “promises to be fierce, but it will also be fierce in fundraising,” organizers said.
The competition raises funds to benefit breast cancer research and so far has raised $1 million for organizations that support the cause.
This year’s competition is part of the initiatives contemplated for PRCW Summer Edition. Women interested in participating can register here. As a general criterion, participants must be bartenders working at least two shifts, be passionate about cocktails, and have a genuine desire to be part of a strong community of women who support each other.
PRCW will soon release the full schedule featuring three days of events, seminars, and entertainment for all cocktail enthusiasts and lovers, the organization said.
