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Sailor · 2009–2026

Mickey Nielson

Search sailors · About these ratings

Events
31

173 races · 14 race wins

Win rate
3%

3% win rate · 1 of 31

Podium rate
16%

5 top-three finishes

Typically beats
41%

of boats faced (90%: 37%–45%, 412 boats)

Best class ranking
#50

Crew in S2 7.9 · rating 95

Longest win streak
5

race wins in a row

Most successful partnership
Michael Hettel

1 wins · 3 podiums in 5 events together · 20% win rate

Best trio
Michael Hettel & Mark Lewis

1 wins · 3 podiums in 3 events, all three aboard

Biggest lift
John Sandstrom

+31 points of fleet beaten when sailing together

Longest-running crew
Jeff Schaefer

Aug 2009 – Jul 2026 · 20 events

Nemesis
Richard Witzel

5–54 head to head in 59 races

Rival
Paul Latour

25–21 in 46 races

Best day
19 Feb 2022

2-1-5-3 · 2022 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - St. Petersburg · about 1 in 64 by chance

Signature result
3rd of 28

2017 S2 7.9 Class Championship Regatta · S2 7.9 · 22 Sep 2017

Partnerships · 46 sailors

Most successful partnership: Michael Hettel — 1 wins · 3 podiums in 5 events together · 20% win rate
  • Jeff Schaefer · Challenge, Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, ORC handicap, PHRF handicap, S2 7.9 20events 1 wins together · 3 podiums · 5% win rate · 11 of 115 races won Beat 32% of the fleet together(−13 vs. without) · best 1st · Aug 2009 – Jul 2026
  • Mike Reisinger · Challenge, Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, PHRF handicap, S2 7.9 16events 1 wins together · 2 podiums · 6% win rate · 9 of 98 races won Beat 29% of the fleet together(−16 vs. without) · best 1st · Jun 2015 – Jul 2022
  • Mark Lewis · Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, PHRF handicap 11events 1 wins together · 3 podiums · 9% win rate · 10 of 74 races won Beat 35% of the fleet together(−2 vs. without) · best 1st · Aug 2009 – Jun 2022
  • Nick Ponsonby · Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, PHRF handicap 9events 0 wins together · 1 podiums · 0% win rate · 3 of 50 races won Beat 27% of the fleet together(−13 vs. without) · best 2nd · Jun 2016 – Aug 2021
  • Chris Nielson · Challenge, Howie..., Shmokin Joe · ORC handicap, S2 7.9, Star 8events 0 wins together · 1 podiums · 0% win rate · 2 of 38 races won Beat 51% of the fleet together(+20 vs. without) · best 3rd · Mar 2012 – Jun 2026
  • Jesse Paulson · Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, PHRF handicap 8events 1 wins together · 1 podiums · 13% win rate · 5 of 53 races won Beat 25% of the fleet together(−16 vs. without) · best 1st · Jun 2015 – Jun 2022
  • Sam Eadie · Shmokin Joe · J/111 7events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 0% win rate · 0 of 40 races won Beat 16% of the fleet together(−26 vs. without) · best 4th · Jun 2017 – Jul 2021
  • Michael Hettel · Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, PHRF handicap 5events 1 wins together · 3 podiums · 20% win rate · 10 of 29 races won Beat 59% of the fleet together(+27 vs. without) · best 1st · Aug 2009 – Jun 2018
  • Mark Lendvay · Challenge, Shmokin Joe · J/111, ORC handicap, S2 7.9 5events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 0% win rate · 0 of 17 races won Beat 35% of the fleet together(−2 vs. without) · best 7th · Sep 2024 – Jul 2026
  • John Sandstrom · Shmokin Joe, Surface Tension · J/111, PHRF handicap 5events 1 wins together · 3 podiums · 20% win rate · 10 of 32 races won Beat 62% of the fleet together(+31 vs. without) · best 1st · Aug 2009 – Jun 2017

Lift shows how much better this sailor finishes with that partner aboard.

Rating history

-17169354201020132016201920222025Crew rating, all classes

Event history · 31

DateEventBoatClassRoleFinish
24 Jul 20262026 Little Traverse Yacht Club Regatta - Ugotta RegattaShmokin JoeJ/111Bow8th / 12
5 Jun 20262026 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - ChicagoShmokin JoeORC handicapBow7th / 7
29 May 20262026 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - DetroitBlondieS2 7.9Bow4th / 7
13 Feb 20262026 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - St PetersburgChallengeS2 7.9Bow9th / 12
12 Sep 20252025 S2 7.9 Class Championship RegattaChallengeS2 7.9Bow11th / 16
2 Aug 20252025 RYC Racine RegattaChallengePHRF handicapSkipper3rd / 7
6 Jun 20252025 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - ChicagoShmokin JoeORC handicapBow7th / 15
20 Sep 2024S2 7.9 Class Championship RegattaChallengeS2 7.9Chef12th / 24
15 Sep 20232023 S2 7.9 Class Championship RegattaChallengeS2 7.9Other10th / 20
29 Jul 20222022 Little Traverse Yacht Club Regatta - Ugotta RegattaShmokin JoeJ/111Bow10th / 13
10 Jun 20222022 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - ChicagoShmokin JoeJ/111Bow6th / 6
18 Feb 20222022 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series - St. PetersburgChallengeS2 7.9Skipper6th / 16
13 Aug 20212021 Verve Cup Offshore RegattaShmokin JoeJ/111Pit6th / 8
30 Jul 20212021 Little Traverse Yacht Club Regatta - Ugotta RegattaShmokin JoeJ/111Pit4th / 6
11 Jun 20212021 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta ChicagoShmokin JoeJ/111Pit5th / 6
5 Jun 20212021 Columbia Y.C. COLORS RegattaShmokin JoeJ/111Pit5th / 5
14 Feb 20202020 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta St. PetersburgChallengeS2 7.9Leeward Runner6th / 13
23 Aug 20192019 Verve Cup Inshore Regatta & J 70 Great Lakes ChampionshipSailor BandidoJ/70Bow15th / 15
21 Aug 20192019 J 111 World ChampionshipShmokin JoeJ/111Bow21st / 23
9 Aug 20192019 Verve Cup Offshore Regatta & J 111 Pre WorldsShmokin JoeJ/111Bow14th / 16
8 Jun 20192019 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta ChicagoShmokin JoeJ/111Bow8th / 8
3 May 20192019 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta AnnapolisSailor BandidoJ/70Bow30th / 30
8 Jun 20182018 Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta ChicagoShmokin JoeJ/111Pit9th / 12
2 Jun 20182018 Columbia Y.C. COLORS RegattaShmokin JoeJ/111Pit7th / 7
22 Sep 20172017 S2 7.9 Class Championship RegattaChallengeS2 7.9Rush Chairman3rd / 28

Crew rating across all classes: 64 (±122), #32,887.Helm rating across all classes: 7 (±241). Compiled from public results; not an official ranking.