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Sailor · 2015–2026

Richard Waldkirch

cyc wrightsville beach Lightning

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Events
24

105 races · 1 race win

Win rate
4%

4% win rate · 1 of 24

Podium rate
4%

1 top-three finishes

Typically beats
24%

of boats faced (90%: 20%–28%, 386 boats)

Best class ranking
#319

Helm in Lightning · rating 33

Most successful partnership
Christin Walsh

1 wins · 1 podiums in 7 events together · 14% win rate

Best trio
David Powell & Christin Walsh

1 wins · 1 podiums in 7 events, all three aboard

Biggest lift
Katie Sherwood

+5 points of fleet beaten when sailing together

Longest-running crew
David Powell

Mar 2017 – Jul 2026 · 16 events

Nemesis
John Sawyer

22–63 head to head in 86 races

Best day
5 Jul 2021

7-2-2 · Independence Day Regatta · about 1 in 3 by chance

Signature result
1st of 7

Sound Series 2026 · Lightning · 26 May 2026

Partnerships · 7 sailors

Most successful partnership: Christin Walsh — 1 wins · 1 podiums in 7 events together · 14% win rate
  • David Powell · 14695, Boat 245701, Richard Waldkirch · Lightning 16events 1 wins together · 1 podiums · 6% win rate · 1 of 71 races won Beat 31% of the fleet together(+2 vs. without) · best 1st · Mar 2017 – Jul 2026
  • Christin Walsh · Richard Waldkirch · Lightning 7events 1 wins together · 1 podiums · 14% win rate · 1 of 27 races won Beat 28% of the fleet together(−4 vs. without) · best 1st · Jun 2020 – Jul 2026
  • Katie Sherwood · Boat 245701, Richard Waldkirch · Lightning 5events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 0% win rate · 0 of 23 races won Beat 35% of the fleet together(+5 vs. without) · best 5th · Sep 2019 – May 2022
  • Mickey Southerland · 14695 · Lightning 1events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 1 events · 0 of 5 races won Beat 13% of the fleet together · best 35th · Mar 2017 – Mar 2017
  • Jack Gower · Richard Waldkirch · Lightning 1events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 1 events · 0 of 6 races won Beat 43% of the fleet together · best 5th · May 2026 – May 2026
  • Barry Blackburn · Richard Waldkirch · Lightning 1events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 1 events · 0 of 7 races won Beat 29% of the fleet together · best 16th · Oct 2023 – Oct 2023
  • Taylor Hammeke · Richard Waldkirch · Lightning 1events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 1 events · 0 of 3 races won Beat 50% of the fleet together · best 5th · Jun 2020 – Jun 2020

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

Rating history

-8422127201620182020202220242026Helm rating, all classes

Event history · 24

DateEventBoatClassRoleFinish
31 Jul 20262026 SAYRA Invitational at CYC1853Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper7th / 9
14 Jul 2026Independence Day Regatta 2026Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper5th / 5
26 May 2026Sound Series 2026Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper1st / 7
16 May 2026Ocean Series 2026Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper5th / 8
23 Sep 2025Lightning NAs 2025 Carolina Yacht Club Wrightsville Beach NCRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper41st / 50
2 Aug 20252025 SAYRA at CYC1853Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper6th / 7
17 May 20252025 Melges 15 Mayhem/Lightning SE DistrictsRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper14th / 17
20 Oct 2023Wild Oyster Regatta 2023Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper16th / 22
15 May 20222022 Lightning Masters World ChampionshipsBoat 245701LightningOther37th / 42
5 Sep 2021Labor Day RegattaRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper5th / 7
5 Jul 2021Independence Day RegattaRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper4th / 9
26 Apr 2021Sound Series 2021Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper5th / 11
23 Apr 2021Ocean Series 2021Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper7th / 13
17 Jul 2020Ocean Series #4Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper5th / 7
19 Jun 2020Ocean Series #3Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper5th / 9
15 Jun 2020Sound Series #3Richard WaldkirchLightningSkipper7th / 8
18 Oct 20192019 Wild Oyster Regattan/aLightningSkipper23rd / 29
20 Sep 20192019 Lightning SEDRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper10th / 12
27 Apr 20192019 Lightning Spring Championship14695LightningSkipper6th / 8
28 Apr 2018Lightning Spring Championship14695LightningSkipper10th / 14
5 Aug 20172017 CYCNC SAYRA Open14695LightningSkipper11th / 14
19 Mar 20172017 Winter Lightning Championship - 70th Annual St. Petersburg Yacht Club14695LightningOther35th / 40
23 Oct 20152015 Wild OysterRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper35th / 40
30 May 2015Lightning SE District Ocean RegattaRichard WaldkirchLightningSkipper18th / 22

Helm rating across all classes: 80 (±136), #36,098. Compiled from public results; not an official ranking.