Richard Reichelsdorfer, popularly known as Rich, was born March 3, 1968 into a sailing family. Cruising with his family at an early age and sailing and racing with the Sheboygan Sea Scouts he learned early on the pleasure of sailing and racing. Rich learned the rules of sail racing and practiced them, earning the respect of his competitors and observers. He has dedicated his life to the sport.

At every opportunity to advance sail racing in Sheboygan he was at the front making it happen. He was the First Director of Sail Sheboygan and is the current Director of Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan. Additionally, Rich is a national race officer, having served the 2011 Nations Cup, the IFDS Blind World Match Racing Championship, the 2014 Lightning North American Championship and the Buddy Melges Challenge, a part of the Women’s International Match Racing Series. His work with the Blind World Match Racing Championship inspired IFDS to make significant changes to future blind match racing events.

Rich has served as a race officer at many world class events including the ISAF World Sailing Cup. In 2011 and 2012 he was the International Elliott 6m Fleet Manager for the Women’s Match Racing event in the London Olympics and its qualifying regattas.

Rich’s input to all regattas in Sheboygan has grown the reputation of Sheboygan as a site for fun, good racing, camaraderie and perfect facilities.

Rich has competed in 26 Chicago to Mackinac Island Races, 24 Port Huron-Mackinac Races, the US Sailing Single Handed Championship, countless Queen’s Cups, M&M Yacht Club’s 100 Miler and thousands of other races.

In 1976, his father, Peter, purchased a C&C 27 Mark 1 which has given Rich many hours of real pleasure and it is still part of the Reichelsdorfer clan. When he gets real serious nowadays about racing, he can be found either on the Great Lakes 70 Evolution or the J/145, Main Street. Rich has been a life-long resident of Wisconsin and is a member of Sheboygan Yacht Club and Port Washington Yacht Club.

It is a pleasure to induct Richard Reichelsdorfer into Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation’s Lake Michigan Sailing Hall of Fame.

June 2, 2016
Sheboygan Yacht Club
Sheboygan, Wisconsin