Richard Barthels is an American open water swimmer from Sacramento, California.

Open Water Swimming Highlights

• He achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. He has crossed the English Channel and the Catalina Channel and completed 4 circumnavigation swims around Manhattan Island.
• On 22 September 1990, he completed a 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the Southern California mainland in 11 hours 36 minutes 43 seconds.
• On 13 August 1993, he completed a 33.8 km crossing of the English Channel from England to France in 9 hours 42 minutes at the age of 46.
• He completed four 45.9 km Manhattan Island Marathon Swims on 19 August 1990 in 7 hours 46 minutes 39 seconds, on 19 August 1989 in 8 hours 18 minutes 33 seconds, on 27 August 1988 in 8 hours 12 minutes 42 seconds, and on 9 August 1987 in 8 hours 13 minutes 57 seconds.
• He completed the 16.1 km Round-Trip Angel Island swim from Aquatic Park in San Francisco Bay, California to Angel Island and back on 8 August 1995 in 6 hours 39 minutes.

Honors

• He received the O’Clee Jubilee Award in 1991 from the Channel Swimming Association.
• He achieved the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming in 1993.