Richard Alfred Weiss (September 18, 1963 – June 25, 1997), known as Rich Weiss, was a West German-born,

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

slalom kayaker who competed from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. He won a silver medal in the K1 event at the

1993 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships The 1993 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Mezzana, Italy under the auspices of International Canoe Federation The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. ...

in Mezzana. Weiss also competed in two

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

, earning his best finish of sixth in the K1 event in Atlanta in

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

. His finish in the

1992 Olympics 1992 Olympics may refer to: *1992 Summer Olympics, which were held in Barcelona, Spain *1992 Winter Olympics ) , nations = 64 , athletes = 1,801 (1313 men, 488 women) , events = 57 in 6 sports (12 disciplines) , opening = 8 ...

in Barcelona was mired in controversy when the television replay showed a judge's error cost him a bronze medal. Weiss was born in Munich, and earned a B.S. in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, an M.S. in Hydrogeology from

Penn State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State became ...

, and a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences at the University of British Columbia. He founded and owned an environmental consulting company, Weisswater Associates.John F. Russell, Steamboat Today
''Weiss made waves''
July 27, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2015. He drowned in a

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

accident on the

White Salmon River The White Salmon River is a tributary of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Originating on the slopes of Mount Adams, it flows into the Columbia Gorge near the community of Underwood. Parts of the river have been designated Wi ...

in Washington state in 1997. Preparing for a race with a friend, he unsuccessfully attempted to run Big Brother, a Class-V rapid with a 30-foot waterfall. His wife, Rosi, gave birth soon afterwards to a boy whom she named "River". The accidental death of a world-class paddler was the subject of much reflection and soul-searching in the whitewater community. The town of

Steamboat Springs, Colorado The City of Steamboat Springs is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Routt County, Colorado, United States. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Sta ...

dedicated a park, with a statue, in his honor.Jon Libid, Steamboat Today
Forever immortalized
June 10, 2001. Retrieved June 23, 2015. Richieweiss

World Cup individual podiums

References

*
Sports-reference.com profile
1963 births 1997 deaths American male canoeists Canoeists at the 1992 Summer Olympics Canoeists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Olympic canoeists for the United States Emigrants from West Germany to the United States Accidental deaths in Washington (state) Medalists at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships Canoeing deaths Deaths by drowning in the United States {{US-canoe-bio-stub

World Cup individual podiums

See also

References