The Lightning World Championship is a bi-annual international sailing regatta for lightning (dinghy). It is organized by the host club on behalf of the International Lightning Class Association and recognized by World Sailing, the sport's IOC-recognized governing body. The class gained class status in November 1962 from World Sailing, so its first Worlds were in 1963, although an International Regatta was held in 1961.
| Edition | Host | Boats | Participant | Ref | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Date | Year | Host club | Location | Nat. | Sailor | Nat. | Cont. | ||
| 1 | 1963 | Lima | 35 | 105 | 8 | 3 | [1] [2] | |||
| 2 | 9-19 Sept | 1965 | Naples | 43 | 129 | 12 | 4 | [3] [4] | ||
| 3 | 1967 | Toronto | 37 | 0 | 8 | 3 | [5] [6] [7] | |||
| 4 | 1969 | Olivos, Buenos Aires | 43 | 129 | 12 | 3 | [8] [9] | |||
| 5 | 1971 | Helsinki | 40 | 121 | 10 | 3 | [10] [11] | |||
| 6 | 1973 | Fort Erie, Ontario | 39 | 117 | 8 | 3 | [12] [13] | |||
| 7 | 1975 | Salinas, Ecuador | 49 | 147 | 10 | 3 | [14] [15] | |||
| 8 | 1977 | Spiez | 54 | 160 | 12 | 4 | [16] [17] | |||
| 9 | 1979 | Heath, Texas | 52 | 156 | 11 | 3 | [18] [19] | |||
| 10 | 1981 | Gran Hotel Pucon | Pucon | [20] [21] | ||||||
| 11 | 1983 | Circola Velici | Napoletani | 41 | 123 | 8 | 3 | [22] [23] | ||
| 12 | 1985 | Beach Haven, New Jersey | 40 | 121 | 8 | 3 | [24] [25] | |||
| 13 | 1987 | Cartagena | 39 | 117 | 9 | 3 | [26] [27] | |||
| 14 | 2–7 July | 1989 | / | Athens | 45 | 135 | 8 | 3 | [28] [29] | |
| 15 | 1991 | Annapolis | 39 | 117 | 8 | 3 | [30] [31] | |||
| 16 | 1993 | lhabela Island | 42 | 126 | 7 | 3 | [32] [33] | |||
| 17 | 2–8 July | 1995 | Kuopion Pursiscura | Kuopio | 35 | 105 | 6 | 3 | [34] [35] | |
| 18 | 8–13 June | 1997 | and | Montreal, Quebec | 58 | 175 | 9 | 3 | [36] [37] [38] | |
| 19 | 22-29 Nov | 1999 | Salinas, Ecuador | 45 | 135 | 7 | 3 | [39] [40] [41] | ||
| 20 | 20–24 July | 2001 | Marsala, Sicily | 44 | 132 | 9 | 3 | [42] [43] | ||
| 21 | 13-18 Apr | 2003 | & | Miami | 60 | 180 | 11 | 3 | [44] [45] [46] | |
| 22 | 19-26 Nov | 2005 | Higuerillas | 45 | 135 | 8 | 3 | [47] [48] [49] [50] | ||
| 23 | 21–27 July | 2007 | Athens | 48 | 145 | 12 | 5 | [51] [52] | ||
| 24 | 11-29 Sept | 2009 | Colchester, Vermont | 60 | 180 | 10 | 5 | [53] [54] [55] [56] | ||
| 25 | 2011 | Buzios, Rio de Janeiro | 30 | 90 | 9 | 5 | [57] [58] [59] | |||
| 26 | 6–14 June | 2013 | Castiglione del Lago | 46 | 139 | 10 | 5 | [60] [61] | ||
| 27 | 18–25 July | 2015 | Fort Erie, Ontario | 63 | 190 | 10 | 5 | [62] [63] [64] | ||
| 28 | 21-25 Nov | 2017 | Salinas, Ecuador | 56 | 168 | 12 | 5 | [65] [66] [67] | ||
| 29 | 12–17 June | 2019 | Espoo | 49 | 147 | 12 | 5 | [68] [69] [70] [71] | ||
| N/A | 13–22 May | 2021 | Charleston | Postponed due to COVID | [72] [73] | |||||
| 30 | 17–21 May | 2022 | Charleston | 50 | 150 | 8 | 4 | [74] [75] | ||
| 31 | 23-27 Nov | 2023 | Cartagena | 40 | 11+ | 4+ | [76] [77] [78] | |||
| 32 | 16-21 Jun | 2025 | Voula | 40 | 123 | 10 | 4 | [79] | ||
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | US 7811
| US 8513
| US 8390
| [1] [2] |
| 1965 | US 9411 - ATOM II
| US 8529 - SHAZAM
| US 9110 - HYPERTENSION
| [3] |
| 1967 | US 10199
| 10411
| 8510 Bergantz USA | [5] [6] |
| 1969 | US 11367 - Snoopy
| 9390 - Cat
| 11011 - Atom
| [8] [9] |
| 1971 | US 11501 - Finesse
| US 11491 - Tickled Pink
| US 11099 - Spook
| [11] |
| 1973 | US 12422 - Snoopy
| US 12060 - Hang On Sloopy Jim Dressel | US 10599 - Shoe Shine Baby Bob Seidelmann | [13] |
| 1975 | B 12414
| US 10114
| US 12422
| [80] |
| 1977 | 13111
| 7495 Mario Buckup BRA | 11658 Jim Crane | [17] |
| 1979 | US 13226
| US 13226
| US 13333
| [19] |
| 1981 | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN UNKNOWN | [21] |
| 1983 | US 11420 - Speedy
| I 13706
| BL 12489
| [23] |
| 1985 | US 14021 - Eclipse
| BL 12812 - Flash Rider
| US 11739 - Speedy Again
| [ citation needed ] |
| 1987 Cartegena | X 11099
| KC 14057
| US 14175
| [27] |
| 1989 | KC 13968 | US 14045 | US 14176 | [29] [28] |
| 1991 | US 11346 | KC 14499 | US 14296 | [31] |
| 1993 | BRA 12657 | BRA 11721 | BRA 14203 | [33] |
| 1995 | CHI 11011 | USA 14709 | USA 14530 | [ citation needed ] |
| 1997 | CAN 14834 | CHI 14709 | 14763 | [36] |
| 1999 | 11011 | 14730 | 14927 | |
| 2001 | USA-15083 | USA-15045 | USA-14740 | [43] |
| 2003 | CHI-11011 | USA-14752 | USA-14900 | [46] |
| 2005 | 11011 | 15252 | 14454 | [48] [49] |
| 2007 | USA 15083 | USA 14975 | USA 15265 | |
| 2009 | 15045 | 15355 | 11011 | [56] [54] |
| 2011 | 11011 | 15333 | 14894 | [58] |
| 2013 | 15470 | 14036 | 15507 | [60] |
| 2015 | USA 15296 - 15296 | USA 15499 | USA 15385 - Ultimate Pressure | [63] |
| 2017 | ARG 15597 - Argentina | USA 14298 - Freak Gasoline Fight Accident | PUR 14677 - Black Beauty | [66] |
| 2019 | ARG 15597 | CHI 14794 | USA 15611 | [70] |
| 2022 | USA 15611 - Team PatStrong | CHI 11011 - Ojo de Lince | ARG 15597 - Argentina | [75] |
| 2023 | ECU 14647 - Marraqueta | USA 15611 - Team PatStrong | USA 15561 - Danilu UNKNOWN | [78] [81] |
| 2025 | CHI 14794 - EL DOCTORADO | USA 15507 - Veggie Sub | USA 15296 - Silver Girl | [79] |