Los Angeles 2028 confirms venue for Classic Rowing

Today, the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games announced officially that the 2028 Olympic Rowing regatta will be staged at the Marine Stadium in Long Beach, CA.

As part of this announcement from LA28, it was confirmed that Rowing will take place on the 1932 Olympic Games course – for the first-time ever, racing will be held on a 1’500m distance.

‘’We are pleased to have the Marine Stadium in Long Beach venue confirmed to feature classic rowing at the heart of the Olympic Games, said World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland. This is the outcome of a thorough and extensive analysis, developed very closely with the IOC and the Los Angeles Organisers in the context of the Olympic Agenda 2020. The bid proposal was to stage the 2028 Olympic regatta at Lake Perris, a reservoir on the east of Los Angeles (approx. 3 hours outside of the Olympic Village), a complex and expensive solution that would have had no legacy and required a satellite Olympic Village.

Racing  will be held on 1’500 metres. “It is a unique situation, brought about by a very specific Los Angeles context, added President Rolland. Certainly the best compromise for the benefit of our Sport in the context of the Olympic Games. In 1932, a full 2000m course was in place, but since then, a bridge was built, shortening the available water to 1500 meters for a six-lane race. This option was shared and discussed on multiple occasions with our Member Federations and the rowing community. It will require some adaptation, for the athletes in the first place,  but it shows our ability to adapt without changing the core nature of our sport. Long Beach will be a great location and an exciting opportunity to showcase Rowing to the rest of the world.”

Last year, the International Olympic Committee announced that Beach Sprint Rowing, a format of the Coastal Rowing discipline, will be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games programme, alongside Classic Rowing. For the first time, Rowing will be featured in two different disciplines, both set to be showcased at the heart of the Olympic Games. The venue for Beach Sprint Rowing will be announced at a later stage.

For any media queries, please contact World Rowing Head of Communications and Media, Brian Orsini – brian.orsini@worldrowing.com