The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games officially announced that the 2028 rowing events will take place at Marine Stadium in Long Beach, CA. This course, the same one that was used in the 1932 Olympic Games, is only 1,500m long. This is the shortest course in Olympic history, as the standard length for international competition is 2,000m.
Although the original bid proposed to hold the event at Lake Perris, a reservoir on the east of Los Angeles about three hours away from the Olympic Village, that was ultimately rejected as too complex and expensive a solution that would require a satellite Olympic Village.
“It is a unique situation, brought about by a very specific Los Angeles context,” explained World Rowing President Jean-Christophe 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.”
Beach Sprint Rowing, a format of the Coastal Rowing discipline, will be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games program for the first time. The Beach Sprint Rowing venue has not yet been announced.
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