Missed opportunity for LA28 Olympics?

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The Opening Ceremony for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is in just over three years, yet the Sailing venue has not yet been confirmed. This decision is late and impacting one of the few sports where athletes train as much for the local conditions as the competition. Sad!

While the LA28 Organizing Committee is mired in big city politics, the country of Australia aspires to get people sailing before their Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.  The national sailing federation is recruiting smart people and has hatched a strategic plan to reach 350,000 new participants and achieve gender equity in the sport by 2032. Nice!

US Sailing has not launched a similar initiative for 2028, though the venues on the 2028 shortlist don’t have great demographics for the sport. San Pedro, a neighborhood within Los Angeles, is highly industrial while the City of Long Beach has crime and poverty issues.  Both are great sailing areas, but they aren’t the scenic backdrops for the 2032 Games. Oh well…

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Sailing Program:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

Venue: Los Angeles or Long Beach, CA
Dates: July 21-August 6