The LA28 sailing competitions will take place from 16 to 28 July 2028. It was previously announced that two Southern Californian Olympic venues had been selected for the battle for the sailing medals: Belmont Shore in the host city of Long Beach in Los Angeles County will be the stage for the Formula Kite (women, men) and iQFOiL windsurfing (women, men) board competitions in 2028. The Port of Los Angeles will host six boat competitions.
Olympia 2028: the kiters open the sailing games
The Olympic regatta will be opened by kiters on 16 July. The first Olympic sailing medals will be awarded on 19 July. The windsurfing decisions will be made one day later on 20 July. The boat competitions will open in the port of Los Angeles on 23 July with the first races for Ilca 6 (women) and Ilca 7 (men), with their medals being handed out on 26 July.
After the 470 and Nacra 17 mixed crews start on 24 July (medal ceremony on 27 July), the 49er and 49erFX skiff fleets will follow on 25 July. Their medals will be the last to be awarded at the Olympia made in the USA on 28 July.
The schedule of the sailing competitions in LA28
Phase 1: Board competitions (area: Belmont Shore, Long Beach)
- Formula Kite Men
- Qualification round day 1: 16 July 2028
- Final: 19 July 2028
- Formula Kite Women
- Qualification round day 1: 16 July 2028
- Final: 19 July 2028
- iQFOiL windsurfing men
- Qualification round day 1: 17 July 2028
- Final: 20 July 2028
- iQFOiL-Windsurfing Women
- Qualification round day 1: 17 July 2028
- Final: 20 July 2028
Phase 2: Boat competitions (area: Los Angeles harbour)
- Dinghy Men (Ilca 7)
- Qualification round day 1: 23 July 2028
- Final: 26 July 2028
- Dinghy women (Ilca 6)
- Qualification series day 1: 23 July 2028
- Final: 26 July 2028
- Mixed dinghy (470)
- Qualification series day 1: 24 July 2028
- Final: 27 July 2028
- Mixed multihulls (Nacra 17)
- Qualification round day 1: 24 July 2028
- Final: 27 July 2028
- Skiff men (49er)
- Qualification round day 1: 25 July 2028
- Final: 28 July 2028
- Skiff women (49erFX)
- Qualification series day 1: 25 July 2028
- Final: 28 July 2028
330 board and boat athletes for LA28
With a total of 330 athletes, the programme confirms the same number of men and women taking part. The total number of ten disciplines will not change compared to the 2024 Olympic sailing regatta in the Bay of Marseille. According to the organisers, the successive competition blocks for board athletes and classic sailors are intended to maximise spectator interest and television broadcast opportunities.
The Olympic sailing regatta starts at the historic Belmont Shore in Long Beach, where sailing competitions were held during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and where open water swimming and coastal sprint rowing are also held as part of the LA28 water sports centre. 41 years ago, the star boat helmsman Achim Griese, who died in 2024, and his coxswain Michael Marcour won Olympic silver in this sailing area of Belmont Shore in Long Beach. The Olympic champions at the time were US sailors William Earley Buchan and Stevie Erickson.
Following the conclusion of the board competitions, Olympic sailing is moving its boat competitions to the harbour in Los Angeles. The first positive comments on the division of the LA28 area were made immediately after the presentation in July of this year. Three-time Olympian and Ilca 7 world champion Philipp Buhl called the decision a "best-case scenario" for sailing.
Olympic opening on 14 July
The XXXIV Olympic Games will take place from 14 to 30 July 2028. The opening ceremony on 14 July is split between two venues - the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the SoFi Stadium in Inglwood. The sport of sailing will be celebrated against the beautiful backdrop of the Pacific coast as one of the highlights of the Games. The Paralympic Games will open on 15 August 2028, but will continue to take place without sailing for the time being. A review of the latest Olympic sailing results from last year in Marseille can be found here.
This historical review of the 1984 Olympic regatta from the perspective of the hosts at the time provides some insights into the former and now approaching Olympic venue of Long Beach. These were the Games in which Achim Griese and Michael Marcour won Starboat silver. And also the games in which SailGP conductor Russell Coutts became Finn Olympic champion:
