SAN PEDRO, CA – On Sunday, nearly 200 Olympians and Olympic hopefuls from 34 countries took to the water at San Pedro OCR for six days of sailing in the L.A. Harbor. Among the contenders are 35 Olympians, including sic winners of a collective eight Olympic medals -tw gold, two silver, and four bronze – and for many it is their first chance to sail at the host venue for the LA 2028 Games. Sailors in all 3 fleets will compete in 2 to 3 races per day.
The race is the first Olympic Class regatta to take place at the Port of Los Angeles in the history of Olympic sailing, including the 1984 Games held to the east of this new site.
“It’s huge to be able to have an event on the Olympic waters,” says Bermuda’s Adriana Penruddocke in the ILCA 6 fleet. “Just to be able to get here and experience the venue is so important.”
“Plus, it’s always nice to have a chance to compare yourself with the folks at the top and see how you measure up,” she adds.
Top 3 sailors in the ILCA 6 world rankings Charlotte Rose, Maxime Jonker, and Eve McMahon will started alongside her on Sunday.
The ILCA 7 fleet, which features one of the deepest fields in the regatta, includes two-time Olympic gold medalist Matt Wearn, of Australia, and a collection of world championship contenders eager to test themselves on the future Olympic racecourse.
In preparation to meet these top competitors on the start line, British sailor Finley Dickinson says he’s been focusing on fitness and endurance, taking advantage of L.A.’s extensive bikeways.
“I’ve been cycling up to the aqueducts,” Dickinson said of his route along the L.A. River bike path. “I’ve also been biking north up toward the mountains and south toward Huntington.”
Fellow Brit and ILCA 6 sailor Hannah Snellgrove was diligently studying San Pedro’s unique wind patterns in advance of the six-day racing event.
“Downwind, the technique here is very venue-specific, so I’m working on trying to get that right.”
For these sailors, the race is a valuable opportunity to soak up decisive local knowledge at the L.A. 2028 Olympic venue.
“It’s my hope that these athletes walk away with a sense of how they’ll need to train over the next two years of their campaigns,” says World Sailing Chairman Fred Hagedorn.
Gathering intel will define the success of the week – how and when the breeze builds, what influence wave swell from the Pacific has on boathandling, and how the racecourses inside and outside the L.A. Harbor break water reward different sailing styles.
“It can be really tricky here, especially outside the break water,” says American 470 skipper Micky Munns. “When the waves rebound off the sea wall, it creates a really confused sea state that’s challenging in light and in windy conditions.”
Munns adds that both times he’s sailed here previously he was treated to strong wind.
Italy’s Dimitri Peroni is making his first visit to the United States this week, but says he’s already heard plenty about the famous afternoon sea breeze.
“I’m hoping for the classic breeze that this region is known for,” Peroni smiled. “And a good result to go along with it.”
Racing in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7, and 470 classes continues through Friday, July 24. Event details, entry lists, results, and schedules can be found at register.sanpedroocr.org and you can follow the regatta on Instagram at @SanPedroOCR.
