Racing on Olympic waters in Long Beach

The road to Los Angeles 2028 continues this week as the world’s best kiteboarders and windsurfers descend on Long Beach, California for the 2026 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta (OCR), with 15 US athletes taking to the waters off Belmont Shore for racing July 13-16.

The Long Beach OCR marks a critical opportunity for athletes to race on the same waters that will host Olympic competition at the LA28 Olympic Games. At the halfway point of the quad, the event is expected to be one of the strongest and most competitive stops on the Sailing Grand Slam circuit.

Competition in the Formula Kite and iQFOiL classes will feature a preliminary series, elimination series, and medal finals, giving athletes valuable racing experience while testing strategies, equipment, and local conditions on the Belmont Shore racecourse.

The fleet includes many of the sport’s biggest names, including numerous Paris 2024 Olympic medalists. Reigning Olympic champion in the Men’s Formula Kite, Silver Medalist in the Women’s Kite and every Olympic medalist from the Men’s and Women’s iQFOiL events are expected to compete as they begin another push toward qualification for LA28. With Olympic veterans joined by rising stars from around the world, the regatta promises some of the toughest competition of the season.

Mirroring the Olympic format, Formula Kite and iQFOiL competition will be based out of Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, with racing taking place off Belmont Shore in Long Beach. The remaining Olympic sailing classes will compete later this summer at the San Pedro Olympic Class Regatta.

Beyond serving as an important benchmark on the Olympic pathway, the Long Beach OCR will also offer qualification opportunities for the next Pan American Games. The top two eligible nations in the Men’s and Women’s iQFOiL events and the top four eligible nations in the Men’s and Women’s Formula Kite events will earn country qualification spots. Eligible nations can be found here.

On the water for the USA:

Men’s Kite
Matt Faus
Lief Given
Adam Keaton
Trevor Nelson
Noah Runciman

Women’s Kite
Daniela Moroz, US Sailing Team (OLY Paris 2024)

Men’s iQFOiL
Noah Lyons (OLY Paris 2024)
Makani Andrews
Xavier Ferlet
Garrett January
Miles Sousana

Women’s iQFOiL
Dominique Stater (OLY Paris 2024)
Bryn Miller
Brianna Orams

Event details: https://www.longbeachocr.org/en/default/races/race

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Sailing Program:
First Week – July 16-20
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class – Long Beach, CA
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class – Long Beach, CA
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL – Long Beach, CA
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL – Long Beach, CA

Second Week – July 23-28
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7 – Los Angeles, CA
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 – Los Angeles, CA
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470 – Los Angeles, CA
Men’s Skiff – 49er – Los Angeles, CA
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX – Los Angeles, CA
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 – Los Angeles, CA

Dates: July 16-28

Source: US Sailing