IOC adds Beach Sprint Rowing to LA 2028 Olympic Games
The International Olympic Committee has today announced that Beach Sprint Rowing will be added to the Olympic programme – in addition to classic rowing – for LA 2028
The GB Coastal Mixed Double Scull on their way to winning silver at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in 2022. Photo: Benedict Tufnell/British Rowing.
Beach Sprint is rowing – but not as you know it. A fast-paced shorter format of the sport, Sprint combines the endurance, power and technical sides of river rowing with running, navigation and fast paced side by side racing as athletes combat the waves on a coastal ‘field of play’ where anything can happen. Athletes’ ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape of competition is tested alongside their physical ability… and it’s all over in a matter of minutes.
Beach Sprints is on the programme for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and today has been added to the LA 2028 Olympic Games programme.
Commenting on the decision Louise Kingsley, British Rowing Director of Performance said: “Including Beach Sprint in the Olympic programme is a great opportunity to introduce our sport to a new audience. It also allows us to bring the coastal rowing community together with traditional rowing communities to increase the reach of the sport. This decision means that sadly the last classic rowing lightweight races will be in Paris 2024, but these athletes could also consider switching disciplines and transition into Beach Sprints.
“From an athlete perspective, Beach Sprint appeals to those who thrive on jeopardy because it is fast and furious and requires greater, immediate decision making, which will test and challenge athletes in a new way whilst still being ‘rowing’.
“We have been quietly developing the programme over the last few years and have had our most successful season in 2023, finishing second on the medal table at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and winning our first ever World and European gold medals. Building from this a selection strategy for the 2024 season as well as an outline performance strategy for the LA Olympiad will be published in January. We will be working with UK Sport to discuss how we further integrate the Beach Sprint discipline into our World Class programme to ensure we can field a high quality team of athletes who will be able to compete and win medals at the LA Games.”
Team GB Chef de Mission, Mark England commented; “Over the past Olympic cycle we have seen the impact that new disciplines have had for both summer and winter sports in diversifying the audience watching the Olympic Games. I have no doubt that the inclusion of Beach Sprint on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games programme will captivate many new Team GB fans to the sport of rowing.”
