World Rowing officials met key figures within the Los Angeles 2028 Organising Committee ©World Rowing

Senior officials from World Rowing toured the proposed venue for the rowing competition at the 2028 Olympics during a visit to Los Angeles.

World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland led a delegation to Southern California where they held a series of meetings with the Los Angeles 2028 Organising Committee.

Rowing at Los Angeles 2028 had been due to take place at Lake Perris before a decision was taken to move it to the Long Beach Marine Stadium.

The venue hosted rowing at the 1932 Games but the installation of the J.H. Davies Bridge in 1955 has limited the course’s length to 1,500 metres.

World Rowing agreed to a request from LA 2028 organisers to stage the sport at the shortened venue, with the International Olympic Committee also declaring its satisfaction last September.

After visiting the Long Beach Marine Stadium, the World Rowing delegation went to the headquarters of LA 2028.

Rolland was joined by World Rowing vice-president Tricia Smith and executive director Vincent Gaillard as well as Nobuhisa Ishizuka, chair of the US Rowing Board.

They held meetings with a number of key members of the Organising Committee including LA 2028 chair Casey Wasserman, chief executive Kathy Carter, chief operating officer John Harper and sports director Niccolo Campriani along with United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee chair Gene Sykes.

World Rowing is pushing for the inclusion of beach sprint at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles ©Getty Images
World Rowing is pushing for the inclusion of beach sprint at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles ©Getty Images

Among the topics discussed included the collaboration between LA 2028, World Rowing and US Rowing in preparation to the Games in five years' time.

The World Rowing delegation also presented its proposal for beach sprint to be added to LA 2028 programme.

The discipline had previously been tabled for Paris 2024 to replace two lightweight rowing categories only to be rejected by the IOC.

World Rowing said it underlined how beach sprint would "uniquely add value" to the Games, targeting "a full venue share with other inshore events in the Olympic programme to ensure a financially sustainable approach".

"It was a very fruitful visit, which will contribute to strengthen our partnership with Los Angeles 2028 for years to come," said Rolland.

"We are looking forward to actively supporting their ambition to, once more, make Olympic and Paralympic history in Los Angeles, including, we hope, through the inclusion of an exciting new form of rowing that will fully embrace the LA spirit and beach culture."