Australian Fast Boats Ready for Key LA2028 Venue Test
by Lisa Darmanin / Australian Sailing Team 3 Aug 00:18 PDT
3-8 August 2026
Harry Price and Max Paul © Sailing Energy / 49er and Nacra Class
The road to LA 2028 continues this week, with Australian crews set to line up at the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta. The event marks an important opportunity for Australia's 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 squads to gain valuable racing experience on the waters that will host the Olympic sailing competition in 2028.
Australian Sailing Team athletes Harry Price and Max Paul are relishing in the conditions they have experienced so far in training. "Training's been going really well here in LA, it's our first trip here of the quad and obviously we're going to spend a lot of time here over the next two years," explained Paul.
"We're really enjoying the venue so far, it's perfect for skiff sailing with a 14 to 18 knot seabreeze almost every day. There's some decent swell out the back on the outside courses, and we really enjoy it."
On what they've learnt so far, he shared, "There are going to be some courses that are very simple here and there are going to be some other courses, like the course inside the breakwall, that are going to be much shiftier and more complicated to learn how to master."
Paul knows just what this event means in the scheme of their campaign, "This is probably one of the more important regattas of the year for us given this venue is where the Olympics are held, and we really want to put down a good performance in the next few days," he finished.
Paris 2024 Olympian Rhiannan Brown has also highlighted the value of time spent racing on the future Olympic waters, with the Nacra 17 squad embracing the challenge of adapting to the unique LA conditions.
"It's been awesome conditions here in LA," said Brown. "We have had epic conditions with warm sunny days the whole time and we are enjoying the challenge of Aussie swell with European chop on top. It's exciting to finally be training on the Olympic course and getting a feel for what we'll face in 2028.
"While it's still two years until the Games, every opportunity to race on the Olympic waters helps us better understand the venue, the local weather patterns, and how the course plays out under pressure. There's no substitute for racing experience, so this week is a great chance to test ourselves against the world's best while also collecting information that will benefit our campaign leading into LA 2028."
In the 49erFX, Annie Wilmot will race alongside Tash Bryant for this regatta, with regular helm Laura Harding continuing her recovery after sustaining an injury during the 49erFX World Championships earlier this year.
While Harding continues to make strong progress in her recovery, the pairing of Wilmot and Bryant will use the opportunity to maximise precious racing time on the LA 2028 waters and build knowledge of the venue ahead of the Games.
The San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta runs from 3-8 August and represents another important step in Australia's LA 2028 campaign, as athletes continue to develop the knowledge, and experience required to lay down the best performance come 2028.
Full list of entries can be found here
Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (AS Squad), Australian Sailing Futures (ASF), and other Australian (AUS) entries at the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta:
49er (31 entries)
Harry Price / Max Paul (AST)
Kurt Hansen / Charlie Zeeman (ASF)
49erFX (18 entries)
Tash Bryant (AUS) / Annie Wimot (AS Squad)
Brooke Wilson (ASF) / Evie Haseldine (AS Squad)
Nacra 17 (21 entries)
Archie Gargett and Sarah Hoffman (AST)
Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown (AST)
Jake Liddell and Niamh Meehan (AS Squad)