Both Great Britain and Spain have sent their beach sprint teams out to Los Angeles this weekend to compete in the inaugural Long Beach Sprints. The new race will held more or less on the same beach where the Olympic competition will take place in just over two years time. The two countries seem certain to qualify for the Olympics, with Spain being the all-time medal leader at worlds and Great Britain placed third—host country USA sits between the two in second—.
While the main Team USA competitors aren’t planning to compete in Long Beach this year, the regatta will offer both the Spanish and the British a chance to familiarize themselves with the venue, and possibly give fans a sneak preview of possible head-to-head races a couple of years from now.
The four-athlete British team will consist of Cameron Buchan, James Cox, Heather Gordon and Laura McKenzie. Both Buchan and Gordon won gold in the mixed quad at worlds in 2024, and McKenzie has a silver medal in the mixed double from 2023 and a bronze in the women’s solo from last year.
The Spanish team makes clear the dominance the country has had in beach sprint. The athletes competing in Los Angeles this weekend are Esther Briz, Teresa Díaz, Nadia Felipe, Ander Martín, Adrián Miramón and Miguel Salas. Out of those six rowers, five are world champions.
Local rowers may also be looking to upset the visitors, and perhaps make a case for why they should get a chance at racing with Team USA over the next two years. Two-time Olympian Aisha Chow, who raced in the women’s singles at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, but lives near San Francisco, is also set to compete, and could be hoping to make her third Olympics on the same beach.