Ireland's Olympic skiff sailors Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove will be among the leading crews competing next week in the second stage of the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta (OCR), the first Olympic-class event to be held at the Port of Los Angeles ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
The Irish pair, who finished sixth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and narrowly missed the podium with fourth place at Paris 2024, will race in the 49er class as competition gets underway on 3 August.
The regatta marks the first opportunity for sailors in the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Olympic classes to compete on the waters that will host sailing at the 2028 Olympic Games.
More than 140 competitors from 20 countries are entered for the second week of racing, including 27 Olympians. The fleet features sailors who have collectively won one Olympic gold, five silver and one bronze medal.
Organisers say the regatta is the first Olympic-class sailing event to be staged at the Port of Los Angeles in 96 years. Although Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Olympic Games, sailing was held at a different venue.
Racing runs from 3 to 8 August, with qualifying races scheduled from 3 to 6 August. The qualifying and elimination series will be held on 7 August, followed by the medal races on 8 August.
The event forms an early test of the Olympic venue and provides competitors with valuable experience of the conditions expected to feature during the LA 2028 Olympic sailing regatta.
