Huntington Beach won’t host surfing, beach volleyball at L.A. Olympics 2028

Surf City USA will not be hosting surfing as the Olympic Games return to Southern California in 2028, despite its aspirations to be on the world’s stage during the event.

LA28 announced Tuesday the surf competition will be held at Lower Trestles Beach south of San Clemente, not Huntington Beach.

Long Beach has been awarded beach volleyball at Alamitos Beach, with Huntington Beach again bypassed after LA28 failed to reach an agreement with Santa Monica.

Huntington Beach had been angling to be chosen as the surfing venue for LA28 for years, boasting the infrastructure and hotel space that allows for large-scale events. The U.S. Open of Surfing happens every summer at the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, and the city has also hosted nine major International Surfing Association events, most recently the ISA World Surfing Games in 2022 and the World Para Surfing Championship for the past two years.

Trestles, however, is seen as offering a more consistent wave. The World Surf League Finals have been held there each of the last four years.

Huntington Beach’s Kanoa Igarashi celebrates winning the ISA World Surfing Games individual men’s final at Huntington Beach Pier in 2022. Despite hosting several international competitions in recent years, Surf City was not selected to host surfing at the LA28 Olympics.

(File photo)

ISA President Fernando Aguerre said in a statement that he believed Lower Trestles was the right choice to host Olympic surfing.

“Following the amazing success of surfing in Teahupo’o [Tahiti in the 2024 Summer Olympics], and in talking to many of the world’s athletes, we knew that any solution for L.A. had to feature the best performance waves,” Aguerre said. “There is no doubt that location is Trestles. We would like to thank the LA28 leadership team and the International Olympic Committee for their understanding and support of the best conditions for the athletes.”

Beach volleyball went to Long Beach, becoming the city’s 11th sport it will host for LA28. Long Beach is the closest venue to Huntington Beach for LA28. That city will also host coastal rowing, sport climbing, target shooting, handball, rowing, canoe sprint, sailing, marathon swimming, water polo and artistic swimming.

“As a beach city synonymous with surf and sand, we were honored to be considered in the Olympic Games conversation,” said Kelly Miller, president and chief executive of nonprofit tourism organization Visit Huntington Beach, in a statement. “While we’re not an official venue for LA28, we’re proud to be part of the energy and spirit of the Games. With our ideal coastal location between Los Angeles and Orange County competition sites, Huntington Beach will be the ultimate fan destination before, during and after the Olympics.”

Miller added that his organization will be working closely with officials to provide training opportunities for thousands of athletes preparing for LA28.

Anaheim is the only other Orange County venue location selected by LA28, as indoor volleyball will be held at Honda Center.