Venice Beach revealed as LA28 Olympic triathlon course

Organizers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics have unveiled the triathlon course, which will feature a beach start at Venice Beach. In a rare move for the sport, athletes will run and swim from the sand directly into the Pacific Ocean. This marks only the second time in Olympic history that a beach start has been utilized, following the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The women’s individual race is scheduled to take place on July 15, 2028, potentially serving as the first medal event of the Games. The men’s individual race will follow on July 16, and the mixed relay will be held on July 20. The swimming portion consists of a 1,000-meter lap, a run along the shore, and a final 500-meter lap.

The course includes a 40 km cycling segment consisting of eight laps through the Venice Beach path and surrounding streets, followed by a 10 km run. The running portion will involve four 2.5 km laps that take competitors over the bridges of the Venice Canals before finishing back on the beach.

While the triathlon route is public, details regarding the 10 km open water swim course remain under non-disclosure agreements, though rumors suggest it may be located near Belmont Pier in Long Beach.