Excitement at the Olympics

Lobnig horrified: “This is absolute madness!”

Magdalena Lobnig is beside herself.(Bild: AP/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The rowing world is in turmoil. The races at the 2028 Olympic regatta in Los Angeles are only to be held over 1500 meters. Athletes like Magdalena Lobnig are horrified. 

The competitions at the Long Beach Marine Station were already 2000 m long at the 1932 Games. But now a bridge has been built there and 2000 m is no longer possible, so a quarter of the length was cut without further ado. A possible alternative route was seen as a worse solution. 

Magdalena Lobnig(Bild: GEPA)

"It's like telling sprinters you can only sprint 60 m now"
"It won't affect me anymore," said 34-year-old Lobnig, as she wants to focus on the new Olympic coastal rowing event in the future. "But it's absolute madness to shorten the course by 500 meters. It's like telling sprinters you're only going to sprint 60 meters." Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of the World Rowing Federation, of course sold the news as great news at a press conference at the Olympic venue in Vaires-sur-Marne. Now the rowing competitions could take place in the heart of the Games and not three hours away.

The Lake Perris reservoir, to the east of the Californian metropolis, is a long way from the Olympic Village. This was also the plan in the organizers' bid documents. "But now we have the best compromise for the benefit of our sport," said Rolland. "It will take some adjustment for our athletes, but Long Beach will be a great venue and a unique opportunity to showcase rowing to the rest of the world." Lightweight rowing will no longer be part of the Olympic program.

Lobnig sees no problem with rowing taking place on a 2000m course outside of Los Angeles. "If the sailors don't have a sea, then they'll just be in Marseille. Surfing takes place in Tahiti, that's no problem either. That's an outrage for our sport. All in all, it's a joke. A fair 2000-meter course would be cool."

Magdalena Lobnig(Bild: AP)

"That's crazy"
Of course, the training component should not be neglected, as all other regattas are over 2000 meters. This is even planned for the 2027 World Championships, where you are likely to qualify for LA 2028. "That's crazy," said the Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, sixth in Rio and tenth in Paris indignantly. "All the qualifying regattas take place at 2000 m and the Olympics are at 1500 m. That's a completely different way of training."