This will be an action-packed summer for sailors — and for fans of the sport.
Sail GP’s fast-flying catamaran, the 52nd biennial Transpacific Race to Hawaii, and Olympic Class regattas will all make their way to Long Beach area waters this season, alongside the return of some classic favorites, such as the Jessica Uniack Beach to Bay race, the Catalina series, and Long Beach Race Week.
Here’s how you can participate or enjoy a few of Long Beach’s favorite sailing events this summer.
Seal Beach Yacht Club’s Pop-Top Series
The SBYC will host this sailing event — which features five different four-race series — every Thursday night from May to September. The club will host a burger bash and awards ceremony after the series concludes. Information: slbyc.com.
Long Beach Yacht Club’s Wet Wednesdays Series
The LBYC hosts a weeknight sailing series from May to September as well, only on Wednesdays. The club also hosts the Catalina Island Series, where boats race to and from Catalina over various weekends. Information: lbyc.org.
Sail Grand Prix
The SailGP global league will makes its Los Angles debut in the Port of Los Angeles’s waters on July 22 and 23.
There will be nine teams from different countries — including the United States SailGP team led by legend Jimmy Spithill — racing F50 catamarans, capable of exceeding 60 mph.
The race will take place directly on the POLA waterfront at Berth 46. Ticket packages are available for bleacher seats, along with on-the-water viewing zones for local boatowners.
Race are scheduled to run from 4 to 5:30 p.m. daily. Tickets are available at sailgp.com.
Transpac Yacht Club Race sendoff
The 52nd edition of the Transpac Yacht Club’s race will kick off on June 24 with a special send-off party slated to take place aboard the USS Iowa in San Pedro.
The race itself — which has three separate starts on June 27, June 29 and July 1 — will challenge sailors to complete a 2,225-mile journey from California to Hawaii.
The best sailors will be honored at three separate award ceremonies throughout July in Hawaii. Information: transpacyc.com.
Long Beach Race Week
Long Beach Race Week is an annual sailing regatta for keelboats and ocean racing catamarans held at the end of June. The event, from June 23 to 25 this year, is organized by the Alamitos Bay and Long Beach Yacht Club on multiple courses off Long Beach’s coast. Information: lbyc.org.
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta
This event, offered by the US Open Sailing Series in partnership with the Alamitos Bay and Long Beach yacht clubs, provides a domestic regatta schedule and training platform for athletes racing in Olympic and Youth Worlds classes ahead of the 2028 Olympics. The event will take place from July 14 to 16.
Jessica Uniack Memorial Beach to Bay Race
There will be about 200 young sailors, ranging in age from 6 to 16, competing in this 5-mile annual race from Shoreline Beach to Alamitos Bay on July 20.
This is the only junior sailing race where boats leave the protection of Alamitos Bay and venture into harbor waters — marking a major milestone for the young sailors. Information: lbyc.org.
Heroes/Patriots Regatta
The Long Beach Yacht Club has combined two of their outreach regattas into one. The Heroes Regatta — which was first organized in 2014 in honor of Long Beach’s first responders — and the Patriots Regatta for members of the armed forces, are now one. The regatta is set for Aug. 5. Information: lbyc.org.
Outlaw Regatta
This is 30-mile distance race from Santa Monica Bay to Alamitos Bay, hosted by the Seal Beach Yacht Club, will take place Sept. 2 and feature a pirate-themed party immediately after. Information: slbyc.com.
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