Big Bear Lake to Host USRowing Training In Run-Up to LA28

USRowing is making a three-year commitment to train in California’s Big Bear Lake for three weeks in the springs of 2026, 2027 and 2028 leading up to the Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028. The partnership, which will officially be announced on March 26, is a joint effort among Visit Big Bear, the Big Bear Municipal Water District and The Sports Office.

Big Bear Lake, located in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California and roughly two hours from Los Angeles, is an alpine reservoir situated 6,752 feet above sea level. It is a popular training site for Olympic athletes and world champions; it hosted the USA Wrestling Olympic camp before the 1984 Summer Games, the last time the Games were in L.A., and the first Winter X Games in 1997.

“Big Bear Lake has always been a place where athletes come to challenge themselves, and USRowing’s decision to train here on the road to LA28 takes that legacy to a whole new level,” said Visit Big Bear CEO Travis Scott. “This is a defining moment for our destination and a proud example of what strong local partnership can make possible.”

Athletes will have access to the High Altitude Training Center that was recently acquired by The Sports Office and which is being transformed from a traditional fitness facility into a venue designed to serve professional and Olympic team camps. The process of approving rowing for training use on Big Bear Lake has the potential to give a major edge to the USRowing team, according to Cameron Wurf, an Ironman world record holder and seasonal resident of Big Bear Lake.

“Altitude is one of the few remaining advantages you can’t replicate artificially,” said Wurf. “When you combine a place like this with the right programming and the right athletes, you’re creating an environment that fundamentally changes outcomes. That’s what’s being built here.”

“Big Bear has always had the raw ingredients,” said Damien S. Navarro, Managing Partner of Hueco Tanks and Co-Investor in TSO. “What we’re building now is the system around it — where environment, science, and performance come together to create something that didn’t previously exist in the United States.”

For the City of Big Bear Lake, these efforts reflect a continuation of the community’s long-standing role as a destination for elite athletes and highlight the area’s natural advantages for training and competition.

“This is an exciting opportunity to further showcase what makes Big Bear Lake unique,” said Mayor Randall Putz. “Our community has a strong history of supporting athletes across a wide range of sports, and it’s encouraging to see continued interest in Big Bear Lake as a place to train and prepare at a high level.”

USRowing is coming off a highly successful stint at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Justin Best, Liam Corrigan, Michael Grady and Nick Mead combined to win gold in the men’s four event, the first time the U.S. has done so since 1960.

The deal with Big Bear Lake comes less than two weeks after it was announced that Amanda Kraus will leave her post as USRowing CEO next month. In 2024, the NGB reported a record 72,600 average paid members and in 2023, the organization reached an all-time high of over 77,000 average individual members. Both of USRowing’s domestic flagship events — Youth National Championships and RowFest National Championships — were also recognized by SportsTravel as the Best New Sports Event and Best Amateur Sports Event, respectively, at the SportsTravel Awards.