Five Olympic Sports to Try in Los Angeles

Surfing

After much lobbying by the International Surfing Association, the sport of surfing made its debut in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. At this stage, it's just a one-off, but we're all hoping that it could soon become a regular fixture – which can only bode well for the 2028 games in Los Angeles, where surf culture runs deep. If you're a newbie looking to catch your first wave, there are few better places to learn than LA. Surf schools and one-to-one lessons are available up and down the coastline, and with around 20 beaches to choose from in Los Angeles County alone, you won't be short of options. For an all-round cultural experience head slightly further south to Huntington Beach – otherwise known as Surf City. Not only is this Orange County seaside town home to the annual U.S Open of Surfing, the International Surfing Museum and the Surfing Walk of Fame, it also hosts the awesome three-day Surf City Surf Dog competition, where board-loving pooches compete to become top of the wave-riding pups. This year's event kicks off on Friday 22 September.

Cycling BMX

Cycling BMX (bicycle motocross) made its first Olympics appearance at the 2008 games in Beijing. Only the competitive racing discipline was included back then, with eight riders competing on a dirt track filled with obstacles, jumps and narrow bends. But the sport is much more than racing. The freestyle element is made up of several further disciplines, all focused on stunt riding and tricks. At its debut in Tokyo, the newly added BMX Freestyle delighted everyone with an incredible gold for UKs Charlotte Worthington. As with other underground sports originating in southern California, BMX quickly became a cultural phenomenon, peaking in the late 1980s before gradually falling from favour. But even during its decline, a hardcore group of riders continued to advance the sport and keep the subculture alive. In time it started to enjoy a resurgence, helped in part by the launch of extreme sports events like the annual X Games, which came with big corporate sponsors and TV deals. Today the sport continues to thrive, and even complete novices can experience the booming California BMX scene. If you're super keen, head to one of the beginners' classes at the Chula Vista BMX Olympic Training Center on the outskirts of San Diego, where you might even find yourself riding alongside a current Olympian. Alternatively, LA and its surrounds are home to several BMX parks where you can get some casual coaching or sit back and watch the pros in action, including Whittier Narrows BMX.

Beach Volleyball

Few Olympic sports are better suited to Los Angeles than beach volleyball, which first appeared on the summer programme at the 1996 games in Atlanta. Unsurprisingly, Brazil, Australia and the USA have dominated the rankings ever since, with the Chinese team emerging as a force to be reckoned with in recent years. The history of beach volleyball stretches back to the early twentieth century. Most records place its origins in 1920s Santa Monica, when permanent nets and beach clubs began to spring up along the sand, and groups of friends and family would play each other in teams of six. It wasn't long before the sport crossed continents, though California has always remained its spiritual home. The game is something of a rite of passage for young Angelenos, and today you'll find courts on almost every notable stretch of sand. If you fancy a game, Manhattan Beach is a good place to start. Not only does the Parks and Recreation service offer classes for all levels, it's also the home of the Manhattan Beach Open; the premier event of the professional volleyball players tour. Other popular spots include Hermosa Beach, Sorrento Beach in Santa Monica, and Long Beach.

Skateboarding

It originated in 1950s California and, like surfing, it's also made its first Olympics outing at the 2020 Tokyo games when Sky Brown became the UKs youngest medal winner. But the elevation of skateboarding to an Olympic sport has not been universally welcomed, with some members of the skate community fearing the cult sport's individuality and creativity could be stifled. Nevertheless, Park and Street wowed the audience that year –  with skateboarders mostly judged on overall speed and originality, as well as the complexity of their tricks. Los Angeles is the centre of skate culture, so there's no shortage of skateboarding pros waiting to help you master a frontside grind. Many offer private or small group lessons at one of the 21 skate parks in LA.

Trampolining

Invented in the 1930s by Iowan gymnast George Nissen, the first trampolines were originally used to train astronauts and help athletes perfect their acrobatic skills for other sports such as diving. But before too long the bouncy enterprise became popular in its own right, and in 1964 the first World Championships were held in London. It was to be another 36 years before trampolining passed another major milestone. But finally and much to Nissen's delight, the activity was recognised as an Olympic sport in the year 2000, when it was included in the programme at the Sydney summer games. Today, the sport is more popular than ever, with domestic trampolines a feature of back gardens around the world. But there's still nothing better than springing up and down in a super-sized setting, and as you'd expect, Los Angeles more than delivers on this front. Try Sky Zone in the Torrance area for wall-to-wall trampoline courts suitable for toddlers and up or the enormous Sky High Sports in Woodland Hills.

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