US Rowing Teams Commit To Big Bear Lake Training In Advance of LA 28 Olympics

BIG BEAR, CA — U.S. Rowing has made a historic three-year commitment, signaling Big Bear Lake as a world premier performance destination. The announcement, made on Wednesday, shows that the teams are committed to training in Big Bear Lake for three weeks each spring.

This commitment unlocks full-scale rowing at the popular Southern California four-season destinations' 7-mile alpine reservoir.

It's a milestone, marking a defining shift not only for American rowing but for how and where elite athletes prepare in the United States, according to a U.S. Rowing spokesperson. The partnership is a combined effort by the Sports Office, Visit Big Bear, and the Big Bear Municipal Water District to transform a century-old destination into a new frontier for Olympic performance.

Managing Partner of Hueco Tanks and Co, an investor in TSO - Damien S. Navarro discussed the move to Big Bear Lake.

“This isn’t a new story—it’s a story finally being told at the level it deserves,” Navarro said. “Big Bear has always had the raw ingredients. 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.”

The partnership is anchored by the TSO’s newly acquired High Altitude Training Center, and integrates Fight Syndicate, a company owned and managed by Ryan “Red” Hazinski, into a next-generation performance campus that TSO manages, according to a recent media release.

This once-traditional fitness facility has been reimagined as a "fully integrated high-performance ecosystem—designed to serve pro/Olympic team camps, professional athletes and fighters, and to foster emerging international and local talent pipelines," according to Hazinski. Already a profitable and stable operation, the center is now being scaled into a flagship model for altitude-based training in California and beyond.

Visit Big Bear CEO Travis Scott shared his thoughts on the move.

“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,” Scott said. “This is a defining moment for our destination and a proud example of what strong local partnership can make possible.”

The decision by U.S. Rowing also marks a historic first for Big Bear Lake itself.

"Through close collaboration with the Big Bear Municipal Water District, rowing has been formally approved for training use—unlocking a new chapter for endurance sport at altitude. This milestone was made possible in part by the late Bob Rehfuss, a Board Member of the District, whose leadership and advocacy were instrumental in advancing approval," the release stated.

“Bob understood what this meant—not just for rowing, but for the future of this community,” said Johnny Burnham, EVP of TSO. “He believed in it, he pushed for it, and he helped make it happen. Sitting in that final meeting and seeing his chair empty was incredibly difficult. This moment carries his fingerprint, and we will honor that as we move forward.”

In recent weeks, TSO and HATC have hosted some of the most recognizable names in combat sports, including mixed martial arts and UFC standouts Chito Vera, Khamzat Chimaev, Arman Tsarukyan, and Pat Downey. This past weekend, Major League Rugby’s California Legion completed the final phase of their preseason training at altitude, culminating in Big Bear ahead of their season opener against Anthem Rugby Carolina, according to those organizations.

At the same time, TSO is actively restoring critical programming in partnership with Special Olympics Southern California—ensuring access to world-class training environments for athletes of all abilities, the release said.

Big Bear Lake's Mayor Randall Putz spoke on the event on Wednesday.

“This is an exciting opportunity to further showcase what makes Big Bear Lake unique,” Putz said. “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.”

As the road to LA28 accelerates, Big Bear Lake is more than a destination; it’s becoming a platform. One where history, environment, and ambition converge to shape the future of athletic performance."

Supporters can also learn more or contribute directly at: https://give.usrowing.org.