Eight women's water polo squads representing the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan will compete in open water inside King Harbor on Wednesday, Aug. 19, in what organizers call the first event of its kind for national-team players.
The free exhibition runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at King Harbor Aquatics Stadium in Redondo Beach, with floating courses set up in the harbor against views of the Palos Verdes hillside and Catalina Island.
Manhattan Beach native Jordan Raney will suit up for Team USA. A 2014 Mira Costa High School graduate who captained the Mustangs as a senior and swept league, area and CIF MVP honors, Raney went on to earn four All-America selections at Stanford and helped the Cardinal win NCAA titles in 2015 and 2017. At the 2024 Paris Olympics she scored five goals for the U.S., then tallied seven more at the 2024 World Championships in Doha as the Americans took gold, according to a Collegiate Water Polo Association announcement of her January 2026 move to Harvard's coaching staff.
The four-course format is a departure from pool-based international play. King Harbor Aquatics, which grew out of the George Freeth Memorial Water Polo Tournament, operates floating competition courses in the harbor with walkable access to Redondo's waterfront restaurants.
Organizer Game On Live Studio said on Instagram that there will be no livestream and no replay, telling fans the only way to catch the action is to show up in person. The event is also promoted under the name "Queens of the Harbor," with sponsorship from CA Surf Club and equipment partner Malmsten USA.
No tickets are required. Spectators can watch from the harbor area in South Redondo Beach. Exact spectator viewing locations have not been confirmed by organizers.
When Harvard head coach Ted Minnis announced Raney's hiring in January, he called her "a quality player and a quality person." South Bay residents can judge the player part for themselves Aug. 19.
Coming up across the South Bay:
- Wednesday, Aug. 19: Four Nations at King Harbor, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., King Harbor Aquatics Stadium, Redondo Beach (free)
- Wednesday–Friday, Aug. 19–21: Heat advisory in effect, highs 92–105 degrees across the South Bay
