Intrepid South African journalist Nick Robinson turns his mic to those at the center of the wave pool universe. Nick shines a light on the engineers, entrepreneurs, pros and the hand-picked few who have a wave pool story to tell. The questions are pointed and the answers range from the sublime to th…
We were lucky enough to catch Tom Lochtefeld at the RiF010 wave pool in central Rotterdam. Tom shared with us how this unique project came into being and why it took 11 long years to complete.
Bryan talks with Luke Wallace, CEO and Co-Founder of Flowstate, the premium AI-powered camera system reshaping how surf parks capture and deliver video content. Luke explains how Flowstate automates video recording, detects maneuvers like snaps and barrels, enables surf competitions, and enhances the coaching experience. He also shares how the team is expanding from wave pools into snow and beach environments through their mobile broadcast solution.
The machine powering the transformation of German surfing is an Endless Surf 34 caisson wave pool, or ES34 to those in the know. To bring this beast to life, much of the heavy design and programming was done by the talented hands of Clément Ginestet and Axel Terradillos. WavePoolMag wanted to know how the dynamic duo dealt with the stress of bringing a multi-million dollar project to life, as well as how the process of designing a wave pool works. We know that engineers live and breathe CFD models, but what about those little cosmic surprises that occur when the randomness of the universe shows up unexpectedly? In this conversation, Clem and Axel allow us a unique view into the nailbiting debut of the first Endless Surf wave pool.
How do you overhaul the surf experience without disrupting your most loyal riders? What does it take to redesign wave settings that help surfers progress more naturally? And how do you test, tweak, and communicate those changes—all in time for the start of surf season?In this episode of the WavePoolMag podcast, we head to The Wave in Bristol where a major shift has been made: the familiar Waikiki wave is out, and a brand-new "Improver" setting is in. But what exactly changed—and why?Listeners will get a behind-the-scenes look at how The Wave's team approached the challenge, from refining takeoffs to reshaping session flow. Was the change worth it? How did regulars react? And what happens when you ask your own staff to surf for four straight days in freezing water?Tune in to hear the full story behind one of the most ambitious surf setting revamps to date.
In this podcast, we speak with Damon Tudor (former CEO of URBNSURF) and Craig Stoddart (co-founder of The Wave) about their journey and their exciting new Bahrain Surf Park project. Their partnership wasn't sudden; over six years, they regularly exchanged insights on artificial wave technology, surf school structures, and maintenance systems. Despite operating in different markets — one with a mature surf culture and the other requiring broader appeal — they found common ground. Now, they're bringing Middle East wave pools to life and ttaking on the challenge of introducing surfing to Bahrain, where half of the 1.5 million population can't swim.
Mike Goldy's has spent $15,000 on wave pool sessions. In return he has surfed 15 different wave technologies at 23 different standing and traveling wave pools across eight countries. What is the draw for this wonderful, possibly OCD-afflicted human? Is it the good vibes in the lineup, the guaranteed waves, the pumping soundtracks and close proximity to high-end coffee beverages? In this episode Mike shares what it's like to be surf-obsessed in Baltimore and how that has led to his current mission - to surf as many wave pools as possible.
We learned about AllWaves last year on a visit to Belgium with Blair Conklin and crew in tow. During our visit, we saw firsthand the wave pool's potential, documenting the unique circles of swell pumped out by its submerged bouncy pillow wavemaker.Since then, the Instagram-sphere has blown up—not with clips of pros doing amazing airs, but with videos of gentle, perfect, rolling beginner waves.Marie-Laure Clement of AllWaves shares how market demand is shaping the next step for Knokke-Heist's wave pool technology.
Where do regular people eat in Abu Dhabi? I mean, it can't be a 5-star dining experience for every meal - maybe in the glossy press materials, but not for the average visiting human. But that's how many perceive this place. Former CT surfer Mitch Crews shares what it's like surfing, working and dining on a budget at the world's newest Kelly Slater Wave Co. creation. "My team has become like family to me and they're all, you know, a bunch of crazy surfers from around the globe. And it does feel like an authentic surf trip. I encourage everyone to at least give it a shot because once you've experienced that you know what it's all about. We're pretty proud of what we've done here and hopefully, we'll see many people's faces coming through."
Joe Dale serves as the Head of Commercial at The Wave in Bristol. In his role, he develops strategies to attract visitors to The Wave. Easy, right? Well, no. Joe has been instrumental in addressing the challenges of leading a business in the emerging wave pool sector. As the industry evolves, Joe's insights in this discussion highlight the connection between business growth and the consumer's interest in distinctive recreational opportunities that, if done right, create a vibrant customer base.
The Coachella Valley Surf Club emerged hot on the heels of a handful of wave pool announcements for the desert east of Los Angeles. What started as an organization to introduce desert kids to the wonders of surfing has evolved into a philanthropic exercise to provide scholarships to students at the Desert Mirage High School in Thermal.Dave Hilts runs the organization and tell us, “Well, you know, the Coachella is very diverse socio-economically. And you have a mix of extremely wealthy people here. And then you have the East Valley, Coachella, in the school that I've been working with, you've got basically, the sons and daughters of farm workers and service workers. So you have a very diverse culture of people and incomes. That is where we've been focusing. Our efforts are in the East Valley where the kids could use the most help.”Drop into this fascinating micro-culture of desert surf in this latest episode…
Andy Hadden is pumped. We're sitting on the edge of the wave pool that he spent over a decade bringing to life. Today, all those blueprints, civic meetings and artist renders have disappeared into the ether to be replaced by the real, three-dimensional entity that is Lost Shore Surf Resort. In this episode we pick Andy's brain to uncover the surprises one can expect in the magic place when your dream goes from concept to concrete.
On site at Revel Surf in Mesa Arizona earlier this month we spoke with COO Adam Saks – a creative hospitality veteran who brings a refreshing New York realness to his work. It was pre-opening and Maricopa County was running through its final inspection list (spoiler alert, they passed and are open as of today.) Adam walks us through the Cannon Beach journey, which many of us are familiar with, but really piqued our interest with his innovative take on how surf invigorates a space. Here, in the stripmall-landia of the greater Phoenix area, a wave pool radically distinguishes a destination which rolls over into higher retail occupancy and rates. “Our rents in this 30 acres are a bit more than those across the street. It just is. And that's not a secret. Prospective tenants could go and call upon the real estate broker for the retail space across the street, and they can call our broker and they will get two different numbers. What we have found is that we're 100% leased. So people here are willing to pay a premium rent to open their business close to the water. Like I said, what Cannon Beach is going to be in a couple of years with everything that we're bringing to this corner and the fact that very little of that exists in Southeast Mesa. Entertainment is about everything in one place. That's what the world has become.”
Jonas Boehm-Tettelbach is an imposing figure. He's Lurch height with a backwoodsy hairstyle and beard – put him in greasy overalls and he could be cast as a moonshiner in a Tarantino film. However, his manner is the furthest thing from Duck Dynasty bravado. Jonas speaks in a quiet, measured tone. And, it turns out, he also knows his shit.Having been with this wave pool project alongside his father, he's seen it all during the evolution of O2 SURFTOWN MUC from concept to concrete – a process which took five-and-a-half years (a relatively short time when compared to many other surf park projects.) In this podcast Jonas shares some of those hard-earned insights, the kind that can only be learned by bringing Germany's first wave pool to life.
Joaquín Lozada and Ezequiel Fernandez Lobo from La Ola Group, based in Argentina, are spearheading a technology that uses underwater air cannons to generate surf. The company plans to build their first wave pool adjacent a famous church just outside of Buenos Aires. If successful, their technology will rub shoulders with some of the major players in the highly competitive wave generation game.
There are only a handful of people on the planet with as much wave design experience as Cheyne Magnusson. He's part of an obsessed, laser-focused elite squad of wave designers - individuals who can take a multi-million dollar piece of equipment and shape waves. His journey started nearly a decade ago when he was at Body Glove and the boss asked, “what can we do with wave pools?” He went on to shape the wave program at Waco, create the Palm Springs Surf Club and now, as we learned, branch out into more new projects (spoiler alert, he names locations). We joined him in Palm Springs on location at the newly re-opened Palm Springs Surf Club.
Jessica Mahoney's professional life has crossed paths with WavePoolMag a few times now, first at ADG and later as COO at Surf Park Summit. Over the years, she has amassed a databank of knowledge in the industry from the tech side to the consumer side and all points in between. We had a nice long chat with Jessica to discover what wave pool operators can do to improve their business through facility offerings, amenities, seasonality planning, branding, and much more. Dig in for an accelerated learning package in this latest WavePoolMag podcast.
Philip Roberts is always in close orbit to surfing's greatest inventors. Mentored by water park guru Dick Croul (Wild Rivers) he's brought the ideation of Tom Lochtefeld to life while acting as the grounding cable for Boogie Board inventor Tom Morey. In the late ‘80s, Surfer Mag offered him a project to paint, as they put it, “the future of surfing.” The gig was for an illustrator to bring a floating reef concept to life. From there he expanded into futuristic wave pool designs, much of which has become the blueprint for concepts we still see today. We wanted to pick Phil's brain to learn how he consciously or unconsciously seeded the future look of surf parks.
John Philbin's best-known movie parts were in Children of the Corn, Tombstone, Point Break and, of course, The North Shore - that classic 1980s film about an Arizona wave pooler who goes to Hawaii. In this podcast, John talks about how he landed the role of Turtle (hint: he had to audition 7 times) and the movie's lasting effect on a generation. As a core surfer he's also well-placed to measure changes to surfing and the “life” many have sacrificed so much to be a part of and speak to how wave pools, surfing and their overall perception have shifted within popular culture. “You don't you don't have to be a bum to be a surfer anymore. I was telling my friends that you can be rich and be a surfer. It's a thing that's happened. The game is out man, but it used to be like, “yeah, I'm going to sacrifice everything in my life for this feeling of riding energy in the water.” And that's what it used to be like when I was a kid. You used to have to be a lifeguard or a firefighter to be a surfer. Now, you can put in hours and be a CEO of a company and be a surfer. You look at Mark Zuckerberg or someone and you're like, fuck, you know? Are you kidding me? Yeah. The richest man in the world, what he really wants to do is ride a wave because he's discovered what we've known all along.”
There's a mantra in the wave pool space that the development, opening and operation of parks will get easier as more facilities open up. That's why the unveiling of URBNSURF Sydney is a pretty big deal. The launch makes the URBNSURF group the only entity to have two surf parks in operation. We wanted to find out if the company simply copy/pasted Melbourne to a new location or if they had to start from scratch. Was it easier this time around? We spoke with the one person most qualified to answer this question, URBNSURF Sydney GM Shaun Hutchinson.
Steven Nauwelaerts of AllWaves refers to competitors as "collegues," a refreshing take in a sector that grows more competitive each day. Steven has a unique view of the space. He spent years doing the one thing that might be more difficult than creating surfable waves in a confined pool – extrancting energy from ocean waves. Steven is one of the few people to turn the equation on its head and make the transition from wave farmer to wave pooler. Perhaps it's this ability to see waves in all their forms that allows a higher-up view of the surf park space. Steven's design AllWaves lit up global news feeds last month with the unveiling of his technology in Belgium. WavePoolMag was there to test out the new pillow technology and learn more about this very different wave generation system.
The first thing we noticed at URBNSURF Sydney was that everyone wore a name badge. “Dude maintaining the pool” now has a name (it's Keith by the way.) This simple customer experience measure hints at the kind of changes Jennifer Vandekreeke has in mind for Australia's premier surf park business. In her previous roles, she drove growth for travel and leisure companies, notably Carnival Cruise Lines. Having taken the reins from Damon Tudor, we were curious to find out how Jenn's experience making big, giant boats profitable (hint: wave pools are also just big, expensive pieces of machinery as well) parlay into the world of surf parks.
I'm at the construction site at o2 SURFTOWN MUC with Michi Mohr. He's a large, intimidating figure with thick hands and a disarming smile - warm, sincere and just a bit goofy. We walk around the construction site while wave pool maker Endless Surf runs a multitude of tests. Michi stops to pick up an empty box for the recycling bin, cleans up an errant Firewire demo board and eyes the area for other disarray. But it's a construction site - the park isn't even completed and here's Michi making things as orderly as he can which, if we're being honest, isn't possible at this point in time. I wanted to find out why this surfer, who left Bavaria decades ago to chase waves around the world, had returned to Munich to become Chief Surfing Officer and where his style of operations will fit in the transformative voyage of German surfing.
Edwin van Viegen is leading a wave pool development in the center of Europe's busiest port city, Rotterdam. He has been working on this project for several years and experienced the usual surf park ups and downs. But this wave pool, Rif010 (pronounced riff-ten) has the unbridled support of major city planners and various local government agencies - a major win for any project. As such, it's moved relatively quickly, at least by European bureaucratic standards, to cross the finish line once it opens this summer. We wanted to find out how a brave idea like building a wave pool in downtown Rotterdam came to be. Edwin was gracious enough to share his story.
Wave pool projects require perseverance, as they involve a significant amount of time, effort, and the all-mighty dollar. Nick Robinson talks about the hurdles he faced during his bid to build a wave pool in Portugal. He discusses the process he went through to find suitable land, choosing the right technology for that land and navigating the ever present cultural differences. Nick shares some war stories and offers advice for those swept up in similar projects.Key tips from Nick• Extensive research is crucial for wave pool projects, including choosing a technology, land requirements, and financial planning.• Partnering with experienced property developers and building a strong team is essential for success.• Securing funding and having a clear financial plan is crucial for the long-term viability of the project.• Staying updated on current wave pool projects and collaborating with industry professionals provides valuable real-time insights and opportunities.
Luke Wallace is the CEO of Flowstate, an AI video capture system adopted by many of the world's wave pools. We spoke with Luke to find out how a variety of factors came together perfectly to create a platform that records each and every one of your waves during a surf park visit. In the process, the system has opened up new social, coaching and safety possibilities.
Did you know that Nick Hounsfield comes from a family of inventors? He didn't invent the wave pool at his surf park. No, Wavegarden did that. But he's constantly focused on how things could work. It's like a constant invitation to daydream. We learned this early on but only now have gotten around to poking at this side of Nick. In this conversation we dig into the creative side of wave pooling and explore the current state of the wave pool space and, of course, Nick's excitement for the future.
Can a passion project like a wave pool have blind spots to reality? Matt Hyslop from Colliers International talks with WavePoolMag about his role in conducting feasibility studies for new surf venues. Matt highlights the importance of visitor forecasting and understanding the potential market when planning for a new wave pool. He also lets slip some of the ideal locations and the different business models that work. Matt also talks about those red flags that can arise during the development of a wave pool project.
Hear Euna Kim's firsthand account of Wave Park's inception in Siheung-Si, South Korea. With her mastery of languages and a newfound passion for surfing, Euna played a pivotal role in navigating the intricate journey from vision to reality. She'll reveal how Wave Park has become a cornerstone in the evolution of Korea's surf culture and delve into the complexities behind establishing this groundbreaking surf destination. Join us for an enlightening discussion on the multifaceted process of bringing Wave Park to life
In this podcast our guest Chris Kluesener sights on the wave pool space through the Surf Park Summit lens. We touch on the newness of the uniqueness of the industry and why his company's annual gathering continues to connect people and grow. Chris quips that the real estate industry is bustling with 4 or 5 trade associations yes, “Is it really that hard to build a house? Wave pools are much more complicated and to date we have zero trade associations.” Take the industry's pulse with Chris and I as Surf Park Summit gets set to return September 30 - October 2, 2024. You can sign up for thier newsletter right here.
In our latest episode we catch up with 1988 world champ Barton Lynch who many of us know as the live wire WSL commentator. From our side of this interview we relished hearing an unbridled Barton expanding his thoughts beyond the WSL broadcast two-minute cap as he shares his insights into the early days of the pro tour and how that generation had to scrap hard to make the pro tour dream happen. And while he also talks about his new video game, the ongoing BL Blastoff grom comp and a few other side bites, the heart of the conversation is, of course, wave pools. From the early Allentown ASP days to his relationship with Surf Lakes to how Kelly Slater has created the only place in the world where surfers mentally will their friends to totally blow a wave.
Shaun Hutchinson is Group Operations Manager at Urbnsurf. Most of the day he's tucked back in the office redlining in the tasks department, but we coaxed him out long enough to do a podcast. During our half hour conversation we learned just how complex and layered managing a surf park is.
We returned live to the middle of a sheep paddock in bucolic Easter Compton to check in with the new CEO at The Wave, Hazel Geary. In this podcast we explore the similarities and differences between the Leisure, Beauty and Well-being Industries and Surf Parks. Are we really that different? Yes and No. Hazel digs in with a fresh level of sophistication gleaned from years in the fitness industry. In the process we discover many nuanced learnings that our wave pool industry can benefit from.
How does one go about training a machine to recognise each and every individual surfer? Flowstate have created an AI powered capture system that records each guest's surf experience. And the amazing thing is that it works without RFID wristbands or board stickers. In this podcast we dig in and learn how Chris, Mike and the crew at Flowstate have built a system that recognises those minute nuances that separate and define us each individually as surfers. By developing this “style fingerprint” Flowstate have created a system that provides surf park guests with keepsake video clips of their wave pool sessions. Dig into the podcast to learn how Flowstate do what many consider to be an impossible task.
Revel Surf park is the wave pool powered by Swell MFG. It is the focal point of the 37-acre mixed-use development at Cannon Beach in Mesa, Arizona. In this episode, we have a wonderfully frank discussion with Matt Gunn, who along with his partner, built this wave technology. The journey one takes from obsessing on, and then building a new technology is not for the faint of heart. Matt shares fascinating stories of real-world R&D failures, triumphs and flat-out stoke as his crew prepares to open up to the public in Spring 2024.
In this episode, we have a lively chat with the always-on-point Dr. Jess Ponting Jess is one of the brains behind Surf Park Summit, the annual wave pool dreamer, doer and developer convention. The Summit runs September 18-20 in San Diego, California.
Many of the surf parks scheduled to open soon have been in the works for nearly a decade or more. Their architects are the original crop of dreamers and doers - the devout wave poolers in a long-term relationship with artificial wave technology. Andy Hadden wed the wave pool dream back in 2013 and is now eyeing the completion of Lost Shore Surf Resort, a 52-module Wavegarden Cove near Edinburgh. Despite the global ebbs and flows experienced by everyone these past few years, the project is marching toward a completion date of September 2024.“We were relying heavily on this becoming an Olympic sport,” said Andy. “I think that was something that most of us could see coming. But still, you know, it's a bet. You could call it that. We had to go through two major planning applications, which is something that, you know, all the developers have to go through. So that meant knowing locally exactly how to navigate those choppy waters. And then fundamentally, you have to raise a heck of a lot of money and then you have to have the aptitude and desire to run one. So there's definitely a reason that surf parks aren't more numerous today. There are definitely going to be more later. You know everyone that's built a wave pool is wanting to build another one - I think that speaks volumes.”
The “City in a Forest” is well-known as the filming location for "The Walking Dead," music stars like Ludacris and Usher, horrendous traffic and a major launch point for the Civil Rights movement. And now, it might become known as the home to Georgia's first wave pool. Spencer Broome and crew are driving the concept of Surf ATL, a wave pool with a broader vision of inclusivity and return. In this episode, Spencer explains why the most successful surf park is the one that satisfies both investors and the local community.
Dave Taylor and Mike Schwaab own Waco Surf, the Sputnik of surf parks in America. The facility launched in the early days of the wave pool race has since gone through many changes. Enter DT and Mike, two average guys who worked incessantly to fulfill their dream of owning a wave pool. Here is how it all happened.
The Lineup at Wai Kai is unique in the wave pool world. To make a chlorinated rapid wave work in the birthplace of surfing is a tall order. Getting a skeptical community to support that project might take even more skill and moxie. But since opening this year, the world's largest rapid wave has integrated into the community here on the West Side of Oahu. How? In this episode we speak with Ikaika Kaulukukui and Greg Champion who, along with many others, have worked tirelessly to ensure that this wave contributes to the local community in a variety of ways and ultimately finds a place of belonging in Wai Kai.
Ander Wynne-Edwards is the Director of Operations at Endless Surf. He's worked for Whitewater West for the past two decades building and commissioning large-scale wave pools – pneumatic wave pools in particular. In this episode, he walks us through everything that goes on in the time between a project breaking ground and rolling out the first set of waves. Ander also divulges what kind of things make a job go smoothly and conversely, some of those challenges posed in this unique project niche.
What is the premiere surf platform's take on wave pools? In this episode, we gather insight into the wave pool scene from the editor-in-chief at STAB Brendan Buckley. While we normally talk to wave makers and doers, Buck's contribution to the wave pool discourse is on the culture, that unique confluence of salt and pool water. We hit on how ocean surfing is already changing due to the availability of wave pools as well as touching on points where the romance between the two is thwarted.
Blake Hess is a rare individual in that he is one of only a handful of people who know how to run, manage and develop a surf park. In the few years that wave pools 2.0 have been a thing, Blake has been deeply involved. He helped bring NLand online its first and only year and then he moved on and managed the lucrative ins-and-outs at Kelly's. Now he is guiding three new American projects as they come on line. In this podcast Blake shares with us what happened at NLand, why Eddie Vedder is a great guest and where America's next wave pool will be.
Dr. Jess Ponting joins us to touch on several projects and points including Stoke Certification, Surf Park Summit, the new Consumer Trends Report and more. But the heart of the convo comes during his big-picture view of surfing. “People aren't used to thinking about a surf park as a legitimate recreation facility in a community," he says. "And there's, you know, a certain cultural cringe about the frivolity of surfing and how could we possibly allocate resources to something as frivolous as surfing? And the answer is because surfing is really good for people and it can be a real economic driver for communities and it doesn't have to be a drain on environmental resources.”
Skip Taylor is the guy we call when we're stumped as he is one of the few veterans working the nascent wave pool landscape. This industry being what it is, he's up to his elbows in NDAs so getting him to spill is basically impossible. That said, Zooms with Mr. Taylor are like a perpetual cocktail hour where the conversation is easy, funny and punctuated with sharp insights. We always emerge with more knowledge and insight. In this episode Skip spills the beans on a few off-radar topics, dives into some gory specifics and delivers on his latest project, The Lineup at Wai Kai.
Brad Gerlach held down a very successful pro career during the ASP's 3-to-the-beach era, finishing ranked at #2 in 1991. He then went on to pursue big wave riding, winning an XXL award in 2005. At some point, Brad merged martial arts and surfing fundamentals in a new training regimen called Wave Ki. In a nutshell, it's practicing movements on land over and over again until those motions become engrained in your memory. Then, when you surf, you tap into this databank of movements without really thinking about it. We wanted to learn more about how this dry-land training can help surfers improve their wave pool game.
In this episode we speak with Julie Kline of EpicSurf whose goal is to bring the benefits of sliding along a wave to everyone. The deepwater standing wave revolution will allow more waves in more places than ever before, bringing surfing to people who ordinarily might not have the chance to become surfers.
In Rip Curl's Search campaign, we are teased with images of empty lineups from far-off, exotic locations. So how does a company that built its core messaging on the nearly unattainable aspect of surfing, align itself with surfing in wave pools? In this episode, we speak with Angus Forrest, marketing manager for Rip Curl Australia and New Zealand, and discover how it's really not that much of a stretch. During the discussion, we learn why Rip Curl identified surf parks as the next growth step for the company. We also get a sneak peek at how their tech gear will adapt and evolve in wavepools worldwide.
Brandon Lowery is the interim CEO at USA Surfing, the definitive amateur organization for surfing in America. He's been involved in the pool scene for more than a decade, working with Greg Webber and BSR Surf Resort early on. In this episode we explore not only how wave pools can better Team America, but how pools will change the face of global surfing.
While we've been watching the surf industry shrink since 2008 – it's never quite come back to where it was – we've also been watching the wave pool space accelerate with nothing but limitless possibilities. In this episode we learn how Billabong and other surf brands are courting the wave pool space. Evan Slater, VP of Marketing at Billabong, shares his insight into the complexity of branding in the surf park space and why “there's more to it than just getting as many people as possible to stand-up on surfboards.”
George kicked off his wave pool path in Australia studying engineering and surfing the country's famed breaks. He returned to Japan and landed his dream job shortly after maintaining the machinery and filtration of the PerfectSwell pool. In this episode we learn what it's like being the “maintenance dude” at a wave pool. The conversation hits high gear when George explains why Japanese lineups are so quiet and why the end section at Surf Stadium can damage boards if you're not careful.
Quick Update with Nick Hounsfield of The Wave. We've had Nick on the show before and The Wave's history is well documented. For this episode of the podcast we branched out to explore community and how The Wave is helping diversify the lineup.“We're starting to see people of very different backgrounds come here, rather than feeling like it's constantly a middle class white playground which would make me feel like I failed. So I want to make sure that diversity is embedded from the start.”
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