Wave Garden's phone hasn't stopped ringing since their launch three years ago and their viral video, Somewhere in Basque Country. Since then the project has continued to develop and they have many sites under construction across the world. Report by Iker Aguirre.
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Yes, I was there. I surfed Wave Garden's prototype (thanks to EuroSIMA) in September. On arriving to the (secret) spot the view is breath taking. I'd already been there three years ago but it's all changed. The basin is much bigger (150m!) and produces not just one wave but two, a right and a left. The surrounding infrastructure is now lovely wooden buildings instead of portacabins. A large terrace, tables and parasols and a big, tree shaded green area and a mini ramp to die for. A childhood dream right before my eyes; especially when two perfect waves started to roll through the basin. And to think it's just a prototype closed to the public and that the commercial version will be even more spectacular!
Fernando Odriozola and his brother Josema, the engineer behind the idea, showed us the potential business for their product. In terms of investment, the returns look sound. The quantitative and financial data was analysed and crossed with statistics of all kinds of parks by Colliers International, one of the biggest development consultancy firms in the world. Their conclusion: the model is rapidly profitable and the investment could be recouped in three years.
“The only investment is the land. You need a lot of land to make the right basin,” Fernando tells us. The rest of the investment is recouped in three years of operation as the infrastructure, construction, maintenance and usage have highly optimised costs.” When we approach the question of profitability, Fernando tells us: “one wave costs 0.22 cents in energy. You can generate 90 waves per hour and if you have enough space the wave can hold up to eight different surfers per wave, without counting beginners who can enjoy the foam.” The sums are easy: 90 waves per hour, €19.80 for 8 people (at least)! And they might not need a whole hour - we were spent after 14 waves each (over 100m long).
Wavegarden.jpgAnd Wave Garden have managed to get around the problem of elitism that led to the demise of the wave pool in the Ocean Dome in Miyazaki, Japan. This solution can accommodate a beginner as well as a high-level or pro surfer as the viral videos posted recently on the Internet prove.
The whole model, conceived for holiday-makers, families and boardsport aficionados makes Wave Garden not just a wave but a true multi-activity tourist attraction where children and adults can have fun in total safety (the basin is less than one metre deep). But where we were really surprised was in the tools developed for learners as well as for high-level surfers. Wave Garden is a veritable R&D centre and a pillar for innovation that can inspire many other leisure industries and ski resorts in particular! Watch out for the potential use by the snowboard industry…
A few days before writing this article we discovered the Surf Park Summit, a forum on the future of surf parks. The protagonists? A rich panel of legends and big names from the American surf and wakeboard industries. Doug Palladini, VP Global Marketing for Vans and President of SIMI clearly expressed: “the potential of surf parks is enormous (because) it brings surfing to those who do not benefit from the presence of mother nature and real waves(...) They could be key for the surf industry.”
No point in adding to this, everyone can see the potential the moment that the waves break every day, at any time and anywhere in the world.
The question now is knowing what system will be the star. Kelly's wave, the only real alternative to WG in terms of dynamic waves has a lot said about it but it seems to have had difficulty in seeing the day in real size. WG presently has many sites under construction globally and Fernando Odriozola assures us that the first wave will open in 2014 and that work has already begun. An innovation that will revolutionise the surf industry that is European? WG seems to have got off to a good start and is leading the way to success. Hats off to them.
The big debate will remain: what will become of the standardisation of surfing? Can we reproduce the power of the ocean's energy? What can we say about the calming, meditative effect of surfing? What about communion with nature? Is surfing just about performance on the wave? Can we really reproduce surfing? Is the wave “identical” to ocean waves? I can assure you that these debates will rage for years. In the meantime you have two choices: accept progress or don't. But whatever you do, change is on its way.
www.wavegarden.com
domingo, 17 de noviembre de 2013
Wave Garden
Wave Garden's phone hasn't stopped ringing since their launch three years ago and their viral video, Somewhere in Basque Country. Since then the project has continued to develop and they have many sites under construction across the world. Report by Iker Aguirre.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I was there. I surfed Wave Garden's prototype (thanks to EuroSIMA) in September. On arriving to the (secret) spot the view is breath taking. I'd already been there three years ago but it's all changed. The basin is much bigger (150m!) and produces not just one wave but two, a right and a left. The surrounding infrastructure is now lovely wooden buildings instead of portacabins. A large terrace, tables and parasols and a big, tree shaded green area and a mini ramp to die for. A childhood dream right before my eyes; especially when two perfect waves started to roll through the basin. And to think it's just a prototype closed to the public and that the commercial version will be even more spectacular!
Fernando Odriozola and his brother Josema, the engineer behind the idea, showed us the potential business for their product. In terms of investment, the returns look sound. The quantitative and financial data was analysed and crossed with statistics of all kinds of parks by Colliers International, one of the biggest development consultancy firms in the world. Their conclusion: the model is rapidly profitable and the investment could be recouped in three years.
“The only investment is the land. You need a lot of land to make the right basin,” Fernando tells us. The rest of the investment is recouped in three years of operation as the infrastructure, construction, maintenance and usage have highly optimised costs.” When we approach the question of profitability, Fernando tells us: “one wave costs 0.22 cents in energy. You can generate 90 waves per hour and if you have enough space the wave can hold up to eight different surfers per wave, without counting beginners who can enjoy the foam.” The sums are easy: 90 waves per hour, €19.80 for 8 people (at least)! And they might not need a whole hour - we were spent after 14 waves each (over 100m long).
Wavegarden.jpgAnd Wave Garden have managed to get around the problem of elitism that led to the demise of the wave pool in the Ocean Dome in Miyazaki, Japan. This solution can accommodate a beginner as well as a high-level or pro surfer as the viral videos posted recently on the Internet prove.
The whole model, conceived for holiday-makers, families and boardsport aficionados makes Wave Garden not just a wave but a true multi-activity tourist attraction where children and adults can have fun in total safety (the basin is less than one metre deep). But where we were really surprised was in the tools developed for learners as well as for high-level surfers. Wave Garden is a veritable R&D centre and a pillar for innovation that can inspire many other leisure industries and ski resorts in particular! Watch out for the potential use by the snowboard industry…
A few days before writing this article we discovered the Surf Park Summit, a forum on the future of surf parks. The protagonists? A rich panel of legends and big names from the American surf and wakeboard industries. Doug Palladini, VP Global Marketing for Vans and President of SIMI clearly expressed: “the potential of surf parks is enormous (because) it brings surfing to those who do not benefit from the presence of mother nature and real waves(...) They could be key for the surf industry.”
No point in adding to this, everyone can see the potential the moment that the waves break every day, at any time and anywhere in the world.
The question now is knowing what system will be the star. Kelly's wave, the only real alternative to WG in terms of dynamic waves has a lot said about it but it seems to have had difficulty in seeing the day in real size. WG presently has many sites under construction globally and Fernando Odriozola assures us that the first wave will open in 2014 and that work has already begun. An innovation that will revolutionise the surf industry that is European? WG seems to have got off to a good start and is leading the way to success. Hats off to them.
The big debate will remain: what will become of the standardisation of surfing? Can we reproduce the power of the ocean's energy? What can we say about the calming, meditative effect of surfing? What about communion with nature? Is surfing just about performance on the wave? Can we really reproduce surfing? Is the wave “identical” to ocean waves? I can assure you that these debates will rage for years. In the meantime you have two choices: accept progress or don't. But whatever you do, change is on its way.
www.wavegarden.com