Wavegarden, a leader in artificial wave technology, has taken its wave pool design to new heights with the reopening of its revamped Wavegarden Lab in the Basque Country. This state-of-the-art facility, initially launched as a prototype 15 years ago, now serves as the company’s private, full-size test center for researching and developing cutting-edge wave generation technology.
“What we need most in wave pool design is ideas,” said legendary surfer Kelly Slater after a recent session at the Wavegarden Lab. “There are a lot of options and variability in the designs here.” Slater’s comments highlight the innovation underway at Wavegarden, where engineers and surfers are collaborating to shape the future of artificial waves.
Slater, who spent three hours testing the new wave menu under the guidance of Wavegarden founder and CEO Josema Odriozola, was among an all-star crew of surfers invited to help refine the facility’s next-generation designs. Odriozola, a Basque surfer and engineer, first developed the concept for artificial wave generation nearly 20 years ago. Since then, the company has expanded, with Wavegarden technology now powering commercial wave pools from Rio de Janeiro to Edinburgh.
The original Wavegarden Lab was limited by its small size, restricting the scale of its research and development efforts. However, after two years of extensive work, the facility has undergone a major redesign. The newly upgraded wave pool now features larger and longer waves, with a seven-second tube section, new reef formations, and more dynamic air sections. Wavegarden claims that it is now the only private, full-size test center dedicated to artificial wave research in the industry.
“We’ve redesigned the wave generator machinery to allow for more varied and powerful waves,” said Odriozola. “The upgrades allow us to push the boundaries of what’s possible with wave pool technology.”
The facility, now known as the Wavegarden Lab, offers a customizable wave menu designed to challenge even the most experienced surfers. Along with Slater, other surfing icons such as Kai Lenny, Bobby Martinez, Shane Dorian, Leo Fioravanti, and Coco Ho took to the water to test the new features. They were joined by a new generation of rising stars, including Mateus Herdy, Jackson Dorian, Noah Beschen, and Kai and Hans Odriozola, the founder’s sons.
The surfers were invited to the revamped lab following an unseasonably flat September in Hossegor, France, where they were set to participate in the Quiksilver Festival. Quiksilver marketing manager Mikey Picon coordinated the surf session at the Wavegarden Lab to keep the surfers engaged while awaiting better waves.
Beschen, one of the standout performers during the session, praised the new air sections, which allowed him to land a full-rotation air maneuver. “When you get such a good air section, you don’t even think about what you’re doing; you just go for it,” he said.
Other surfers, like Herdy, took a more hands-on approach to the testing process, working with Wavegarden technicians to design custom waves. Herdy created a wave with a faster in-run and a more powerful air section. Meanwhile, Kai Odriozola, at just 19 years old, impressed onlookers by landing his first-ever backflip, then immediately repeating the trick on the next wave.
Beyond pushing their personal limits, the surfers were also testing new functionalities that could eventually be rolled out to Wavegarden’s commercial facilities. One of the most significant developments is the ability to pulse individual waves every 15 seconds, rather than sending out sets of waves every seven seconds, as in previous designs. The steepness of the takeoff can also be adjusted to suit different skill levels.
The surfing industry is in the midst of a rapid wave of innovation, with new wave pools and ideas emerging each month. The Wavegarden Lab stands as a key player in this arms race, with the potential to shape the future of artificial wave technology. As Kelly Slater aptly put it, “If it’s all about ideas, a solid chunk of them may come from this tub in the Basque Country.”
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