The wait is over… almost . After months of hype and glimpses at Surf Abu Dhabi – the latest synthetic surf pool from Kelly Slater Wave Co., located in the United Arab Emirates – the world is finally going to have the opportunity to surf the thing, come October.
In multiple posts on social media, Surf Abu Dhabi, located on Hudayriyat Island in the UAE capital city, made the grand opening announcement, claiming “we’re on.” They continued: “Can’t wait to see you all in October. Thank you for staying curious and sharing the love for Surf Abu Dhabi, it’s all happening! And before you flood our DM’s – bookings for October sessions will be live on our website in September.”
As mentioned before, there’s been much hype about this pool – mainly due to the size of it, the length of ride, and the stature of the tube. But, due to clandestine setbacks, the grand opening was pushed back from the end of 2023, to now, October, 2024.
In a press release, Modon Properties (the folks who collaborated on Surf Abu Dhabi with KSWC), made these claims about the pool’s potential and size:
“Surf Abu Dhabi will be the biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world. Designed in partnership with Kelly Slater Wave Co., the landmark destination will offer a high-performance surfing experience, featuring the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool. Underscoring Abu Dhabi’s sporting and leisure credentials, the exclusive surfing complex seeks to attract everyone from beginners to pro-surfers. Surf Abu Dhabi will provide an ideal location to host major international events and will play a major role in developing the surfing community locally, regionally, and globally.”
And since footage first emerged of the pool, many of the world’s best had their first tastes. Here’s just a few of the testimonials over the past few months:
“WOW congratulations on another incredible project! Thank you for having me and for the amazing hospitality.” – Caroline Marks
"Super stoked to experience the biggest man-made wave and is built for every surfer from beginner to professional level." – Emirates surfer, Mohammed “Mo” Rahma
“So much respect for you [Kelly Slater]! thanks for the invite brotha. it was one of the sickest experiences.” – Filipe Toledo
“Really, really cool. High quality wave. It’s a wonderful place for an artificial wave, so it makes sense to be here. This is definitely the longest and highest quality ride that you can get as a surfer.” – Stephanie Gilmore
“I never thought I’d get waves in Abu Dhabi, you know? You just want to go big on every turn.” – Gabriel Medina
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