The construction of the artificial wave park Surf Snowdonia has kicked off in Wales, United Kingdom.
Surf Snowdonia will produce two-meter (six feet) high, 180-meter (590 feet) long surfing waves every day of the year in the village of Dolgarrog in the Conwy Valley of North Wales.
The International Surfing Association (ISA) has confirmed that the new surf pool "offers the possibility for surfing to be included in multi-sport events, and it significantly boosts the sport's ultimate ambition to be recognized as an Olympic sport."
Upon completion of Surf Snowdonia in the summer of 2015, the venue will be the first inland surfing center in the world that has the capability to host the ISA World Surfing Championships.
The project will use the Wavegarden technology in a sustainable way that is cost-effective in the long term.
It will also offer the opportunity to expand surfing globally and make the sport accessible to millions more people around the world, for example, in landlocked countries.
"It seems fitting to break ground on this monumental project in the same week that people the world over celebrate Olympic Day," says Steve Davies, developer of Surf Snowdonia.
The role Surf Snowdonia could play in surfing's pursuit of Olympic status is a phenomenal accolade for the project."
"Keen surfers from around the world will now have access to year-round perfect waves, and we are humbled by the extent this could truly change and shape their professional careers."
"Not just for athletes, this facility is also bringing surfing to the masses - no longer restricted by geography or nature."
Surf Snowdonia is scheduled to open in Summer 2015. The Wave: Bristol is also planning to kick off its operations in the same period.