Surfing is literally where you find it. And what better place to catch a few good waves than in a cold, landlocked German city?
Welcome to Osnabrück, a quiet urban community with around 150,000 inhabitants located in the northwest of Germany. The city is around 100 miles away from the North Sea, so there are not many hardcore ocean surfers in town.
But that didn't deter wave pool manufacturers Citywave and local shopping mall L&T from creating something different. The goal was to install a standing wave in the heart of a commercial zone.
"The conditions adapt to the skills of the group and, if necessary, a learning bar is installed. In addition, surf instructors are on hand with tips and assistance," the crew at L&T notes.
The wave pool was positioned on the ground floor in the middle of a wide, circular balcony. If a surfer is showing off his advanced skills, you can observe him from all angles.
"We offer 45-minute surf slots with different wave settings. Whether you're a beginner, advanced, or professional, with us, you get your wave."
Children between 8 and 14 years pay €29, while adults will have to pay €34. L&T is a sports-oriented mall, and this is one of the first standing wave pools installed in a shopping environment.
Citywave was founded by Rainer Klimaschewski and Susi Klimaschewski, two European and world freestyle skiing champions. Each indoor or outdoor surf pool is able to accommodate up to eight surfers simultaneously.
The company has already installed static wave pools in Munich, St. Gilles Croix de Vie, Zurich, Vienna, and Osnabrück but plans to build more structures in Israel and Russia.
Citywave generates waves of up to six feet (1.8 meters) and also allows longboarders, SUP enthusiasts, bodyboarders, bodysurfers, and kayakers to ride the artificial wave.
According to the developers, Citywave produces a wave with an overall width, or wave face, of between 25 and 36 feet (7.5 and 11 meters).