It is the most perfect surf pool ever designed, developed, and tested. Kelly Slater has unveiled his artificial wave pool system. And you won't believe what he has done: a 45-second barreling ride.
Ten years in the making. Forget everything you've seen. The 11-time world champion has shown his surf pool concept to the world.
On his testing site, Slater gets barreled in perfect peeling chocolate barrels.
"The idea that it is the first wave ridden is too much pressure," expresses Kelly Slater in the introductory video of his dream surf pool.
"It's a lot of pressure to work on something for ten years... I think it's a big thing for surfing if done the right way."
December 5th, 2015. It's 6:20 a.m. Kelly Slater Wave Company has a secret spot located 110 miles from the coast.
And the owner, the man himself, has arrived. The first wave rolls at 6:35 a.m.
Kelly Slater smiles. He laughs. He gets crazy.
A truly perfect right-hander peels across the pool. At 7:05 a.m., the Floridian paddles out, catches his first wave, and gets barreled for half a minute.
Is it a dream? Yes, it is. A dream made a reality - a flawless four-to-six-foot artificial wave.
"We weren't in a hurry. We could've put out an inferior wave years ago. We waited all that time to do the right thing. This is the best man-made wave ever made," concludes Slater.
The Future of Surfing?
The comparisons with the Wavegarden are simply inevitable. At this moment in time, this wave is bigger and better.
It is a beauty, a sublime product of science and passion. The future of surfing is here. And we want to give it a go.
When will it be available? Where will Kelly's man-made wave be installed first? The initial reactions are solid.
"Another example of his perseverance and vision. Really exciting," noted Laird Hamilton.
"I know he's worked hard on this for a while. Looks really interesting, and we're excited to learn more about it soon," added Kieren Perrow.
"Been staring at this photo for weeks and still blown away by it," expressed Shane Dorian.
Slater's high-tech wave pool is located in Lemoore, California.
The 2,000-foot-long surf park complex is located right next to the Phoenix Sunrise Golf Course, and the scientist behind the project is Adam Fincham.
The Kelly Slater Wave Company will be sharing more details in the coming weeks and months.
But the man has impressed the surfing community with the longest, artificial, open barrel ever seen.
"This is something I dreamt about as a kid." And we are all anxious to ride it.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com