"The biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world… the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool.”
Earlier today you read about the imminent opening of a new Slater pool, only the second of its kind ever, on the new gussied-up version of Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
It’s been almost a decade since Slater unveiled his man-made miracle to the world in the American winer of 2015, and the day after the Brazilian surfer, Adriano De Souza, with whom he’d engaged with in a long-running blood feud had just won the world title.
Shortly after Kelly dropped the pool clip a BeachGrit reader screenshot this exchange between a Kelly Slater and another surfer. The reader couldn’t verify the authenticity of the parties involved, but it still makes for gripping reading.
Old history, yeah, but prophetic, I suppose, as Adriano never reached the same heights and retired soon after.
Anyway, according to the presser, “Surf Abu Dhabi will be the biggest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world… the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool.”
The tank is part of a 51 million square metre development of the island that’ll add fifty-three clicks of coastline to the city, with attractions including a velodrome with a roof-top track, 220km of bike trails, a giant urban park, high-end residential communities built on two different hills affording 360-degree views of this paradise on the Persian Gulf.
Gotta love it when that Middle Eastern money spigot pours in your direction and far away from the stupid environmental regulations of Australia and USA, Queensland, Coachella and Florida, all promised superb versions of the pool but were scuttled by pressure from community groups.
Now, a sharp-eyed BeachGrit reader has used Google Earth to discover just how far along the pool is and, oowee, “Looks like they’re already operational, the tanks filled, hydrofoil is in, they even have stadium lights installed,” he wrote.
Until now, I’d never entertained the idea of swinging over to the UAE, something about enslaved Filipinos and Bangladeshis don’t feel right. I get the same vibe in Bali.
But with a Slater pool? Winter temps in the seventies and summers hitting 120?
Why wouldn’t you?
It appears high level intellectual disertations cease their functions when intelligent design concludes the conversation.
Honestly, I think it’s all because the WSL aren’t the official organization even though they have (ostensibly) the best surfers. How that must gall them. If the ISA ran everything they’d probably just have a series of events and parachute in the top 24 (with the 2 surfer limit) and that would be it. So much simpler.
Having surfed the other one I am not impressed- the amenities were good though,
As a retired engineer I am concerned about downtime – especially when you sacrifice so much to go to one only to have it cancelled.
The welsh one was first and it’s down a lot.
Why bother when we had the Severn bore for free – and much better and natural.
Call Mr. Plow,
That’s my name,
That name again
Is Mr. Plow.
A bit INXS’ve don’t ya think?
in the UAE , being gay is illegal , hmmm, so where does that put the WSL and it’s progressive agenda ?
not sure how the WSL can do a deal with a country that makes being a LGBT+ criminal…..or is it just continuing hypocrisy , well money comes first?
How many of the women wont be able to compete for fear of getting chucked in the slammer? How any of the men?
It’s stupid, but once you re-read the details about 1000 times, it does kind of make sense. But it’s written very poorly.
Basically there’s 24 spots and the first 10 are filled by the top WCT surfers with the catch that there can be no more than 2 from any one country.
From there on it’s all about allocating spots based on finishing spots in these world surfing games or pan american games. It’s here that you get guys from the ‘also ran’ nations qualifying because Aussies, Americans and Brasilians (plus or minus Japan and South Africa) taking the 10 CT spots.
So if you’re say Rio Waida or Ramzi Boukiam, you really want to do well in the world surfing games and get your ticket that way.
The “golden ticket” is given out to the (team) winner of the world surfing games (both in 2022 and 2024). That’s where you get the bonus spot if your nation already qualified two surfers, and it’s Kelly’s only real chance. The weird thing is the rules don’t specify *who* gets chosen for that third spot. I specifically doesn’t say anything about “third highest ranked surfer (from the US)”. Heck, the way I read it, they could theoretically give it to Tom Curren.
So the world surfing games next year (it’s held a few months prior to the Olympics) is the one where you won’t see half-arsed efforts because that comp has huge implications. Note that Japan already won the golden ticket due to winning the games last year*, so someone else (Reo Inaba probably) will make the Olympics regardless of what happens between then and now.
* One really weird quirk is that if Japan wins the 2024 surfing games (mens division) as well, they won’t get a fourth golden ticket, they will instead give their 2022 one to the nation that finished second in ’22, which was the US…
On google maps the tank in Lemoore is considerably longer but the one in the desert is wider
Maybe they are being kind but girls always tell me they appreciate the width more than the length.
I appreciate a girls lack of width
did you see any rainbow flags?
Imagine how long the pool in Abu Dubai has been in the pipeline (pardon the pun) at least 5 years?
So the K_Tub makes an unwelcome comeback , but Shows the Dubains that the investment they made will be rewarded with a CT event , which will bring an influx of surfers and their wallets …..the biggest problem might be can beginner VALS surf there ?
I wonder if kelly will release the money shot the day after griff wins the world title?
You don’t sound impolite, just in over your head
Mandel-Brot Set. Explain.
https://www.youtube.com/liv…
dat der is a ‘blown save.’
a fine gesture to KS from the leader…
https://sadanduseless.b-cdn…
“don’t rush me…still trying to configure how to zero out my scale “….says the lead contest judge to the others.
let me stop you here…28.34!
https://thecalculating.com/…
Ever heard of a Troy Ounce? I put a .999 gold ounce on my old paka scale thinking 28.34. I was happy to be wrong.
ha! 28 grams increases to 31. ur gold goes up by $210.
Are you implying Fernando should get all the selections?
Will JMD have to wear a burkini?
Yeah I come up with Leemore being about a third longer.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c… https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Can’t wait for the girls surfing with hijabs!