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Abu Dhabi Surf Ranch.
Abu Dhabi Surf Ranch.

Controversial Kelly Slater Abu Dhabi surf pool opens to public at doorbuster prices!

How much will 90 glorious minutes in the tub cost? Come find out!

Kelly Slater’s Abu Dhabi Surf Ranch has had quite the run, lately, as far as newsworthiness goes. The gleaming new facility, largest Kelly Slater Surf Ranch in the world, conjured into existence via the hands of “aggressively-priced” Pakistani workers is stunning by any measure. The World Surf League was so moved that it added Abu Dhabi as the second stop on the 2025 Championship Tour leading Mikey Wright, once recipient of many World Surf League Championship Tour wildcards, to become angry on behalf of his sister Tyler.

The United Arab Emirates where Abu Dhabi finds itself is not as progressive as some European states, you see, and Mikey wondered if Tyler’s open bisexuality, being married to a woman etc., might get her into capital trouble.

“You have no business putting on an event at a location where my sister can be sentenced by law with the death penalty,” he penned in an open comment. So much for equality and equal rights, only when it’s convenient to wsl. You have supported the LGBTQ flag on her shoulder but now you want to strip it and be hush hush to get her to a location that she’s at risk of this punishment. You have the responsibility to protect your athletes, interested to see how you think you can protect her against the law.”

Thus began the pile on with calls for a boycott growing extremely loud.

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Well, all that aside, Abu Dhabi appears ready to open to non-Championship Tour surfers as well. In an overnight email blast, the PR mavens declared:

The wait has been long, and we truly appreciate your patience and excitement for Surf Abu Dhabi. As a member of our community, we wanted you to be the first to know that bookings are officially open!

We’ve been working hard to bring you the best surf experience, and we’re thrilled to announce that Surf Abu Dhabi will open its doors to the public on October 25. Now’s your chance to secure your session and be among the one of the first to share this amazing wave but also the full Surf Abu Dhabi experience!

Our friendly and professional team is here to assist you with any questions and make sure your visit is unforgettable.

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The question, I suppose, is how much a session will cost.

What if I told you it was $3500 USD for 90 mins? Would you jump an Emirates flight straight away?

Then get booking because it is not $3500 USD but rather $3500 UAE which is, roughly, $950 USD.

Door bustin!

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More as the story develops.

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55 Comments
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justarider

how many waves you get in 90 min? what’s the cost comparison to the pool in Lemoore?

808

Just fly out to South Korea and go to Wave Park. $80 for advanced settings; $40 hotel room during the week; about $90 during the weekend. Close to the airport too.But you’ll have to wait until next Spring. The pool closes for the winter at the end of October.

Lowry Shank

Sand Coon Point….USD 95 per wave…DONT PEARL

Lowry Shank

Im 68 and followed KS thru his amazing career. IMHO he has disappointed and this is more of the same. Long gone are the 60s when the sport was pure and someone paddling out to share waves made it even better. Can you remember the joy of sharing a glassy A Frame with your buddies, hooting them on. Its over boys and never coming back. RIP KS

Dan Odonnell

All gay surfers should get on the Kamela caravan and storm the slave pool beaches at Abu Dahbi

CCD

Wth, are all of you surfers woke? That’s crazy. Hippie dippie days are over, losers.

Mike

Amen. The waves are better… we go!

Ron

My comment goes to WSL, guys, women, directors, please for the love of God, sun, sand, surf pull the contest from UAE, geez money over the very athletes that provide for your very existence. Seriously you are about embark on journey you won’t be able to come back from, you alienate the few TRUE surf fans you have left I assure you it will lead to a cataclysmic downfall sure to end you. I’m not even that active in LGBTQIA support, but I support what’s right. Endangering former world champions or entertaining an event KNOWN for intolerance is a matter of disrespect to fans, athletes and general human decency. As as beach grits responsibility, it should take an active roll in supporting it’s fans, the athletes to which they depend and the rights held therin and boycott any writing of or for the WSL, incl Slater and his inglorious godless creations. He apparently has forgotten where he came from. He himself isn’t standing in support of the people he allegedly loves , he’s become a tyrant of greed and special favors, which is so sad to see.

Nikola

If you don’t pay after the session, they will chop you in pieces.

Standard procedure in that surf haven…

deeks

The price in machine code data transfer is 95cents to tell slaver to fuck off

Gil Gunderson

How many shackles? Errrr, shekels…. No, wait, I’ve got this… How much bacon?

Tom

maybe Raimana can double up – thats what he looks like he doing to get punters barrelled!!

tim_nelsen

“We can get out of most lease agreements…specializing in Middle East States…rentals”

serious renters only!

k55

No wonder I don’t see any youth in the beach parking lots.
Surfing today is so far removed from what it used to be.
Luxury surf resorts catering to the wealthy and lazy, mom and pop, square types, and senior surfers everywhere.
$1,000.00 an hour surf tanks.
Some type of surf resort or hostel at about every somewhat secret spot we used to surf.
I think surf (as we knew it), is just about dead.

Happy Camper

Bustin Down The Door II~ A MATTER OF PRIDE! The Musical
Starring: Tyler Trauma, Lilly Likalot and Mikey Mullett,
Co-Starring: KKKennaly, Sarah Iknowadalocals Brady, Sabrina (the Witch) Brennan, Lee-Ann Dontcallmetom Curren and the Surf Equity Singers
Special appearance by the BLM “Bend A Knee” Dancers.

Simcha

Did you ever had the feeling that you wanted to go, but then had the feeling that you wanted to stay. Do Rey Me Fa So La Ti Do

channelbottom

Dolla fiddy!

Happy Camper

surely, with the clout and stature of the Hurluley team, the A-Rabs would be more than happy to host the team for a free one day session.

Derek Hynd's Missing Fins

Maybe we can have an article counter on the masthead. Like The Quran, and each article on this wave pool it gets covered up and at 50 it’s vall covered. Then we all win a prize: 50 more articles on the Abu Dhabi wavepool.

Rocks local

isn’t Lemoore like 1 wave every 4 minutes or something? So rough math, you’re talking 22 waves per 90 minutes. 10 other surfers in pool.

$950 for 2 waves (plus airfare, lodging and transportation to pool)!!

Don’t fall!!

Lol

Dane’s beer belly

Your math is completely wrong. Did you go to grade school? The website says a max of 4 surfers per advanced heat. The wave interval is every 220 seconds. Do some basic algebra.

Snowbored

I’d prefer to spend my 950$ on a couple of hookers and an eight ball.
I could snort it and tell them endless stories about surfing which would bore them into taking their clothes off.

Com Turren

where do you live where $950 gets you two hookers and an eight ball though?

Snowbored

That’s a good question… And I have an answer: East Idaho.

Com Turren

Keeping the American Dream alive

Lowry Shank

Pattaya…Two stunners 3000 baht…One once of White Widow 4200 baht…Fifth of JW Red 900 baht. Total 8100 baht or USD 240. Bringing home SIDs to the wife and kids….PRICELESS

Sup Braj

Allu akbar don’t surf


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