Press Release from ADG/EpicSurf:
Aquatic Development Group (ADG) is proud to announce their deep water stationary surf wave EpicSurf, has received the Surf Park Award for “Democratizing Access to Waves for More People.” The award was presented at this year’s Surf Park Summit in San Diego, CA , where EpicSurf exhibited and participated as an acting sponsor.
Hosted annually by Surf Park Central, the Summit connects industry leaders from around the world and includes surf park developers, wave technology companies, investors, academics and athletes, focused on emerging topics related to surfing outside of the ocean.
EpicSurf’s recognition is based on their efforts to expand access to waves and share surfing’s positive physical, mental, and emotional benefits with people that do not live near the ocean or those that prefer a more controlled surfing experience.
Surfing is a common denominator, capable of bringing people together and generating positive impact. ADG’s, COO Bruce Quay used this narrative to define the objective for commercializing EpicSurf, “From design to commercialization, our vision was to create an authentic surfing experience to be enjoyed by ALL abilities.”
To achieve this goal, ADG assembled a collaborative network of expert disability advocates to evaluate EpicSurf for inclusivity, accessibility, and potential therapeutic benefits for individuals of varying abilities.
“As an adaptive surfing instructor, I found that EpicSurf creates a consistent medium that lends itself to surfing therapy. Not having to deal with tides, winds, and swells make managing a surfing therapy session easier,” said Justin Speegle, Veteran, AMPSurf Board Member. “The proximity of coaches and spectators to the riders makes verbal communication while riding possible. This lends itself well to group therapy and team building as everyone is cheering on the rider. The surfer bond is one of the things that makes ocean therapy successful but even when a group goes surfing together, the ride experience is not easily shared. This setup completely changes that.”
“EpicSurf is great for individuals that do not live near water,” said Michele Ferrauilo, VA, Director of Adaptive Sports, “Especially, for individuals who fear the ocean, giving them an opportunity to surf in a controlled setting with support.
“I see a lot of potential for this to be used not only as a recreational tool,” said Randi Woodrow, Physical Therapist, “but also as an adjunct to a variety of rehabilitation therapies.”
“The EpicSurf wave is a real game-changer for the surf industry, “shared Phil Jackson, Founder of the Surf Dreams Foundation, “the kids just couldn’t get enough.”
Since launch, EpicSurf has shaped waves for a myriad of surfers, including novice, intermediate, professional, child, veteran, champion, age 70+, adaptive, blind, and more.
To continue their efforts in expanding access to more people and breaking down barriers, ADG provides EpicSurf buyers (private and public) with actionable practices and programming ideas learned during the commercialization process.
Customized settings for all abilities, retractable training bar, and a compact footprint make the sport of surfing achievable for anyone, anywhere.
Watch the EpicSurf video submitted for the Surf Park Summit award: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP6Iia7Ayko
You must be logged in to post a comment Login