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Surf Parque Óbidos adds Pro Surfer Kanoa Igarashi as Investor

Press Release from Surfers Cove:

Surfers Cove welcomes its latest investor in Surf Parque Óbidos, Kanoa Igarashi, the surfer is currently ranked seventh in the Word Surf League.

This participation will bring to the Surf Park the stamp of a great world-renowned and medalled surfer, who occupies 7th place in the World Surf League (WSL) world ranking and who makes Portugal his home in Ericeira.

portugal surf park
Surf Park Óbidos. (Source: Surfers Cove)

“I spend a lot of my time in Portugal and apart from the friends I have here, the waves in some areas of Portugal are epic. That’s why when I heard that this Surf Park was going to be created, with Wavegarden’s technology, less than 30 minutes from my home, I couldn’t remain indifferent,” says Kanoa Igarashi.

He adds: “In 2021 I tried out Wavegarden’s technology and teamed up with Wavegarden’s R&D team at the invitation of its founder to help develop and test a new special section for aerials. I’m sure that Surf Parque Óbidos is going to be a very popular place for those who want to learn safely and train professionally at the highest level. It’s an excellent complement to the sea. It’s going to be another place for all surfers to socialise”.

Kanoa Igarashi

The Japanese-American surfer, who has been participating in international competitions since 2012, was the youngest rookie on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) in 2016 and achieved more victories in his first season than any other surfer, finishing second in the Pipeline event. He is currently ranked seventh in the World Surf League.

Kanoa’s father was a surfer in Japan and an avid fan of the sport. Two years before he was born, his parents moved to Huntington Beach where he began surfing at the age of three and won his first surfing trophy at the age of seven.

In 2016 he signed up as the youngest athlete in the WSL/CT and the first surfer to represent Japan. As one of the top finalists in the 2019 WSL/CT, Kanoa qualified to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Olympic medal after eliminating Brazil’s Gabriel Medina in the semi-finals.

Surf Park opens in 2026

The masterplan and architectural project are the responsibility of Frederico Valsassina, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2024. At the moment, the share capital and bank financing for the operation have already been secured, and the only thing left to do is to secure the necessary public support for construction to go ahead.

In March 2026, the park starts a soft opening period followed by the grand opening to the Portuguese and international public in July 2026.

The Óbidos Surf Park will reinforce the Oeste, Peniche and Surf brands defined by Turismo Centro de Portugal and will integrate Portugal’s elite surfing areas, such as Supertubos beach, along with Ericeira and Nazaré. This was one of the reasons why the Vice-President of Turismo Centro de Portugal, Anabela Teles, issued a declaration of interest on 23 February “recognising it as innovative and enhancing the tourist offer, which could generate extremely relevant national and international tourist flows, contributing to the consolidation of the Centre of Portugal as one of the most renowned surfing destinations in the world”.

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