Switzerland Is Getting A Wavegarden Cove Surf Park

Alaïa Bay in Sion, Switzerland will begin filling its 8500m² Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon in January and has confirmed the pre-opening for April. After 12 months of construction, it is finally possible to dream of surfing in Switzerland on ocean-like waves – the realisation of a daring project launched in 2016.

Long-awaited by the entire Swiss surfing community, this moment provides some positivity during these challenging times. The Alaïa Bay surfing lagoon will be filled in December, concluding a five-year project to open the first Wavegarden Cove in mainland Europe.

Construction started in November 2019 and Alaïa Bay is now steadily drawing closer to completion after reaching this first milestone. “Our teams have put a lot of enthusiasm into this project and we are thrilled to be able to keep the schedule as planned. Despite the public health situation, which required the introduction of certain restrictions, there has been very little disruption to the construction and we can now reveal the dates for the next stages of the project,” explained Adam Bonvin, Alaïa’s founder.

While the Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon is completely finished and will start being filled with water in December, the first tests of the wave generating machinery will begin in January. During this phase, the settings will be fine-tuned to configure the 20 types of waves that will be on offer to the public. As Josema Odriozola, Wavegarden’s creator, explained, “It is a crucial phase. The calibration and testing phase is a technical challenge for our teams in weather conditions that we have never experienced before. This project represents a wonderful showcase for our company, as it is the fourth project to open to the public, after England, Australia, and South Korea.”

In parallel, the final work on the buildings will take place between December and February. Furnishings will be added to the 300m² retail shore as well as the restaurant and surf school.

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First waves for surfers in March

In March, the site is planning to welcome its first surfers for exclusive test sessions – the perfect opportunity for Alaïa Bay’s 60 staff members and 20 surf coaches to test ride the waves. Surf stars, local surfing associations, and partners will be invited to catch the inaugural waves and relish a unique experience in Switzerland.

Alaïa Bay will open to the general public in Spring, giving surf fans as well as beginners and families, the opportunity to discover the joys of surfing on ocean waves in the heart of the Alps.

1,000 exclusive sessions already available

With the announcement of Alaïa Bay’s pre opening, it is now possible to book sessions at a special rate. 1,000 exclusive sessions will be on sale from 25 November until 25 December and can be redeemed for the pre opening period, from April until the end of June. Being the first to try out these unique waves is truly the dreams for surf fans!
Information and booking: https://alaiabay.ch/en/

WAVEGARDEN

Based in the Basque Country, WAVEGARDEN^® is an engineering company dedicated to the research, design, manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance of wave generating systems and lagoons for surfing and other water sports. We stay true to our vision of sharing the exhilarating experience of surfing perfect waves with everyone, everywhere.

ALAÏA BAY

Located in the “Islands” area of Sion at the foot of the Swiss Alps, Alaïa Bay is an 8,500m² surf pool open to experienced surfers as well as beginners and families who will be able to experience surfing for the first time under the supervision of instructors. The Wavegarden Cove technology offers a totally unique configuration that allows to host up to 40 surfers per session. The site also boasts a 300m² surf shop, a 500m² restaurant, a surf school and a shaping room. According to the Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland is home to approximately 40,000 surfers, who practise their sport on lakes, rivers or abroad by the coast.

ALAÏA SA

The company Alaïa SA develops and manages centres dedicated to action sports such as skateboarding, freeskiing, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, trampolining, and cheerleading. Alaïa Chalet, located close to Crans-Montana, and Alaïa Bay in Sion, are the group’s first two projects, both directly inspired by surf culture. The vision is to offer a unique experience to visitors, giving them the opportunity to become part of a community that shares the same passions and values: freedom, creativity, health, nature, pleasure, and progression.

LOSINGER MARAZZI SA

Losinger Marazzi, a subsidiary of the Bouygues Group, is an industry leader in the field of smart construction, meeting the demands of an ever more complex, interconnected and mobile society. At the heart of its approach are the urban regeneration of neighbourhoods, the development of Smart Cities, and a global offer that sustainably generates added value throughout the entire life cycle of a real estate project.