Perfect waves have been ridden by a select group of Victorian and Australian pro surfers for the first time at URBNSURF Melbourne, just minutes from Melbourne Airport’s terminals.
Melbourne’s newest surf destination, scheduled to open in January 2020, rivals some of the best breaks on the planet and is set to progress the sport of surfing at an unprecedented rate by providing a perfect training facility for elite athletes and easy access to newcomers.
The centrepiece of this innovative surfing facility is the two-and-a half-hectare Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon, capable of producing a great variety of ocean-like waves from gentle, knee-high waves for beginners, through to steep, barreling waves designed for advanced and elite surfers.
Wavegarden’s team of innovators is currently preparing and fine-tuning the full “wave menu” at URBNSURF Melbourne. Given Australia’s renowned surf culture, with more than 2.5 million active participants, they are particularly focused on broadening the spectrum of waves that will be on offer, including those designed for experts.
The fiercest type on the wave menu, coined ‘The Beast’, was tested earlier this week by former world champion Joel Parkinson who exited the water, saying “It’s a challenging barrel and you need to be on your game to make it out”.
The waist to head high ‘Turn Waves’ unfurl in perfect order on both sides of the central pier in the lagoon, allowing surfers to trim and carve along the face, while those more experienced are able to perform up to six aggressive top to bottom maneuvers.
New to the diverse wave menu is the aerial waves, dubbed “The Ramp”, which boasts a steep face to generate speed followed by a critical ramp section to assist progressive surfers to project into the air. Recognized as one of the world’s leading air specialists, test pilot Dion Agius has been helping Wavegarden technicians to design the perfect air section at URBNSURF Melbourne. “It has the potential to be amazing, we just need to refine a couple of details”, said Dion, after several hours in the water.
Josema Odriozola, Wavegarden’s founder and CEO, is very happy with the overall facility stating, “Working hand-in-hand with URBNBSURF over the past few years has been very productive and together we have been able to create almost the perfect surf beach environment with a vast range of consistent and quality waves for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.”
With two facilities in operation, URBNSURF Melbourne set to open in January 2020, and three other surf parks under construction, Wavegarden is the world’s leading wave making system boasting the highest user capacities, an authentic surf experience in crystal clear water and a very energy efficient and noise free machinery.
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