An alternative to surfing - riding an artificial wave

We have written many times that if you know how to ride one of the boards (snowboard, skateboard, longboard, wakesurf, it doesn’t matter), it will be easier to master another one. Either way, the main one is still considered the surf, since it was the ancestor for most of the others. If you don’t believe me, here’s the story of how skateboarding originated. Read it and see for yourself.

On the way to conquering the ocean waves, you can and even should use all known and available workouts. One of them is precisely riding on an artificial wave. Those who have long been in the topic of action sports, it is already known. For those who first hear about artificial waves, we want to tell more details. And the main thing is to try to answer the logical question: “Will such training in cold weather help to master the board so that in summer (or in warm lands) to see progress in riding?”.

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How artificial wave riding came to be

If history is to be believed, the first wave pools were invented by people far removed from surfing. The first artificial wave is considered to be the London pool, opened in 1934. The waves were small and liked only bored by the sea bathers.

Surfers first conquered artificial waves only in 1966 in Tokyo complex Summerland Wavepool. Three years later, Big Surf opened in Arizona, in the construction of which the cosmetics company Clairol invested. Philip Dexter managed to design a rig that created a wave 150 meters long. At the same time, Dexter had never ridden a board. Since then, the technology of creating artificial waves has changed a lot.

What is important to know about artificial waves

Svyatoslav Polukhovich

Surfing instructor at FLOW Moscow center

“Artificial” is called a wave that was created artificially on a river with a large current (flow). In addition, there are artificial waves, where the water flow is pressurized in a specially designed pool.

Riding on an artificial wave can be on the same boards as in the ocean, but advanced riders take boards with less volume, because there is no need to “rake”.

The technique of riding an artificial wave has similarities with surfing, in terms of hull rotation and individual elements, but it is not the same.

The feeling of comfort while riding an artificial wave, as in any other business, appears to everyone individually. If you start practicing from scratch, you can adapt in 10-20 hours.

Of course, you can start riding on “big water” without an artificial wave. But if you have never stood on a board, an artificial wave will help you to feel yourself on an unstable surface and feel the transfer of body weight.

What artificial waves are

surfer, certified surf coach (ASI) and lifeguard (ILS)

Artificial waves are a very hot topic right now. This kind of riding should be a mandatory part of learning to surf. I can say that during my training on artificial wave and wakesurf I discovered a huge number of mistakes that I always had. Not standing and distributing my weight correctly, moving the wrong way. I can’t say I surf badly, but there were a lot of things I didn’t do as I should have.

CityWave and similar technologies

Her main trick is that you can actually stand on the board and perform maneuvers, like in the ocean. But because you can just stay in the flow, stop, and then ride on, the artificial wave allows you to focus on feel and technique. That’s not even close in ocean surfing. Everything happens very fast in the ocean. If on an artificial wave you can learn some skills in a month, on big water it takes a decade. It’s a super thing that I don’t just recommend, you can’t do without it.

Anyone who wants to surf should go to CityWave. It feels very similar to surfing, even though everything works a little differently there. The feeling of gliding and body movement is almost identical.

“Ocean waves

In addition to this, there are whole complexes that actually make waves like in the ocean. There are many different systems, such as Kelly Slater’s (a modern surfing legend) center that has a train and pushes a “plow” underwater to create a wave. At the Swiss Wave Garden, there is a “snake” in the middle of the pool that makes a special and sharp bend to create a wave by reflecting the impact of the wave off the pool walls. There are others, but the point is the same – in some unique way a wave is generated.

It’s already ocean surfing one in the same. True, the only difference is that these waves of different speed, steepness and length. Although it is meaningless to say that they are very different from the ocean, because in the ocean waves also have different steepness, length, radius and so on. All of these systems are a “micro-ocean” created by man where there is no ocean.

Professional surfers clearly show: as they ride in the ocean, so they ride on artificial waves. They do all the same tricks: riding in “tubes”, jumping, making turns. Riding a particular surf.

Again, the coolest wave is Kelly Slater’s. She’s the longest, perfect, with a real very long “pipe”. However, it has its own big disadvantage – it gives out very few waves. Imagine, a wave has passed, and to start the next one you have to wait a very long time. And the price is very bite – about $ 10 thousand per day, and less than a day, it can not be rented.

Or, for example, Wave Garden. There is a huge number of waves, going one after another. Moreover, there is an opportunity to customize the waves themselves from and to: a full-fledged “pipe” or first make a “wall” and then “pipe”, you can hollow or steep. For an hour of riding there it is real to roll away “in garbage” so that there will be no strength left at all. And everything will cost about $ 100 – very adequate money for such opportunities. Just “man – a mini-God” made a “mini ocean”, which can be really placed anywhere.

Wakesurfing

If you did not know, wakesurfing – also riding on an artificial wave, but it is already made by a boat. With all its peculiarities and limitations, such riding has similarities with classic surfing. Here it makes sense to point out this: since the boat is always going forward, you will not be able to make a strong turn on the wave and get back on it, but sharp and short – please. The wave is very small and short, and this prevents you from doing much of what is possible in the ocean. Read more about wakesurfing here.

On a separate note, it’s worth mentioning the Flowride. This is a thin stream of water where one rides on a board similar to a skateboard. And it has nothing to do with surfing.

What are the different types of artificial wave boards

CityWave type wave boards are much lower volume than ocean surfing boards, but otherwise plus or minus similar. In this case, volume doesn’t matter, because you don’t need to catch up or “rake” the wave. If you go a little deeper, a big volume will just interfere with sharp maneuvers and turns.

Wakesurf boards are even smaller and much shorter than those used for CityWave. In addition, the “volume” in the boards themselves is distributed slightly differently. It’s mostly in the stern to make it easier to do tricks and keep up with the boat.

The boards for riding in the pools have no differences. I’ve ridden the same ones I used for the ocean.

Tips for those who want to give it a try

If you have never stood on a board

Come to any center that has an artificial wave and be sure to sign up with a trainer.
In class, just do what they tell you to do. Don’t make up anything on your own, just repeat.
If you get discouraged by an exercise or something else during training, don’t sabotage the workout. Discuss it with the trainer and make it clear. This is an important nuance, communication should always be there.

If you are already surfing

Start surfing and understand how the wave works.
Listen more to yourself, first and foremost to how you feel.
Discuss all your “discoveries”, mistakes and feelings with your coach.

It is better to ride regularly and a little bit, than to ride once and then give up. Remember that water sharpens the stone. You can also try surfskate. Very useful thing and stands in line with artificial waves. It’s a great thing to practice on. It allows you to work out all the movements in a great way, just like in the ocean.