Wave Pools. Yay or nay?
We've written so many articles (and seen quite a few forum posts) that the conversation on this topic has already been considerable, but spread across all of them in bits and pieces.
As an example:
Pulling the Plug on Kelly's Pool Party
Wave of the future: An interview with Greg Webber
Kelly Slater enters the debate
Wavepools: Within the year and with Rabbit on board
ZoSea and the ASP and the Kelly Slater Wave Company: The link is...?
Kelly Slater almost sunk in wave pool wrangle
Of Pools, Fools and Alternative Realities
Wavegarden about to bloom with new wavepool
Kelly Slater dealt blow as investment company falters
Oh wow. Plenty of reading for the weekend. Thanking you for all links provided
p.s just judging by the article titles that kelly us out of the race?
At this point yeah. At few years ago it appeared a two horse race between Greg Webber and Kelly but the Wave Garden mob trumped both of them with the first working prototype. They're now building the first commercial wavepool in Wales, and will soon build one in WA (Perth most likely).
I emailed a fella at the Kelly Slater Wave Company a year ago and it didn't sound like much was happening, not to say it won't in the future though. With Slater hooked into the future of pro surfing via the WSL (his manager is a director) the Kelly Slater Wave Company may rise again if wavepools meet competition standards.
Just reading through the comments on stunets post about wsl umbrella sponsors etc. where the topic of wave pools was raised.
It made me wonder about whole scenario.
What do people think about it all? Just hypothetically assuming that within the next couple years the pools are up and running to very ridable standards what the pros and cons would be? Reduced congestion in the ocean? Option of surfing year round on a daily basis? Environmental damage due there huge engergy consumption (so ive read)?
I dont know, im sure the list goes on but i wouldnt mind hearing other peoples opinions on what seems like a very real and not so distant future of our sport.