HOW WAVE POOLS WORK

What technology is used to sculpt the perfect wave?

- AILSA HARVEY

For many surfers, a major draw to the sport is its natural unpredictability. After checking the ocean swell and monitoring surf conditions, a perfectly shaped wave produced by nature is unbeatable. But for those who want more consistent, high-quality waves for regular training, artificial wave pools are a big draw.

The technology behind wave pools has been improved since the first public artificial wave pool was launched in Germany in 1912, which was steam-powered. Today, the waves are powered by electric motors. The first electrified wave pool was created by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 1870s as a private leisure feature. He designed his wave pool in a lake, with the system involving moving pontoons in a rocking motion to create waves in the water. The first wave pool with large enough waves for surfing was opened in 1969. Called Big Surf, this wave pool was built in Arizona and produced one-metre-tall waves that could be ridden for 20 seconds.