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10 years ago AWM unveiled their tech to scattered applause

This decade-old clip from the amusement parks and attractions trade show, or IAAPA shows American Wave Machines guru Bruce McFarland explaining surfing to amusement park video journalists in a quick 7-minute clip.

But it soon becomes obvious that while Bruce gives an eloquent, enthusiastic explanation of surfing, he is a fish out of water. The journalists, accustomed to gravity-powered water rides with a quantifiable “pop” and “bang” value, appear totally disinterested. They don’t get surfing the way, well, surfers get surfing.

And the reporter with the ceaser haircut? Why does he keep looking around nervously? It’s weird and uncomfortable – an assessment one YouTube commentator summed up with, “What is with the guy on the left? Kind of annoying/distracting.”

Bruce McFarland’s eloquent surfing description gets shoved through the Charlie Brown parental speech filter before reaching the ears of these two reporters. “Wah wah wah wah wah wah…”

This is THE moment Bruce eloquently unveils his groundbreaking tech to the world and the response is the sound of crickets chirping. Bruce is a king in the wave pool world. And it’s painful to those of us who love human-made waves.

Fast forward to Waco Texas and the PerfectSwell technology at BSR Surf Resort, and it’s clear these video journalists should’ve been paying better attention.


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