Up until this point, the Bristol wave pool offered three-wave settings, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. With the recent addition of Advanced Plus and Expert, there are now five-wave settings at the surf park.

The first digital clues to the new Advanced Plus and Expert settings emerged this week. Instagram accounts and YouTube channels sizzled with praise for the new settings as surfers tried to score one of the rare sample sessions.

“It was great to be able to showcase our higher wave settings today for the very first time!” said The Wave on Instagram. “What a day! There was so much energy and excitement we loved seeing you out there and hope you enjoyed it.”

So we wanted to know, just exactly how the new settings stacked up against the previously established wave classifications. Is it really and Advanced Plus wave? (Also, if you want full deets on Wavegarden Cove settings).

Fortunately for us the brain trust behind the UK’s Surfing Show (check it out here) did some homework, comparing wave height and intensity on the new settings.

“We took a trip back ‘up country’ to check out the boosted settings at The Wave in Bristol. We’ve actually put together a little wave size analysis video for the new wave settings vs the old. As usual this is our upfront no-frills account of what went down and what we thought.”

The Wave clarified their requirements for surfing the two new top-end settings.

“The waves have now been thoroughly risk-assessed and there is a clear skill level that people need to surf them. In the same way as the other sessions, these new sessions build up over the hour. If the lifeguards and surf coaches feel someone is not coping with the waves being pushed out and are really struggling to catch and ride them, then they may ask them to leave the water.”

The Wave has outlined exactly what people need to be able to do to ride these wave settings safely:

• Ride waves around 2.0m comfortably
• Paddle in large waves and strong currents
• Take-off consistently
• Generate speed
• Perform turns and maneuvers across wave
• Negotiate sections
• Demonstrate respectful surf etiquette in group

Full details and videos of the Advanced Plus and Expert wave settings can also be found on The Wave website.

Find below three more clips assessing the new settings at The Wave:

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