Last month Mikey February took his buttery surfing to Munich making, literally, new waves in the process. While he’s quite public when refining surfboard shapes with sponsors, this was the first time he locked in with an engineer to create a wave. WavePoolMag spoke with Mikey and Endless Surf’s Tanner Wilson in San Diego to learn more about the process. Specifically we were interested in how the back-and-forth communication went and if the waves Mr. February requested were a bit different (spoiler, they were.) wave pool sin general

Have you surfed other wave pools before?

Mikey: I’ve surfed a few wave pools before, including Kelly’s Wave, which is really fun. There’s a lot of pressure because the waves don’t come as often, and it feels like a long wave where you need to make it count. Surfing the Munich pool is also enjoyable because there are different options. As a surfer, I appreciate being able to ride various waves instead of the same one all the time. The quality of the waves, with a good amount of push and size, is great. You can see sections coming towards you, which is a nice feeling compared to waves breaking away from you.

Working with someone like Axel to design different waves is something I really enjoy. Surfing in the ocean is cool because every wave is different, and creating various waves makes it even more appealing. Depending on the boards you’re riding and what you’re looking for, you can design a wave that’s tailored to that. This specialized aspect is really important and exciting.

WPM: Yeah, how was it working with Endless Surf wave designer Axel Terradillos?

Mikey: Working with Axel, the engineer on the wave pool side, is like having a conversation with a surfboard shaper. The relationship starts with a slightly different language, and you try to use words to describe what you want. It definitely takes some time. The last time we had about five to ten minutes to work on some waves, and we got really close to what we wanted. Having more time to communicate and understand each other better will help us create some really cool things.

WPM: What was your favorite wave that you created?

Mikey: With Axel, we aimed to create a wave featuring a hump to generate speed, which is important for executing airs. I love having speed to do big turns on a solid wall. We wanted the wave to stand up more, allowing for strong, powerful turns that you can approach with speed from the hump. This is exciting for me because, while getting barreled is great, having good speed and a solid wall to lay into a big turn feels nice. That was my goal.

Tanner Wilson of Endless Surf: The wave was inspired by the barrel section. The idea was to hold off that section from breaking and create a big bowl for turns. You and Ian Gentil were going at it for about 30 minutes while Axel fine-tuned it, and it was great to watch. We had already customized waves with Leon Glatzer on the air section and perfected that, and then worked with Blair Conklin to create the skim wave and fine-tune various settings. Working with Mikey brought a fresh approach, which was super cool. This was a completely new angle that we haven’t seen in many pools, showcasing Endless Surf tech at its best with flexibility.

WPM: Did you come up with a name for that wave?

Mikey: No, I don’t think we came up with a name. There was a lot going on, with so many people and not enough time. We’re excited about it, but we didn’t have a name for it. We’ll have to come up with a name next time.

WPM: Most surfers in the clips we see ride high performance thrusters, which you did for a few airs, but the bulk of the clip is from waves on the fish. How did that board translate from ocean to pool?

Mikey: It was really fun to take the fish out there. For me, it feels like a board that works well in most places and is more user-friendly. Having a bit of forgiveness and enjoyment in a wave like that really helps. With wave pools, I think they are growing and improving, and there will be more power involved. However, having a board that generates more speed, floats better, and is more forgiving makes the experience more enjoyable. This definitely makes it a lot more fun to surf those waves. It’s different because it’s not saltwater, so you have to make minor adjustments. Some people ride epoxies because they float better in fresh water. For me, I enjoy the wave pool experience without getting exhausted. Many people on shortboards work hard to do airs, but having something more fun allows you to enjoy everything without constantly generating speed.

Tanner: I loved that day when everyone was swapping out boards and trying their whole quiver. They would grab a new one and hop back in the water. It was cool to watch Mikey because he brings out his fish, drawing unique lines, and then switches to a performance board for landing airs. It really showcases what pools have to offer at their fullest.

Mikey: I could catch a wave on the fish, run out, grab a thruster, and have that for the next wave. Sometimes surfers want to try different boards, but in the lineup, you don’t want to get out, change your board, and then go back out. With this setup, every wave can be a different board, allowing you to understand those differences better. That’s a big positive—being able to see those differences in a controlled environment. It’s really cool.