We’ve been watching Cruz Dinofa work on his air game at wave pools since he was a spritely 11 year old moppet set loose at Waco and the American Dream mall. Cruz visited the newly minted Riyue Bay wave pool with Rob Kelly, Jacob Zsekely and Ryji Masuda to test out the air section and bag some clips in the process. The result is this video of Cruz and friends getting some of the highest, cleanest airs ever done in a wave tank.
About the Riyue Bay wave pool in China courtesy of the WavePoolMag Map
The Lowdown: Last year, American Wave Machines announced an agreement with China Tourism Group to develop a wave pool project adjacent Chinese surf mecca Riyue Bay on the island of Hainan. The project is known as Sun and Moon Bay in the town of Wanning and is dubbed “Riyue Bay Surf Resort.” The resort’s first phase includes a surf-themed hotel and a designer hotel with a total of 132 rooms, a shopping district, bars and restaurants, a surf retail shop, and a skate park, alongside the wave pool. Phase two will expand the hotel and introduce additional lodging options. The project aims to attract both international surfing enthusiasts and local beginners. Riyue Bay, recognized for its premier surfing conditions in China, has developed a robust restaurant and bar scene for international tourists – all thanks to surfing. It has hosted international surfing competitions for eleven consecutive years and serves as the base for China’s National Surfing Team.
Wave Generating Technology: American Wave Machines Perfect Swell technology
Wave’s Technical Information: Both Left and Right Breaks, Length of Wave: 30-60 yards/meters, Semi-hollow to hollow and performance-oriented. 110 waves per hour come in three-wave sets at between 1:10-1:30 apart. Waves are waist to head-high.
Access: The PerfectSwell facility at Riyue Bay Surf Resort is now fully open to the public and operates under a session-based model similar to BSR Surf Resort in Waco, Texas. Sessions can be booked online once the website is active and will offer the typical beginner instruction, public access, and private rentals. Opening date is mid-november 2025.
