This Autumn Endless Surf hosted a surf park developers’ tour of the newly minted O2 SURFTOWN MUC facility. Approximately eighty developers from the USA, Europe, Australia and the Middle East got up close with the company’s first operational wave pool in Munich as part of the Endless Surf Eurostour. 

The intimate look at O2 SURFTOWN MUC included first-hand inspection of the facility, panels and presentations, insights into how architects incorporated the pool’s unique footprint into the final design and, of course, an Oktoberfest celebration. 

Key messaging from Endless Surf included the wave machine’s groundbreaking ability to move beyond a basic on/off wave-generation setup, something which can minimize wasted energy when fewer surfers are in the pool. Other messaging included the ability to create a more personalized surf experience as operators can adjust their wave settings in real time to accommodate each surfer’s abilities, wants and desires. This functionality also allows for tweaks to suit different weather conditions. 

During the facility tour, many attendees noted the unique footprint of the pool and how the pool’s top-of-a-heart shaped outline lends itself to a more intimate surf experience between spectators and surfers.

“As a novice surfer, the experience of getting in and out of the water was super easy,” said Josh Martin of Martin Aquatics. “I enjoyed the coaching from the guys on the shore and chatting with them between waves. The closeness of seeing your friends on the edge of the surf lagoon is awesome.”

That sense of intimacy wasn’t lost on developer Tony Howard who said he enjoyed the closeness both in the water and on the shoreline.

“We saw some great waves in Munich but what struck us was just how immersive it was for onlookers due to the proximity between the waves and the shoreline, the experience felt almost amphitheater-like,” said Tony. “For us as developers, the experience for non-surfers is every bit as important as for those paddling away in the water.”

Tony added that the event was a great opportunity to share ideas and exchange lessons learned with other developers and operators.

“It’s something which proves invaluable as this exciting industry now begins to move beyond its infancy, particularly within coherent mixed-use schemes,” he said.

Endless Surf also spoke to the Myrtha Pool lining and how it fit in with this surf park’s overall concept and profitability through sponsorship.

Myrtha’s Matteo Bazzaro said that the company had faced several challenges during the liner installation at SURFTOWN, particularly because it was one of Munich’s coldest seasons on record. The frigid snap made the process much more challenging, but also very educational. 

Myrtha’s proudest moment was the story behind the iconic O2 pool branding. Matthieu delved into the back story of how a simple color choice for the logo meant two months of back-and-forth correspondence and fifty different shades of navy blue. Eventually, they decided on the final color you see in the images and video clips of the wave pool. This is the first wave pool in the world to earn added revenue from pool liner branding.

The developers and operators on the tour also got to learn how things don’t always go as planned. The early CFD models for this, Endless Surf’s first pool, slightly underestimated the amount of water that moved during a set of waves. This fact, coupled with a truncated end zone for the wave due to available land, meant that an extra 30 centimeters of wall height in one small area of the pool was necessary to mitigate splashing. The current crop of Endless Surf pool builds now in progress have the standard sized end zone to accommodate that extra push of water.

Endless Surf touted their Surf Concierge system, which introduces a range of customer services, including session bookings, memberships, and additional amenities within the park. The service is integrated with Endless Surf’s Wave Doctor, which oversees wave machine maintenance, and the Swell Studio, which is responsible for wave generation.

The Endless Surf Eurostour connected many developers in the industry, some already in touch and others who just met for the first time. It was a unique experience to be able to learn about the wave technology’s inner workings.

But the star of the surf park developer’s tour was truly the wave itself.

“It was incredible to see the finished wave,” added Josh Martin. “After visiting the construction site and understanding the scale of the new Endless Surf, it was equally breathtaking to see a perfectly peeling wave upon arrival.”