Three-time world champ Gabriel Medina announced he will build a string of performance surf clubs throughout his home country. The economic engine to power the franchise is Kauai Ventures, an investment company created by Medina himself earlier this year.

The investment group will develop an unspecified number of performance surf clubs using surf pool technology provider Endless Surf, creators of a heart-shaped pneumatic wave system. The clubs will first hit São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with other locations in Brazil coming online at a later date.

Kauai Ventures said the project follows a global trend to offer surfing beyond the ocean while proving to be a high-visibility business for investors. Medina says it’s a great way to invest in something he truly believes in.

“More than a sport, surfing is a lifestyle, so therefore, this project has total synergy with the legacy that I want to leave,” said Medina. “It unites all factors that I believe in: the practice of sport, which involves healthy habits and physical activity, technology as an ally to a cutting-edge human experience, and the adrenaline rush that surfing provides.”

In a statement, Kauai Ventures said the whole project is driven by a core passion for surfing.

“The clubs we are creating represent the epitome of progression and will create a stronger and more connected community surrounding the surf lifestyle,” said Ricardo Laureano Siqueira, partner and manager of Kauai Ventures. “In these developments, we are ensuring the widest variety of wave types for our surf clubs, so that the experience is more authentic to the ocean. We are committed to offering top-tier surf through utilizing Endless Surf’s next-generation technology that provides a unique and tailored experience.”

Paul Chutter, President of Endless Surf, said the partnership is a reflection of their technology’s flexibility and strength.

“These projects will showcase what Endless Surf is capable of from a wave generation standpoint as it pertains to wave variety, and how our tech will serve as the new benchmark for high-competition surf,” said Chutter. “We’re incredibly proud to partner with Gabe and Kauai Ventures, reaffirming our position as the surfer’s choice.”

The clubs themselves will vary according to each project. Rio de Janeiro will have two pools, one will be more exclusive and the other more accessible. Kauai Ventures says the idea is that each club will have a different footprint and be custom tailored to meet community and social needs.

“One feature of Endless Surf is that you can customize the size of pools in a range from 8,000/m2 to 25,000/m2/,” said a Kauai spokesperson. “Size will vary from project to project and we believe that the technology will enable much cheaper future projects than are currently on the market today.”

Brazil has been a wave pool epicenter lately with the opening last year of Praia da Grama, the launch this month of Boa Vista, and the announcement of the São Paulo Surf Club.

The Gabriel Medina performance surf clubs are already underway with Endless Surf models in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The first club is expected to open in the second half of 2023.

Gabriel Medina Performance Surf Club via the WavePoolMag Surf Planner

The Lowdown: These pools is part of a string of wave tanks in Brazil by Kauai Ventures, a company cofounded by 3x World Surf Champion Gabriel Medina. According to the company they have already commenced construction on two pools, one in Rio de Janeiro and the other in São Paulo. Word is that the first will open in the second half of 2023. Several more are planned for Brazil. The handful of wave pools will use Endless Surf technology. Through the partnership with Endless Surf, Kauai Ventures has set out to build the surf experience, originating from the knowledge and practical experience of Medina as a top-tier athlete.

WavePool Construction Progress: Approved.

Accessibility: Not yet built or open to the public.

Wave Technology: Endless Surf is a pneumatic wave pool system, which uses chamber pressurization with high-powered fans to mimic how swell in the ocean is formed (wind and atmospheric pressure). Each chamber produces one small piece of the wave and when programmed by back-end operations software, the chambers create a wide variety of waves. A major element of Endless Surf is the heart-shaped design. The pool is divided into three zones on each side (6 total) with an expert, intermediate, and beginner section. You could run the pool at full power (using all 6 zones), half power (3 zones), or even make one long wave from end-to-end.

Size: Endless Surf is scalable in size from ES1800 to ES4800, dependent on the number of pneumatic wave generation chambers. An ES 1800 has 18 chambers for example. The biggest, the ES 48 can go up to 1,000 feet (300m).

Hours of operation/Seasonal Hours: Unavailable, but we’ll keep you posted.

Pool Structure: Manmade pool to accommodate wave producing technology typically done with concrete. Could be built with Myrtha Pool’s steel-and-pvc prefab technique but no confirmation yet.

Atmosphere: Gabriel is a chill dude until he puts on a jersey. Expect the same here: fun surf vibes in the off-training hours and Terminator-like focus during work-out sessions.

Apparel: Boardies to spring suit should do throughout the year.