SURF SNOWDONIA REOPENS AFTER REPAIRS

Published:March 22, 2016
Views:25,785

After five months and $1.5 million, Surf Snowdonia has finally reopened its doors. Over the weekend, the United Kingdom’s premier manmade wave welcomed surfers back to its adventure park setting, nestled in the Welsh countryside, with the promise of new-and-improved facilities.

“The last six weeks have been entirely dedicated to putting the motors through their paces and testing their resilience under pressure,” Andy Ainscough, the managing director at Snowdonia, told the BBC. “We’re really pleased with how they have performed and it’s great to be going into the new season with that confidence.”

Originally opening in July of 2015, the wave was closed multiple times in the following months due to technical issues. And then, after hosting the world’s first stadium-style surf competition (won by Maui’s Albee Layer), Snowdonia closed its doors again, this time for an extended period because of a rip in the liner. After that, the waves went flat — just like they do in the real ocean.

And during that dark period of repairs and still water, Surf Snowdonia suffered another blow when Kelly Slater released the first look at his wave pool. Many thought that Slater’s freakish creation trumped the Wavegarden facility, primarily because of the barrel. Kelly Slater’s Wave Co. produces perfect, chocolaty tubes. The Wavegarden doesn’t.

Still, Wavegarden and its U.K.-based Surf Snowdonia reign supreme in the world of artificial waves, despite the absence of freshwater, machine-pumped caverns. As far as the public knows, Slater is the only person alive to have surfed his wave — and when, if ever, that facility will open to the public is yet to be known.

As far as Snowdonia is concerned, a wave without a tube is better than no wave at all. And they’ve added a laundry list of new attractions at the facility. Like a blob — the summer camp staple that sends riders flying wildly through the air via inflatable water cushion. And an aquatic obstacle course, of sorts. Aside from those additional attractions, the primary focus of Surf Snowdonia’s makeover was preventing any further flat spells. “The number one thing we wanted to get right during our winter downtime was addressing the reliability of our Wavegarden,” Ainscough said, “and we’re confident that we’ve delivered on that.”

After all, that’s the main draw of artificial waves, right? To eliminate the inconsistency of the ocean. To have the same lip to perfect your air-reverse. To never succumb to the flat spell blues.

And if the wave does break down, there’s always the blob.

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Phil 03/23/2016 01:02 PM

Dear Dan, please Google "Snowdonia", hopefully you won't be too embarrassed.

Chris 03/23/2016 10:39 AM

@Dan It's named after Mount Snowdon. Unfortunately the mountain was named long before they decided to build a wave pool nearby.

Dean 03/23/2016 07:34 AM

I really wouldn't waste your money unless you can ride the inside wave the rest inc intermediate is only the same as a poor day at sea and it's free .

wavecation 03/23/2016 06:37 AM * PREMIUM MEMBER - Nickname

Dan, it's called "Surf Snowdonia" because it's in the "Snowdonia" region of Wales. I agree though, for those not familiar with Wales it makes it sound more like a ski attraction than a surf destination.

Tim 03/23/2016 02:16 AM

Dan... Because it's in the Snowdonia national park in Wales...

Jimbob 03/23/2016 01:20 AM

Dan, its next to mnt Snowdon, in Snowdonia National Park. Get it?

brian bottger 03/22/2016 09:50 PM * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name

Kelly you've turned into a snobby douche as if you never were. Let the public ride your so called best wave ever and charge em top dollar like high end ski resort.

Sean 03/22/2016 09:36 PM

Just found out about this from some homies on www.soulid.me hopefully I can make a trip out to the UK and ride this wave!

surf uku 03/22/2016 08:33 PM

Look out artificial wave fans, there's a new kid on the block!: Surf check @ Great Wolf Lodge - 6"-1" and very glassy. Caution: radical shorebreak is jammed full of locals and oily substances...

Donald trumped 03/22/2016 07:19 PM

Well $1.5 m dollars equates to around £35 so the repair work was actually pretty cheap ????

Alan Partridge 03/22/2016 04:33 PM

Dan - its the name of the place you tool. Go back to selling Kitchens !

Jb 03/22/2016 12:32 PM

Lame wave

Fraggle Rock 03/22/2016 12:29 PM

Is kelly's wave even real? A 20 second clip hardly qualifies as comparable if it never comes to fruition for the average joe to surf. What if it's a big hoax like Tony Hawk's hover board? Props to Surf Snowdonia for providing a commercially viable solution for mass surf fun.

Dan 03/22/2016 12:20 PM

Why do they call it "Snow" Donia? Makes it sound like it has nothing to do with surfing. How about calling it "Wave" Donia?

rich 03/22/2016 12:02 PM

what happens if you get out on the shoulder, way out on the shoulder- do you get broken-up, then ripped to pieces by the framework?

SURF SNOWDONIA REOPENS AFTER REPAIRS

The U.K.'s premier manmade wave is back in business after suffering from technical issues last year

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