- Surf in the City - Artificial wave near Munich
Surfing fast like the sea: Near Munich Airport, a surf park with artificial waves opened over the weekend after a two-year construction period. According to the operators, it is the largest park of its kind in Europe and the only one in Germany. The 180-meter-long pool can accommodate 60 athletes at a time. On Sunday, the park will host its opening festival, which is open to all visitors.
Surf shows and Olympians at the opening
The artificially generated waves, which can reach up to two meters in height, are designed to help beginners start in the new sport and also allow professionals to surf. The German Surfing Association (DWV) plans to use the surf park for official competitions and training, as announced by the end of May.
For the exclusive opening with a party and surf shows on Saturday, professional surfers and Olympic participants Camilla Kemp and Tim Elter, who have just returned from Tahiti, are expected, along with Leon Glatzer, who participated in the Olympics in Tokyo four years ago as the first German surfer.
Surfing on river waves is trendy
Athletes no longer have to go to the sea, as their paradise can sometimes be found right at their doorstep: surfing on river waves is the magic formula. In several cities, artificial waves have been created on rivers, following the model of the famous Eisbach wave in Munich's English Garden, for example in Augsburg, Nuremberg, and Hannover.
Similar river waves for surfing, which can be regulated or switched off via emergency buttons, can also be found in the USA and Canada, as well as in many other European countries such as France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, England, and the Czech Republic.
However, these waves are stationary: they do not break but remain stable in place. Theoretically, professionals could ride them indefinitely, unlike the waves in the sea and the new surf park, which roll through and eventually break.
The founder of Surftown Munich, Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, a passionate surfer himself, developed the idea ten years ago, describing it as "perfect conditions at the push of a button." Beginners can enjoy a soft wave, while experts can experience powerful and hollow-breaking waves, according to the website.
Surfing all year round
The new surf park covers approximately 20,000 square meters, with the pool measuring about 10,000 square meters. Every ten seconds, surfers can catch one of the continuously generated artificial waves. The surf park is planned to be open throughout the year, with the pool remaining unheated. Traditionally, surfing also takes place on the Eisbach in Munich during the winter.
Photovoltaic plants are planned to cover 80 percent of the electricity needed to generate the waves in the future. A solar park near the facility is scheduled to be completed for this purpose.
After an exciting day of professional surf shows and Olympian appearances at the opening festival, surfers can enjoy their free time riding the waves at the surf park throughout the year. Even when traditional surfing is not possible due to cold weather, surfers can still have their share of fun in the heated pool during their free time.
