On December 18th, after much speculation, Kelly Slater Wave Co finally aired their first wave pool prototype to the public, creating an absolutely world class surfing wave and breaking the internet momentarily. Some 10 years in the making, and having gone through different design types, including the long-touted circular infinity wave, the KSWC team have recently been developing this linear model, similar to Wave Garden. Whilst there are few details, this is an incredible wave which would be sufficient for any competition and for any surfer. Undoubtedly there will be more information to come, with details around wave rate, energy usage, treatment, costs, and certainly more videos of more pros surfing this beautiful wave. This announcement brings more global attention to wave pools and heats up the race to build the best wave and to take wave pools fully commercial. As always though, creating a viable Surf Park goes beyond simply having a great wave: the wave is the anchor that draws people in; it is then up to developers to monetise this by creating an aesthetic and enjoyable setting, and by adding more footfall enhancing and revenue generating elements to maximise the ROI. Ultimately, successful commercial models will decide how these Surf Parks spread throughout the world. For now, it’s a pleasure to watch something man-made look so natural.