Mateus Herdy Designed a Wave, Landed a Flip, and Swiftly Nailed Another for a Perfect 10 in a CS Heat

Much like the e-book couldn’t kill the paperback but reshaped how we read, wave pools won’t replace the ocean.

Yet, they might just redefine surfing. Barely a week passes without the announcement of another pool, making these times troubling for doomsdayers and purists. But for the unprejudiced, a world of opportunity abounds.

Few embody unprejudiced optimism better than Mateus Herdy, whose surfing doesn’t hide it either. Just before the final stretch of the Challenger Series, Mateus met up with Wavegarden founder and longtime acquaintance Josema Odriozola at the revamped Wavegarden Lab. “I used to be sponsored by Pukas, and that’s how we were introduced,” he told Stab. “Josema called me and asked if I’d like to help test and improve some new waves.”

Tucked away in the rolling green hills of the Basque Country, Mateus spent several days experimenting with the Lab’s latest wave designs and variations, ultimately culminating in the creation of a signature wave. “I learned so much about their tech and how everything works. It’s crazy how small details — like the pool’s water level or how a wave breaks after pumping out a smaller one — can make such a big difference.”

The Brazilian’s inquisitive mind kept him peppering the R&D team with questions, suggestions, and ideas for desired outcomes. “I was looking for an additional air section to come at me sideways because I saw the potential for two air sections on the same wave.”

Asked how his signature wave compares to his ideal ocean wave, he was blunt: “It’s nothing like my ideal ocean wave, but it’s a really fun air section. In a bigger version of the pool, we could definitely build my ideal wave. It might even happen soon…”

Creating a user-friendly ramp was one of Mateus’ primary goals. Pool waves still pack a punch. Currently, the bigger and better waves aren’t the easiest to surf, and it’s not uncommon for pools to restrict these expert settings to, well, experts. “I tried to make an easier ramp, so that anyone can surf it,” he said.

After his stint at the pool, Mateus went on to finish 5th at both Ericeira and Saquarema. “I didn’t qualify, but I landed almost every single air I tried in my heats.” Calling this a coincidence would be nothing short of naive. The once-elusive air section is now a certainty, allowing for repetition and embedding success into muscle memory. For lack of a better analogy, this might just be surfing’s driving range.

Expanding on the parallel with pro golfers designing their own courses, we discussed what the future of signature waves might look like. “The future is here, and surfers are so creative! I would love to surf a ‘Mason Ho’ wave, for example.”

Here’s hoping the team at Wavegarden Lab are taking notes. And if they are, we’d like to kindly request the absence of pointy coral heads, thanks.