Wavegarden Spills How The Sausage Is Made

In October 2022, Wavegarden rolled out a bunch of new air waves in Brazil, Switzerland, South Korea and Australia. It was remarkable because they created new waves without changing pool bathymetry or using a one-size-fits-all formula. Using software, each pool built bespoke air waves based on the feedback of surfers and the expertise of engineers over the course of a few days. 

“We have a great application that gives us more freedom to move every panel in each module,” WG CEO Josema Odriozola told Stab. “It’s a new equation that allows us to create new kinds of waves. The biggest improvement is with air sections, but also we’ve been doing some new barrels and turn waves as well.”

The top 1% of surfers who can do airs aren’t the only beneficiaries here. 

“We are able to change almost everything on the wave in regards to their feedback,” Josema continues. “For example, we can change how fast the waves are peeling in the lead-up so surfers get the right amount of speed. We can change the steepness — making it more vertical or more flat, faster or slower. We can create a little bit more lip or less lip on the ramp. We can turn the wave against the surfer, and bend it as much as they want.” 

The question on the tip of everyone’s tongue is – when will these be available to the public? The answer to that is: it’s at the discretion of the wavepool developers and operators – “I would say it’ll be similar to what happens in Waco where you can rent the facility after or before the public hours,” Josema explains. 

The biggest takeaway for me in all of this is just how involved in the trenches Josema is for a CEO. Literally poolside (in Melbourne) acting as a conduit between surfers and engineers. With a background in mechanical engineering and as a serial entrepreneur who previously founded a yacht and propshaft design company, he’s got some of that obsessive Musk-like gravitas (minus an unhealthy relationship with Twitter) that makes him one of the most compelling characters in the wavepool space. “At Wavegarden we create toys so that we can enjoy them,” he finishes. 

One of surfing’s most influential brains – read more about him here.