The celebration of Adriano De Souza’s world title as Brazil’s first surfing world champion was still ongoing on the North Shore when groundbreaking news shook the surfing community. The day after De Souza’s triumph, Kelly Slater unveiled a game-changing video from Lemoore, California, showcasing the Surf Ranch.
On December 5, 2015, at 6:20 am, the first wave was generated in the man-made basin. The moment was monumental for the 11-time world champion, who had long envisioned this project. Overcome with excitement, Slater was amazed by the wave’s perfection, comparing it to the iconic breaks at Kirra. Reflecting on the project, he remarked, “We could’ve put out an inferior wave years ago. We waited all that time to do the right thing. This is the best man-made wave ever made.”
At 7:05 am, Slater rode the very first wave at the Surf Ranch, marking a historic moment in the evolution of man-made surfing. This achievement sparked a new era in the development of artificial waves, setting off a global wave pool arms race. Slater admitted the immense pressure tied to the significance of riding the inaugural wave, yet relished the experience.
The session’s footage was shared on social media, captivating the global surfing community. The wave’s size, power, and precision, situated over 100 miles inland, amazed viewers. Although the prototype featured a glassy, chocolate-brown aesthetic, its perfection quickly drew intrigue. Internet detectives soon discovered that the Surf Ranch was located in California’s Central Valley, within an old water skiing park three hours north of Los Angeles. Slater and his team had secretly worked for years with engineers, scientists, and builders to bring the revolutionary concept to life.
Slater emphasized the potential impact of the project on surfing, stating, “I think it’s a big thing for surfing if done the right way.” Nearly a decade later, this vision has expanded significantly. The Championship Tour’s second stop is now set to take place in Abu Dhabi, featuring Slater’s wave technology. Meanwhile, other innovative companies like Wavegarden and American Wave Machines have launched their own projects, leading to a surge in wave pool developments around the world. The era of freshwater surfing has firmly arrived.