Kelly Slater designed wave pool version 2.0 located in Abu Dhabi has been confirmed as an official location on the World Championship Tour schedule. “We’re looking forward to seeing what the Surf Abu Dhabi facility can deliver for the world’s best surfers - and the broader surfing world - in the future,” said Ryan Crosby, WSL CEO.
Although the Abu Dhabi pool is salt water based and seemed to be enjoyed by Pro surfers that visited the venue during its debut, wave pools have not been popular with spectators. "I think many surf fans find the repetitive nature of a wave pool less exciting than an ocean based event because the natural variables and wave knowledge that make surfing so special have been extracted," said one industry insider that chose to be anonymous.