Filipe Toledo has ventured across the border into Spain to Wavegarden for a surf session or two. This year was no exception and he invited Miguel Pupo and Ian Gouveia the time to test out the Cove’s new high-performance waves, which include a barrel wave, a slab, and an aerial section, among others.
So what does this mean for theWave at Bristol? Steve England asked Nick Hounsfield for an update…
Will it be the same height as the test facility?
The standard Wave will be similar height, with an opportunity to go a little bigger when we want to. But the energy costs go very high if you go too big.
Obviously there is an explosion of tech at the moment but you have been very confident from the start that The Cove is for you. Do you have five points why you chose this above the other tech?
Cove = Reliable, adjustable, smaller footprint, lower energy consumption, great company to work with.
We have seen the need for tight controls water quality recently highlighted in Waco. Is that of concern? How do you balance that in ecological terms (reed beds?)
Water quality wise: we are using potable water to fill up the lake and Wavegarden will supply the water treatment processing technology which is very high quality. The risks for us are minimal provided we have robust cleaning and maintenance procedures. We take water quality very seriously and the impact of not taking it seriously could have massive consequences. We are a passionate about surf/health/education, so we cant have people getting sick!
Has your surfing improved since you started visiting WG and when can we except to see the Hounsfield air reverse?
I spent a lot of time long boarding over the summer and consequently my surfing wasn’t on point yesterday. However, I had an hour and half to myself at The Cove yesterday with one of the WG team giving me instructions. So so helpful and really shows how even people like me can progress in a short space of time. The instructor was right next to me in the water and gave me several tips and tricks which in that short time totally sorted out some issues I was having. I’m excited for the future and the ability for people of all abilities to progress. However, if we can get kids into these waves at an early age, the UK will soon be producing very high calibre surfers. I’m so excited to be a part of that future.
The new “Slab” setting on the Cove is next level. A pro was there yesterday and even he took a few beatings. But he also got some proper spitting pits!
