Surf Abu Dhabi welcomed sporting legend Kelly Slater to ride the artificial waves at Hudayriyat Island.
Slater, widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time, is an 11-time world champion and partnered with Modon Properties to create what has been labelled the most advanced wave facility in the world.
Announced earlier this year, Surf Abu Dhabi features the world’s longest ride and the world’s biggest barrel, as well as the world’s largest man-made wave facility.
Kelly Slater at Surf Abu Dhabi
Due to open later this year, Surf Abu Dhabi has launched social media channels with a video of Kelly Slater and other famous surfers riding the artificial waves.
The surf icon said: “It’s hard to believe this thing exits. We knew that if somebody could build something to the best quality, it would be here in this part of the world.
“I’ve surfed hundreds of incredible waves across the world and this wave in Abu Dhabi stacks up well against some of the best waves on earth”.
Located on Hudayriyat Island, the emirate’s sport, leisure and recreation destination, the elite-level surfing facility will take its place alongside other major additions to the city’s sporting infrastructure including a 3,500-seat velodrome equipped to stage international indoor cycling competitions.
On announcing the facility earlier this year, Bill O’Regan, CEO of Modon, said: “As the world’s premier man-made surf experience, Surf Abu Dhabi is specified to host major international surf competitions.
“It is a high-performance destination which will offer world-class surfers the perfect conditions to train or compete, while also growing the region’s surfing community, and inspiring wider society to embrace a healthy new activity.”
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