When going to Canaries Islands, well known for the quality of their waves, it would not come to anybody’s mind to find surf in a wave pool?

A hard core voice Inside might tell you that waves in a pool are weak, predictable, always the same, boring… The fact is, the Volcom Europe Groms surfed the Siam park wave pool in Tenerife last week and definitely found unsuspected sensations… The place is like a forgotten land somewhere in the jungle, a never land that does not exist. But it does!!! As you arrive to the pool, the quality and color of water reminds me of the best exotic surf locations like Polynesia and Mentawis…Except that it is flat! All of the sudden a gong, then another one warn that the wave is coming…

Photos by Aquashot

A session here is rare, maybe once in a lifetime and any missed wave or opportunity costs you a lot…Not to compare the pool with Hawaii, but it is like at pipeline or any renown and disputed world class wave: you realize you will not get as many waves as you want and you’d better not Blow it!

It is different surf than you are used to… You know where the waves are going to break but you do not see them coming! It swells real quick, and you have four seconds to paddle and take off…It is really fast and the wave pushes you ideally to boost a good first maneuver. And then the wave starts slowing down and fades away like it never existed…Wow, good quick feeling but you want another one… Our groms rose to that challenge and took the opportunity, a private session just between the boys! This has no price. After the speech with the machine guy we decide the session will start with rights! Then after thirty minutes he will Switch the engine to create lefts! Every 45 seconds there is a wave, and it will last for an hour.

Unreal, the scenario is perfect, we will all take turns, no hassling, no drop’ in, no heavy locals… Local boy from Tenerife Yael Pena, 9 years old, starts the session with a « big drop ». Considering his size, the wave sizes at least « One Yael and a half »!

Then, French super grom Andy Crière, recently added to the team, surfs his first wave like he owns the place. He goes into deep bottom turns and after few waves goes straight up and throws the tail. Italian sensation Angelo Bonomelli, proves that his trademark bottom turn Works everywhere and Siam park is no exception. Reunion Island’s Tom Neuschwanger flows with the waves and goes for Blow tails. He basically makes no mistake and milks every wave he rides…

It is said that a surfer thrives for new experiences! The wave pool is definitely a good one to remember.

When is the next session?

DP.

Photos by Gines Diaz