How to manage a wave pool with URBNSURF’s Shaun Hutchinson

I'm at the construction site at o2 SURFTOWN MUC with Michi Mohr. He's a large, intimidating figure with thick hands and a disarming smile - warm, sincere and just a tad goofy. We walk around the construction site while wave pool maker Endless Surf runs a multitude of tests. Michi stops to pick up an empty box for the recycling bin, cleans up an errant Firewire demo board and eyes the area for other disarray. But it's a construction site. I mean the park isn't even completed and here's Michi making things as orderly as possible which, if we're being honest, isn't possible at this point in time. I wanted to find out why this surfer, who left Bavaria decades ago to chase waves around the world, had returned to Munich to become Chief Surfing Officer and how his way of running things will work here at a wave pool just a stone's throw from the airport.

Edwin van Viegen is leading a wave pool development in the center of Europe's busiest port city, Rotterdam. He has been working on this project for several years and experienced the usual surf park ups and downs. But this wave pool, Rif010 (pronounced riff-ten) has the unbridled support of major city planners and various local government agencies - a major win for any project. As such, it's moved relatively quickly, at least by European bureaucratic standards, to cross the finish line once it opens this summer. We wanted to find out how a brave idea like building a wave pool in downtown Rotterdam came to be. Edwin was gracious enough to share his story.

Wave pool projects require perseverance, as they involve a significant amount of time, effort, and the all-mighty dollar. Nick Robinson talks about the hurdles he faced during his bid to build a wave pool in Portugal. He discusses the process he went through to find suitable land, choosing the right technology for that land and navigating the ever present cultural differences. Nick shares some war stories and offers advice for those swept up in similar projects.Key tips from Nick• Extensive research is crucial for wave pool projects, including choosing a technology, land requirements, and financial planning.• Partnering with experienced property developers and building a strong team is essential for success.• Securing funding and having a clear financial plan is crucial for the long-term viability of the project.• Staying updated on current wave pool projects and collaborating with industry professionals provides valuable real-time insights and opportunities.

Luke Wallace is the CEO of Flowstate, an AI video capture system adopted by many of the world’s wave pools. We spoke with Luke to find out how a variety of factors came together perfectly to create a platform that records each and every one of your waves during a surf park visit. In the process, the system has opened up new social, coaching and safety possibilities.

Did you know that Nick Hounsfield comes from a family of inventors? He didn't invent the wave pool at his surf park. No, Wavegarden did that. But he's constantly focused on how things could work. It's like a constant invitation to daydream. We learned this early on but only now have gotten around to poking at this side of Nick. In this conversation we dig into the creative side of wave pooling and explore the current state of the wave pool space and, of course, Nick's excitement for the future.

Can a passion project like a wave pool have blind spots to reality? Matt Hyslop from Colliers International talks with WavePoolMag about his role in conducting feasibility studies for new surf venues. Matt highlights the importance of visitor forecasting and understanding the potential market when planning for a new wave pool. He also lets slip some of the ideal locations and the different business models that work. Matt also talks about those red flags that can arise during the development of a wave pool project.

Hear Euna Kim's firsthand account of Wave Park's inception in Siheung-Si, South Korea. With her mastery of languages and a newfound passion for surfing, Euna played a pivotal role in navigating the intricate journey from vision to reality. She'll reveal how Wave Park has become a cornerstone in the evolution of Korea's surf culture and delve into the complexities behind establishing this groundbreaking surf destination. Join us for an enlightening discussion on the multifaceted process of bringing Wave Park to life

In this podcast our guest Chris Kluesener sights on the wave pool space through the Surf Park Summit lens. We touch on the newness of the uniqueness of the industry and why his company’s annual gathering continues to connect people and grow. Chris quips that the real estate industry is bustling with 4 or 5 trade associations yes, “Is it really that hard to build a house? Wave pools are much more complicated and to date we have zero trade associations.” Take the industry’s pulse with Chris and I as Surf Park Summit gets set to return September 30 - October 2, 2024. You can sign up for thier newsletter right here.

In our latest episode we catch up with 1988 world champ Barton Lynch who many of us know as the live wire WSL commentator. From our side of this interview we relished hearing an unbridled Barton expanding his thoughts beyond the WSL broadcast two-minute cap as he shares his insights into the early days of the pro tour and how that generation had to scrap hard to make the pro tour dream happen. And while he also talks about his new video game, the ongoing BL Blastoff grom comp and a few other side bites, the heart of the conversation is, of course, wave pools. From the early Allentown ASP days to his relationship with Surf Lakes to how Kelly Slater has created the only place in the world where surfers mentally will their friends to totally blow a wave.

Shaun Hutchinson is Group Operations Manager at Urbnsurf. Most of the day he’s tucked back in the office redlining in the tasks department, but we coaxed him out long enough to do a podcast. During our half hour conversation we learned just how complex and layered managing a surf park is.