Paige Hareb has had experience surfing at a number of wave parks. Photo / Getty Images
Paige Hareb has had experience surfing at a number of wave parks. Photo / Getty Images
No matter where you are in New Zealand, a swell is never too far away.
It's a luxury that Kiwi surfers take full advantage of, but one that hasn't translated to a lot of success at the professional level.
Over the past decade, Paige Hareb has flown the flag forNew Zealand at the elite level – spending much of that time as part of the World Surf League Championship Tour.
In the past few years, the surfing world has seen the evolution and success of wave parks, with Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch featuring on the world's top tour.
Hareb has seen first-hand just how much can be learnt by surfing a wave park and, with New Zealand set to get one of its own, believes it could be the key to more professional Kiwi surfers finding success in the sport.
"It's like the perfect training ground," Hareb says of wave parks. "I had two days at Kelly's pool - what I learnt there in two days would have taken me at least a couple of years in the ocean.
Paige Hareb improved her backhand barrel riding through repetition at Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch. Photo / Getty Images
"It's definitely going to make surfing progress that much quicker."
Hareb's backhand barrel riding was a key feature in her leading the World Team to the WSL Founders' Cup at the Surf Ranch in 2018, and something she only got comfortable with in the days before the event.
New Zealand is set to get its own wave park in the coming years, with American company Aventuur acquiring the licence to build one in Auckland using the cove technology produced by Spanish company Wavegarden.
Unlike the Surf Ranch, which can only produce one one-minute wave every four minutes, the Wavegarden cove can produce up to 1000 waves an hour, with changeable wave setting to suit the needs and abilities of the surfers.
New Zealand's wave park will be similar to that at Urbnsurf in Melbourne. Photo / Getty Images
Similar to the BSR Surf Resort in Waco, Texas, the quantity of waves is perfect for training and development.
"The one in Texas is even better for training (than the Surf Ranch) because the waves are so frequent and you can try the same move over and over again," Hareb says.
"I think the (Wavegarden cove) is going to be the best for the public and for training because there are so many waves within an hour. It's like a tennis court for surfing; you can hit that same shot over and over again."
While the Auckland park is yet to secure a location, Aventuur believe they will be able to produce it within the next few years. While that might not be the best timeline for our current crop of professionals such as Hareb (30) and Ricardo Christie (32), the next generation will benefit immensely from it.
With no competitive surfing on due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Christie has been hosting camps with young surfers helping them to develop their skills in the ocean.
Ricardo Christie competing at the World Surf League Championship Tour's Freshwater Pro at the Surf Ranch in 2019. Photo / Getty Images
He says there is plenty of interest in the sport at a young level, and a wave park will help the country remain in touch with the rest of the world.
"Looking at wave pools around the world being created and just watching the ripple effect of those little communities, watching the kids who are surfing those wave pools a lot, they're getting really good really fast," Christie says. "I think in terms of high performance surfing in New Zealand, having a wave pool is going to keep us relevant, really, because the way it's looking – I know the WSL were openly talking up the wave pools being a huge part of their tour - if New Zealand didn't have a wave pool we'd have to go to Australia just to practise.
"So, to have that at home would be really good for all the new kids coming up. From a high performance perspective, it makes a lot of sense – and it'd just be fun for everyone else."
With surfing now not only a professional sport but also included in the Olympic Games, it provides a further incentive for young athletes to pursue the sport at the top level.
Around the world, wave parks are becoming more popular, and young surfers who have access to them are showing just how valuable they are.
"It's just like everything – surfing has become a professional sport so there are parents out there grooming their kids to be professional athletes and are going to try do everything they can," Christie says.
"It's kind of sad in a funny way because it's not the way I grew up surfing or wanting surfing to be, but it's just what happens over time; things evolve and I think surfing is evolving into a wave pool for some of the time. It's not for everyone, but I 100 per cent think a lot of kids will benefit from having one here in New Zealand."
