After the season opener in Pipeline, Hawaii, the elite of surfing has a major new challenge ahead: the wave pool in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Under the patent of Kelly Slater, the pool makes its debut in the WSL circuit as the most modern and the first to use saltwater in the world. From February 14 to 16, surfers will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in an artificial wave that demands a lot of progression in maneuvers, especially aerials.
Italo Ferreira, who was the runner-up in 2023, and Filipe Toledo, the winner in 2021, are among the top favorites to claim the Abu Dhabi trophy, especially with the absence of the injured Gabriel Medina. In addition to them, Yago Dora and Mateus Herdy also stand as strong contenders, with Herdy receiving a WSL invite after Crosby Colapinto withdrew due to injury.
The expectations are high to see who will dominate the newest wave pool in the circuit, with Brazilians like Italo ready to shine. The competition is expected to be fierce, but the Olympic champion has already stated: "It only depends on me."
Aware of the specifics of competing in a wave pool, the Olympic gold medalist and world champion highlights the differences between surfing nearly identical waves, with minimal external interference, and dealing with the natural phenomena of the ocean. In an interview with O Globo, he explained:
— In the pool, you have to plan in your head how you’re going to execute the wave and read it, with two chances to score points on both the left and right. In the ocean, it’s more uncertain because you have Plan A, which is to catch the best waves, or Plan B, which is making do with what you get, depending on the wind intensity, tidal changes, and swell strength.
Despite the unpredictability of the ocean, Italo doesn’t hide his preference for surfing in the sea, as "the differences in the waves are huge, and there are so many places in the world to travel to and experience new environments." However, he also acknowledges that the wave pool maximizes training for a professional surfer, who needs to optimize their preparation time during travels.
— No doubt, I feel a 100% improvement in my surfing on both sides (right and left) with the pool. I’ve been dedicating myself a lot at Boa Vista Village in São Paulo, where I have more time to do quick sessions and test equipment. Sometimes I even skip traveling to certain places to train more quickly there — says the surfer from Rio Grande do Norte.
When it comes to equipment, Italo prefers the Epoxy board, made of EPS (expanded polystyrene) with Epoxy resin, rather than the traditional PU (polyurethane) board used by most surfers in the salty ocean water. He justifies his choice, saying that he feels more comfortable doing higher airs without worrying about breaking the board or getting injured during landing.
Additionally, he talks about the importance of both physical and mental preparation for this event. While there’s a limit to the number of performances per heat, the wave pool’s length requires endurance, especially in the lower body, since paddling is nearly unnecessary:
— We had little time to prepare coming straight from Hawaii, but I think the preparation was done before the season. Besides the physical aspect being crucial, it’s also important to be mentally ready to perform at your best because everyone will have the same opportunity in the pool, so it only depends on me — says the Olympic medalist, who recently finished third in Pipeline.
With the confidence of someone with plenty of experience, Italo is ready to take on this new challenge in Abu Dhabi and continue his pursuit of the WSL title.
