Whether you are looking to actively improve your backside snaps, or would simply like to spend more time going left as a goofy footer, specific wave pools offer different experiences. Knowing which pool has that perfect pitching right-hand wave, that left barrel you’ve dreamed about your whole life, or which spot offers variety can be paramount to choosing your surf trip destination. Here are some of our options in deciding where to paddle out.
One of the first factors to consider when choosing a wave to visit is which stance you are most comfortable with. Just like how most people are predominantly right or left-handed when it comes to writing or throwing a ball, each person has a preferred stance that they stand on a surfboard. If your right foot is your preferred back foot when surfing, then you are considered to be a “regular footer”. Vise versa, if your left foot is your preferred back foot then you are a “goofy footer”. These stances play a large role in surfing in particular, as different waves break in different directions and your stance dictates whether your face or back is too the wave.
While everyone has their own preference when surfing, especially when you’re learning it is no secret that surfing with your face to the wave is an easier way to learn. Being able to watch the wave as it breaks and plan your movements more clearly is often an easier way to hone in on your surfing skills. For goofy footers, a left-handed wave is a frontside wave, and inversely a right-handed wave is frontside for regular footers.
But what constitutes a right and a left in surf lingo? The orientation that lends itself to this terminology is from the viewpoint of the surfer paddling for the wave. So for example, if you are paddling to catch a wave coming in you are looking towards shore and planning to go either to your right or your left. Oftentimes it is advised to go the way that the wave is presenting an open face, and the direction that you ultimately choose to move in relation to your starting point is what deems the wave a “right” or “left”.
With all those terms broken down, there is no right or wrong way to surf. It all comes down to preference. While a frontside wave can offer more freedom to learn maneuvers and understand certain waves for some, it is often accepted that you can get more power out of certain maneuvers while surfing backside. Ultimately, it is all preference as to which orientation you prefer to surf, and specific surf breaks are often associated with certain directions. But as wave pools continue to evolve and grow, we have more control over the conditions that we travel to and enjoy.
Knowing which wave pools have rights and lefts is an essential decision if you are looking to travel to a specific surfable wave pool. Fortunately, many of the wave pools that have recently been developed or are in the works are created with the intent to give surfers the most amount of choice.
The Ranch, made by Kelly Slater Wave Co. is one of the prime examples of a wave built with a specific direction in mind. One of the waves that have pioneered and motivated modern wave pool surfing design was created by Kelly Slater and is a true right-hander. Maybe not much of a surprise that the highly decorated professional regular footer would design his own pool in a frontside fashion. Luckily you can guarantee that this wave was created with a lot of love and insight from such an influential figure in the surfing community.
We have also seen either the plans start to form or surf parks start to pop up globally using the Wavegarden technology. A wonderful feature of the surf parks that use this technology of wave creation is that they create both a right and left that can be ripped depending on which side of the lagoon you paddle out on. Both waves break towards the middle of the wave pool which is separated by a pier structure in the middle.
One of the most famous and accessible is URBNSURF, which is located in Melbourne Australia. The United Kingdom also houses two wave pools that use the Wavegarden technology as well. These facilities are known as The Wave and Surf Snowdonia, in Bristol and Wales, respectively.
In the United States, there are more wave pools and parks that offer both rights and lefts for every type of surfer. Waco, Texas houses the BSR Surf Resort and is set up in a different way than some of its counterparts elsewhere in the world. Existing in a semi-circle cove, the ends of waves break away from each other as they follow a large wall. For better or for worse, this creates both a right and a left that can independently be affected by more environmental factors such as wind.
While there are constant innovations in the man-made surfing wave pool industry, one thing I think we can continue to be certain about is that designers and builders are going to do their best to manufacture waves with variety. Ambitious projects from companies such as Webber Wave Pools and Surf Lakes show a lot of promise on the horizon for creating pools that offer many different types of waves. One thing to be certain about is that most parks are going to try and cater to goofy and regular footers alike. Having the option to go right or left is a key feature that many parks will be able to guarantee for surfers looking to make the most out of their surfing.