Surf Abu Dhabi, the latest wavepool from Kelly Slater in the United Arab Emirates, is making a big splash in the (synthetic) surf world, making some question:
Is this the future of surfing? Wavepools in the Middle East? WSL Finals Day events going down in the dusty deserts of the UAE? Pro surfers coming from the Middle East?
Time will tell. But, speaking of time, luxury watchmaker Breitling has partnered with UAE neighbor, Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi Surfing Federation (SSF), further hinting at a future in Middle Eastern surfing prominence.
“Surfing brings precision, performance and a casual, inclusive lifestyle which aligns with Breitling’s philosophy around its sea universe,” said Aed Adwan, per Esquire. “We are proud to be supporting the Saudi Surfing Federation and its talented team, as they foster a community of surfers and paddle boarders in the Kingdom.”
Earlier this year, Breitling announced its “Surfer Squad,” a team of collaborators consisting of Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, and Sally Fitzgibbons.
Each of the surfers got one a signature timepiece, too.
The price tag for Slater’s signature watch? $5,050.
In a description of Slater and the watch, Breitling writes:
“Kelly Slater is an 11-time World Surf League champion and widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time. He’s a frequent collaborator with Breitling, including on the Superocean Automatic 42 Kelly Slater limited edition, as well as on our line of ECONYL® straps, upcycled from plastic waste recovered from the world’s oceans and co-created with Slater’s sustainable clothing brand, Outerknown.”
Now, with Breitling’s surfing presence in the Middle East, and Kelly Slater’s “biggest wavepool in the world,” Surf Abu Dhabi, the Middle East surf scene is poised for a serious comeup. Perhaps even some semblance of dominance in surfing’s future.
Stay tuned.
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