When Alaïa Bay opened beneath the Swiss Alps in 2021, it challenged long-held perceptions of where world-class surfing could exist. Five years later, the iconic Swiss wavepool hosts the inaugural Wavepool Surf Tour event, becoming the venue where a new chapter in competitive surfing begins.
The Wavepool Surf Tour could only begin at a venue that reflects how far wavepool surfing has evolved. Alaïa Bay has become exactly that. Set beneath the Swiss Alps, the venue has established itself as one of the best-known destinations in the modern wavepool era.
Since opening in 2021, Alaïa Bay has welcomed everyone from first-time surfers to elite professionals. Built using Wavegarden Cove technology, it has become a venue for coaching, progression, high-performance training and international events, demonstrating the growing role wavepools now play within modern surfing.
Those qualities make Alaïa Bay the natural home for the inaugural Alaïa Surf Challenge, the opening event of the Wavepool Surf Tour. From 1 August, surfers will submit their best rides for judging, through Surf Eye Technology, establishing the first rankings of a competition designed specifically for the wavepool era.
Launching the tour at Alaïa Bay also reflects the international reach of surfing today. A purpose-built surfing venue in the heart of Switzerland would once have seemed improbable. Today, it stands as one of the sport's most distinctive destinations, illustrating how surfing has expanded beyond traditional coastlines while remaining firmly rooted in performance, progression and community.
As the season moves from Switzerland to other participating wavepools around the world, new stories and new rivalries will emerge. The Wavepool Surf Tour begins at Alaïa Bay, a venue that reflects the evolution of wavepool surfing and provides the stage for the opening event of a new international competition.
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Enter the Alaïa Surf Challenge
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Alaïa Bay
FAQ's
About The Wavepool Surf Tour
The Wavepool Surf Tour connects surfers from wavepools around the world through a shared online competitive format built specifically for wavepool surfing. Competitors participate throughout the season from their local wavepools, with the leading performers advancing to the Wavepool World Finals, the first live event of the season.
