Surfers Óbidos Portugal officially began construction today on the project, which will feature a wave pool with 'Wavegarden Cove' technology, "with 46 modules, capable of generating up to 1,000 waves per hour, with a menu offering more than 25 different types of waves," the company announced in a statement.

The waves "range from long and gentle, ideal for beginners, to powerful waves that allow advanced surfers to perform manoeuvres, aerials, and tubes," which, according to the developers, "reinforces the positioning of the Western region as a hub of excellence in European surfing."

The Óbidos Surf Park, promoted by Surfers Cove, is supported by investors such as Menlo Capital, Despomar, Admar, Draycott, Manuel Maria Vasconcelos, and Marcelo Martins (Onda Pura Surf Center), the shareholders of Noah Surf House and the Hotel Areias do Seixo (in Torres Vedras), and other investors such as international surfer Kanoa Igarashi, currently ranked 3rd in the World Surf League (WSL) men's Championship Tour.

It is part of a four-star resort complex, promoted by Menlo Capital, which represents a €25 million investment.

The project, expected to be completed in 2026, occupies a five-hectare area in the municipality of Óbidos, in the district of Leiria, and will include up to 56 accommodation units, a restaurant, a surf shop, a skate park, paddle tennis and beach tennis courts, a surf school, a gym, a bike path, green areas, and spaces for corporate events.

“Historic”

Quoted in the statement, Manuel Maria Vasconcelos, co-founder and CEO of Surfers Cove, called the start of construction "a historic moment internationally," both for the developers and for tourism and sports in Portugal.

The project aims to "offer an experience of connection with the sea, nature, and a healthy and active lifestyle," he added.

Surfers Cove's director of operations, Marcelo Martins, explains in the same statement that the wave pool "will enable high-performance training for athletes, while making surfing accessible to all generations and levels of learning, in a safe and controlled environment."

Wavegarden Cove's technology, already tested and implemented in the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, and South Korea, "allows for the widest variety of waves on the market, and the layout adopted for the Surf Park is the new, more sustainable version, which is more energy-efficient, with the lowest energy and water consumption on the market," he stated.

Wavegarden has 12 parks in several countries, with the capacity to accommodate more than 90 surfers per hour and generate more than 25 different types of waves, adapted to all surfer profiles.

The park will operate up to 16 hours a day, generating "approximately "50 direct jobs and an estimated annual revenue of €10 million in a cruising year," the statement reads. The project is part of the Innovation and Digital Transition Program – COMPETE 2030, supported by European Funds.