Surf Abu Dhabi unveils split-wave setting, sending identical barrels to two surfers

Surf Abu Dhabi has added a split-wave setting that does more than look clever on a drone clip. One wave can now divide into two matching barrel paths from the same hydrofoil-driven cycle, giving two surfers the same line at the same time and changing what a premium session can be used for.

That matters most in the foil-training lens. Instead of waiting for a solo ride and trying to preserve a long, rare line, riders can share the section and push harder with a built-in comparator beside them. For coaches, that means cleaner side-by-side work on takeoff timing, line choice, speed through the barrel, and how quickly a surfer recovers after the first critical section. For surfers, it means the pool can produce identical conditions on demand, which is the kind of repeatability artificial surf has promised for years and rarely delivered with this much precision.

The technical edge still comes from the system under the surface. Surf Abu Dhabi’s wave machine uses hydrofoil technology to move water through the basin and shape the wave profile, rather than relying on a more conventional pumping setup. That distinction has helped Kelly Slater Wave Co. separate itself from other pool projects, and the new split setting is a functional expansion of that same idea: not just making a wave, but controlling how that wave can be shared, measured, and repeated.

The update also fits the venue’s bigger profile on Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Surf Abu Dhabi opened to the public in October 2024 after Modon announced plans for the launch in August 2024, and it has already positioned itself as a high-end, multi-use surf site with four different wave types for everyone from first-timers to professionals. Its Kelly’s Wave setting is billed as the longest man-made wave in the world, with the main wave accommodating up to four surfers in Open Surf sessions and up to six in Surf Trips, where one group gets exclusive access for 90 minutes.

That blend of repeatability and scale is why the split-wave mode is more than a novelty. The World Surf League made Surf Abu Dhabi the second stop on the 2025 Championship Tour, and the Surf Abu Dhabi Pro, held February 14-16, 2025, was the first CT event ever staged in the Middle East. With surf programs, training, and events now part of the venue’s pitch, identical barrels for two surfers is exactly the kind of tool that could make artificial surf feel less like a spectacle and more like a legitimate training laboratory.