Global leader in commercial real estate services, Colliers International, has assisted the International Surf Association (ISA) in its bid to include surfing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Surfing is one of 8 sports shortlisted by Tokyo 2020 to recommend to the international Olympic Committee (IOC) at the end of September. Colliers gave the ISA free advice on the feasibility and sustainability of a ‘Wavegarden’ surf lagoon. The company has already provided similar expertise to nine surf park projects across the globe, as well as the first Wavegarden in the UK, which opens on August 1 in Snowdonia, Wales.
“A challenge for traditional surf competitions is that you cannot guarantee that there will be consistently good waves on the days of the event, ” says Seán Young, Colliers International Head of Destination Consultancy. “However, a Wavegarden surf lagoon that creates high quality artificial waves on demand will mean that the event could be run at the most appropriate time for the organisers.”
The technology, developed in Northern Spain, generates identical high-performance waves that break simultaneously left and right of a central pier, creating rides of up to 30 seconds long. The lagoon can produce a variety of waves to suit all levels of ability, from beginners through to professionals.
Young continues: “What this study showed, based on our experience and strong financial data, is that a Surf Park would not only be an investment for the Olympics but it would also have the longevity as a commercially successful leisure destination for residents and tourists for many years afterwards. A Surf Park in Tokyo has a strong basis for a long-term legacy.”
The IOC will reach its final decision at the 129th IOC Session in Rio in August 2016.