Basque surfer, Aitor ‘Gallo’ Francesena, 44, who is without eyesight, dropped past our headquarters in north Spain to test out a few waves.
This was the first occasion a blind person has surfed in the lagoon, attesting to the level of safety and security for end-users.
“It was such an incredible experience,” said Gallo, who was literally buzzing with joy after his surf session. “Sincerely, this is a really safe place for everyone – handicapped or otherwise – to enjoy the amazing feeling surfing brings. Because all the waves are the same, there is minimal current compared to the ocean, and the waves can be stopped whenever necessary.”
Gallo, a well-known personality in the township of Zarautz, Spain, suffers from a serious genetic disease that has impaired his vision all of his life. And, following a wipe-out while surfing a few years back, unfortunately, lost his sight entirely. In spite of his condition, and after only a few minutes of assistance, remarkably, Gallo surfed the open face wave in the expert area with style and flare.
Over the past 10 years Wavegarden’s prototypes have been tried and tested by hundreds of surfers of from all experience levels – from world champion surfers to men, women and children who never surfed before. Feedback from each of these surfers provides our engineers with valuable information and insights necessary to continually improve the functioning of the lagoons and its safety features.
