Video: Steph Gilmore Surfs 12-Second Tube at Kelly Slater’s Abu Dhabi Wavepool

In the Middle East, surfing isn’t a popular pastime.

But that’s about to change. With the arrival of Surf Abu Dhabi, a Kelly Slater Wave Company-powered synthetic surf spot, the world’s biggest artificial surf pool, with the longest wave, will soon be opened in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.

Surfing will never be the same.

And while the world waits for the official opening of Surf Abu Dhabi – expected soon; likely in the coming months – clips and videos of the world’s best surfers sampling the wave have been trickling out into the ether, prompting surf envy salivation.

Like above, from eight-time world champion, Stephanie Gilmore.

“Really, really cool,” Steph says about the pool. "High quality wave. It’s a wonderful place for an artificial wave, so it makes sense to be here. This is definitely the longest and highest quality ride that you can get as a surfer.”

By our count, Steph clocked a 12-second barrel. Pretty rare to find that length of tube time anywhere, wavepool or traditional ocean wave…besides, of course, Skeleton Bay.

As previously mentioned, and per the folks behind this monstrous pool, Surf Abu Dhabi boasts “a high-performance surfing experience, featuring the world’s longest ride, biggest barrel, and largest man-made wave pool.”

And after all the pro surfers made the pilgrimage to the UAE to try the wave, Slater remarked in a press release:

“I’ve surfed hundreds of incredible waves across the world and this wave in Abu Dhabi stacks up well against some of the best waves on earth. I’ve drawn on that traveling surf education to design the wave at Surf Abu Dhabi.”

Middle East surf trip, anyone?

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