Italy is riding the wave of a worldwide interest in surfing and especially in surf parks where artificial waves can be available year round. The country’s first-ever surf park opened last week near Milan.
The park, in Peschiera Borromeo, has an artificial lake and pumps that push 22,000 litres a second of water into the wave area, creating a wave 10 metres wide and as much as 1.6 metres high.
Depending on the surfer’s skill, there’s a choice of beginner, medium and high waves, with instruction available. It’s estimated that Italy has about 80,000 surfers, 35% of them within range of Milan—and 60 percent of them beginners. With surfing becoming an Olympic sport next year, interest is likely to rise.
