The opening of the large wave facility in Hallbergmoos is eagerly awaited, after all surfing is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and the surfing community in Munich and the surrounding area is large anyway. Until then, however, the many surf lovers from the area will have to be patient, because the official inauguration is planned for May, June 2024 at the latest. But there is already a sponsor: the mobile communications group Telefónica Deutschland, which wants to link the system to the name of its core brand O2.
As the companies involved announced on Tuesday, the operating company, Surftown GmbH, has concluded a sponsorship agreement with Telefónica. According to this contract, the surf park, which is being built in the immediate vicinity of Munich Airport, will be called “O2 Surftown Muc”. The mobile phone provider paid a contribution “in the low single-digit million range” for this, according to the company.
For Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, co-initiator of Surftown, and Michael Falkensteiner, Head of Marketing at Telefónica Germany, the partnership is a “perfect match”https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/.”The concept is unique and sustainable and connects people every surfing level,” enthuses Falkensteiner.
According to the operators, the surf park in the Munich Airport Business Park on Lilienthalstraße is the first surf park in Germany with authentically running waves. The waves are generated by a pneumatic chamber system that converts the overpressure into wave energy and can generate waves from 30 centimeters to more than two meters in height. Thus, the system differs from the other offers in Munich with so-called “standing waves” – this includes, for example, the famous Eisbachwelle. The planned surf pool will be around 180 meters long and have a total surface area of 10,000 square meters. Up to 700 surfers will be able to ride the waves in 18 sessions each day, each lasting almost an hour.
The system is designed for both inexperienced and advanced users
Some professional surfers have already contacted the surf park to train there, says Boehm-Tettelbach. But the facility is not only intended for experts: “With O2 Surftown Muc, we are expanding the range of leisure activities in the city of Munich and the region with a new attraction for the whole family,” says Boehm-Tettelbach. The sports and leisure park wants to appeal to interested people of all ages: from people with an affinity for sports to families, from surfing professionals to newcomers who can attend a surfing course. In addition to the water basin, a large amusement park is to be built, which will include restaurants, an outdoor fitness area, a children’s playground and a beach area with sunbathing areas. The operators also want to offer childcare options.
Surfpark co-initiator Chris Boehm-Tettelbach (right) with O2 Marketing Director Michael Falkenstein.
(Photo: Marco Einfeldt)
According to the operators, the system of the plant is designed for CO₂ neutrality. All electricity is sourced from 100 percent renewable energy. A large part of the required energy should come from our own photovoltaic systems, which are located near the surf park. Incidental and unavoidable carbon dioxide emissions would be offset via the “Plant for the Planet” initiative. “We are creating a sustainable alternative to CO₂-intensive trips to the sea,” says Boehm-Tettelbach. The water supply is also designed in such a way that the groundwater, which is abundantly available at the site, circulates in combination with the rainwater in a circulation system through a special treatment plant. E-bike and car charging stations as well as a ride-sharing exchange are also planned.
The municipality of Hallbergmoos supported the project from the start and approved the site for redesign in 2019. In the meantime, the construction work is progressing well: the shell work should be completed by the end of July. The other work, such as the wooden roof construction, the technical installations, the expansion of the catering and event areas and the changing rooms will follow from August. The water is to be let in in January, followed by a test phase lasting several months.