Surf Ranch

Surf Ranch generates 45-second rides on a 6-foot barreling wave created by a submerged mechanical foil pulled along a track at controlled speeds. The system produces multiple wave profiles—from beginner-friendly knee-to-waist high rollers to pro-level barrel-and-maneuver sections—by adjusting foil speed and angle. The facility is highly predictable and consistent, with trained staff and safety personnel on hand during sessions.

The site opened in December 2015 after a decade of development by Kelly Slater and has become the centerpiece of WSL wave-pool competitions. The Founders' Cup of Surfing in May 2018 was the first major event held there, followed by the inaugural Surf Ranch Pro in September 2018, which marked the first World Surf League Championship Tour event ever held in an artificial wave. The Freshwater Pro followed in 2019. The venue sparked a global wave-pool movement and remains one of the most technically sophisticated artificial wave facilities in operation.

Surf Ranch is located in Lemoore in California's Central Valley and operates as a private facility. Access is limited to professional surfers, WSL events, invited training groups, and ticketed spectators; it is not open to casual public walk-up sessions. The site occupies a 2,300-foot-long, 500-foot-wide former water-skiing lake holding 15 million gallons of water.