Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

“Flowboarding” is not just a ride, it is a sport — a 21st Century alchemy that has the look of surfing, the ride of snowboarding, the tricks of skateboarding, and boards derived from wakeboarding.

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona adds Kierland FlowRider as a part of a major expansion to the Resort’s Adventure Water Park, bringing an additional 58,400 gallons of water to the water park, which currently boasts 575,000 gallons of water fun, including the 110-foot waterslide 900-foot-long lazy river.

Kierland FlowRider opened October 2012 as the first board-sport simulator in the Arizona resort market. Bringing the California beach lifestyle to the Sonoran desert of Scottsdale, this wave technology by Wave Loch™ will attract youth, families and all board sport enthusiasts.

Wave Master Competition

The $2.4 million Kierland FlowRider enhancement project will be managed by the Resort’s very own “Wave Master,” selected through a unique job-search process, where the finalists submitted a video along with their application and competed in a “surf-off” for the dream job during the FlowRider Festival on Oct. 6.

The 6,000 square foot dual Kierland FlowRider will include a viewing platform, seating and retail space, with FlowRider sessions available to purchase per hour. Kierland FlowRider will be open year-round, with the capability to heat the waves during the cooler months of the year.

Thrilling To Ride, To Watch

Thrilling to ride, thrilling to watch, and designed to handle wipeouts, Kierland FlowRider‘s waveform is a proprietary composite membrane ride surface that is designed to absorb the energy of impacts. Flowboarders may wipe out, but they’ll get back up again and again and again.

Board sports such as surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding are skill-based activities that challenge riders to develop new tricks to emulate their heroes. The best part about the Kierland FlowRider is that no skill is required to flowboard for the very first time, thus making this latest board sport appreciated by all ages.

“Like” Kierland FlowRider on Facebook (facebook.com/KierlandFlowRider) or visit KierlandFlowRider.com for the latest Kierland FlowRider news and events.

Kierland FlowRider SHRED SCHOOL

For those “flowboarders” who have done some shredding on Kierland FlowRider, or out on the real waves, SHRED SCHOOL is for experienced riders who are ready to learn some new skills, cool tricks and take their flowboarding to the next level.

For guests of The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, SHRED SCHOOL includes individual instruction from the Resort’s very own Wave Master Steve Richardson.

Kierland

Steve Riding

SHRED SCHOOL is a held at Kierland FlowRider in a small-group setting of five surfers per class. Richardson will show burgeoning “Barneys and Bettys” or experienced “Big Kahunas” how to carve and kick waves, do 360-degree spins, kick flips and other professional tricks to becoming a Flowboarding “Icon.”

SHRED SCHOOL Enrollment

The $70 per surfer fee includes 30-minute intensive class instruction and a one-hour open ride following class as well as SHRED SCHOOL awards given upon completion. (Price does not included $15 registration required for new riders; registration not required for past Kierland FlowRider guests.)

To sign up or for more information, e-mail flowrider@kierlandresort.com.