Munich, July 5, 2023 – The telecommunications provider O2 Telefónica and SURTOWN® enter a far-reaching partnership: O2 Telefónica will be the title partner of Europe's most spectacular surf park. The approximately 10,000sqm outdoor wave pool offers an authentic surfing experience with waves of different heights. The sustainably designed surf park offers a sports, training, and leisure experience for a range of sporting choices and age groups. The official opening of the O2 SURFTOWN MUC is planned for early summer 2024.
“Munich is now considered the surf capital of Germany - even though we are almost 1000 kilometres away from the ocean. O2 SURFTOWN MUC bringing the sea to Munich and adds a brand-new family attraction to the leisure facilities of the city and the region. We are creating a sustainable alternative to CO2-intensive trips to the sea,” says Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, founder and CEO of SURFTOWN® and a passionate surfer. “We are proud to have O2 as a strong partner, who is not only on the same wavelength in terms of communication strategy but also shares our values and stands for connecting people. This was an important motivation for us from the very beginning when planning our facility.”
“As a Munich-based company, we are proud to be the title partner of this extraordinary project, which will be another landmark for Munich and Bavaria. The concept is innovative and sustainable, connecting people of all surfing levels and bringing our 'O2 can do' spirit to life. Our partnership is therefore a 'perfect match',” explains Michael Falkensteiner, Director Brand & Marketing Communications O2 Telefónica.
In addition to the naming, the cooperation also includes the presence of the O2 brand on the surfing facility.
A surfing experience like in the sea
The uniquely shaped surf pool has a surface area of nearly 10,000 square meters with a maximum water depth of three meters, which decreases towards the edge of the pool. The connected surf center also picks up on the wave theme architecturally and is reminiscent of the shape of a breaking wave. The overall result is a facility that offers athletes and the public high recreational value, with an outdoor fitness area, a children's playground, a beach area with generous sunbathing and a contemporary gastronomic concept. All these convey the true “surfing” lifestyle. The artificial waves, modelled on the ocean waves, are generated by a pneumatic chamber system that converts excess pressure into wave energy and can generate waves from 30 cm to over two meters in hight.
Innovative concepts for sustainability and CO2 neutrality
O2 SURFTOWN MUC strives for CO2 neutrality, from the mobility concept, i.e., the accessibility of the facility and the consumption of resources to the energy concept and procurement. This includes an arrival and departure bonus system in the SURFTOWN® app, e-bike and car charging stations, a carpool exchange, local and certified suppliers for short supply chains in catering, and the greatest possible coverage of the energy requirements of the surfing facility and the outbuildings from photovoltaic systems. These systems are used on the property as well as in the local open space. The water supply is also designed so that groundwater, abundant at the site, circulates in combination with the rainwater that accumulates in a recirculation system, with a special treatment plant.
In addition, there are opportunity emissions, i.e., the omitted CO2 consumption when real surf fans do not have to fly or drive to the sea: “We see local surfing as a CO2 footprint-friendly alternative,” says Chris Boehm-Tettelbach. “An average active German surfer generates about 5.4 tons of CO2 a year, surfing only about 170 waves of varying quality. At the O2 SURFTOWN MUC, this will be possible in just one day and for a fraction of the CO2 emissions.”
The municipality of Hallbergmoos supports the facility
The municipality of Hallbergmoos has supported the O2 SURFTOWN MUC project from the outset; it approved the site in the immediate vicinity of Munich Airport in 2019. In the process, the facility is intended not only to attract athletes and external guests but also to offer added value for the residents of Hallbergmoos and the employees of the surrounding Munich Airport Business Park, creating a quality of life and a place to stay for all.
Construction work for O2 SURFTOWN MUC is in full swing, with the structural work due to be completed at the end of July. The remaining work, such as the wooden roof structure, the technical installations, the expansion of the catering and event areas and changing rooms, will follow in August.
Images
Images of the construction site and renderings of the planned surfing facility are available on request via [email protected].
About SURFTOWN
The independent project developer SURFTOWN® GmbH is currently realizing a 20,000 sqm artificial surfing facility in the heart of the Munich Airport Business Park (MABP), which is unique in Europe. Environmentally friendly and individually adjustable waves, by means of pressure conversion, will offer a unique sport, training and leisure experience for professionals and beginners, as well as interested people of all ages: The surf park can also be used as an event area. The complete operation of the facility is designed to be CO2-neutral and relies on renewable energies as well as a sustainable water concept. The initiators of SURFTOWN® are united by a love of surfing. The founders are Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, Michi Mohr and Jonas Boehm-Tettelbach, with Dr. Thomas Heinrich, Conrad Albert, Erik Dahl, Dr. Jan Ehrhardt, Gerfried Schuller, NDW Invest GmbH and Bayerische Beteiligungsgesellschaft BayBG investing in the project.
About O2 Telefónica
O2 Telefónica is a leading full-service provider of telecommunications services for consumers and business customers. The portfolio of the core brand O2 and various secondary and partner brands includes not only traditional telephony and Internet connections but also innovative digital services in the area of the Internet of Things and data analysis. In mobile communications, O2 Telefónica serves more than 44 million mobile lines (incl. M2M – as of March 31, 2022). No other network operator connects more people in this country. The company's high-performance, award-winning mobile network reaches over 99 percent of the population. In the fixed network, O2 Telefónica offers its customers the greatest technological diversity and geographical availability of any provider in Germany. Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG is listed on the TecDAX and MDax and has been part of the Eurostoxx 600 since June 2022. In fiscal year 2022, the company generated revenues of EUR 8.2 billion with around 7,500 employees. The company is majority-owned by the Madrid-based Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A., one of the largest telecommunications groups in the world.
Press contact O2 SURFTOWN MUC
dot.communications
Martina Euchenhofer
Tel: +49 89 530797-23
[email protected]
Press contact O2 Telefónica
Alexandra Brune
Tel: +49 159 01413321
[email protected]
