Gießen is planning wave in the Lahn-surf visions for 2027 and 2028!

Gießen is planning wave in the Lahn-surf visions for 2027 and 2028!

The vision of a surf wave on the Lahn in Gießen is increasingly taking shape. The project manager Janne Paul Schmidt announced that it was possible to ride the first wave as early as 2027 or 2028. The concept of the "Lahnwelle" was first presented in 2021 and has started speed since then. A recently carried out feasibility study has confirmed that the construction of a hydraulically generated surf wave on the Lahn-Wehr is realistic. The results of this study, which did not find any uncomfortable hurdles for nature, represent a significant progress for the project, such as the Gießener reported.

Mayor Peter Neidel (CDU) emphasized that the possibility of shaft riding in the Lahn was gratifying. An artificial wave could even be able to create energy through a hydropower plant at the same time. The hydraulic engineering team led by the expert Markus Rusher from the University of Innsbruck presented the results of the feasibility study and praised the technical feasibility. Schmidt was hopeful after the presentation and not only sees an enrichment of the water sports in the region, but also a new way to generate energy.

Current developments

The city of Gießen is currently examining a new variant that requires the construction of a side channel. City spokeswoman Claudia Boje reported that the first preliminary examinations for possible locations for this channel take place. Results of the feasibility study for the side channel should be available by autumn 2025. While Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher promised clarity about the feasibility by the end of 2024, this has not yet been true.

Financial aspects remain an important challenge. The city cannot manage the project alone, which is why Schmidt and its colleagues actively look for funding programs and private sector partners. Experts estimate that the construction of a wave in the side channel would be cheaper than at the weir. In comparison, the Fuchsloch wave in Nuremberg cost around 2.9 million euros, while the wave of linen in Hanover was 2.5 million euros.

interest in school sports

A promising development is the interest of school sports in the surf wave. There is already contact with the central office for school sports and promoting movement of the state of Hesse, which further strengthens the encouragement for Schmidt and his team. The "Lahnwelle" could not only serve as a leisure offer, but also be of great importance for school sports activities.

Overall, there is a positive tendency to implement the project. The discussions with experts, investors and the city administration run, and the Gießen community supports these initiatives. The "Lahnwelle" could soon not only offer the city of watering, but also to the entire region, a new attraction in water sports - a premiere for Europe, as reversal announced, if it actually succeeds in using the wave to generate electricity.