Sneak peek at Trifecta, the first snow, surf and skate attraction in Singapore and Asia
Sports and lifestyle attraction Trifecta opens on Oct 28 next to the skate park in Somerset. CNA gets a sneak peek.
SINGAPORE: It’s cool – but not freezing – inside the snow arena at Trifecta, Singapore’s new sports and lifestyle facility in Somerset.
There's no snow, but skiers and snowboarders will be able to ride on simulators and dry slopes come Oct 28, when Trifecta officially opens.
The attraction also boasts Asia's largest standing wave pool and the world's first hybrid skate bowl, which is designed for both skateboarding and surfskating.
It was first announced in April last year as part of plans to rejuvenate Orchard Road.
Ahead of its opening, CNA got an exclusive sneak peek at Trifecta’s surf pool, ski simulators and skate bowl.
SNOW ARENA
Instead of snow, skiers and snowboarders at Trifecta will ride on a "ski carpet" that is designed to mimic the feel of snow and dampened with water to reduce friction.
Pros will be able to go as fast as 35kmh on the ski carpet – which works like a treadmill – on rented equipment or their personal snowboards or skis. For beginners, the carpet's speed will be set at around 10kmh.
The simulator, which is controlled by two staff members, can also be adjusted to create a downhill slope of up to 22 degrees and tilt five degrees to the left and right.
The snow arena also includes two dry slopes for practising tricks.
One slope is for jibbing – where skiers and snowboarders jump, slide or ride on rails or benches – and the other is a ramp that propels the rider up into the air to perform jumps and flips before landing on an airbag at the base.
Slide off the airbag, climb up the stairs and do it all over again.
SURF ARENA.
Surf’s up in Orchard Road, and unlike at Changi’s so-called “Longkang Point”, the waves at Trifecta are endless.
The 9.34m pool has a hidden reservoir of water – as much as an Olympic-sized pool would hold – that is pushed out using 11 powerful pumps to create waves. The water pressure is so strong that it feels like an ocean wave, and Trifecta said this technology only became available less than 10 years ago.
In the sheltered but open-air arena, surfers can use real surfboards with fins to ride waves that are 60cm deep and up to 1.5m high.
For beginners, a bar can be added across the pool for extra support while finding the right balance on the surfboard.
Ms Jessica Lee, a marketing and programming manager at Trifecta, told CNA that she previously only surfed in the ocean and had never tried a pool designed by German company Citywave before the one in Singapore was ready.
“It was way better than expected, it’s very fun,” she said. In the open sea, external factors, including the wind, cause waves to break, she explained. Surfers aim to stay on the open face of the wave below the crest, and Trifecta's waves have a large open face, she said.
Ms Lee said having such a facility in Somerset is a "dream come true" for her, as Singapore-based surfers typically have to go overseas to catch waves.
SKATE ARENA
The skate bowl may look intimidating to non-skaters, but it has been designed to be suitable for varying skill levels, Trifecta said.
Skate bowls typically have a circular metal pipe around the edges which is called coping. That means skateboarders have to "drop in" when entering the bowl, which is a more intentional and abrupt motion.
The bowl at Trifecta has entry points without the metal pipe, allowing beginner riders to “roll in” more gently.
This also works better for surf skaters. While skateboards can comfortably grind on the metal coping, surfskates would wobble on that surface. Surfskates are a type of skateboard designed to make skateboarding feel more like surfing a wave.
The light grey edges of the skate bowl do not have coping, which makes it a good starting point for beginners, Trifecta said. (Photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)
Trifecta said its skate bowl is meant to complement the Somerset Skate Park next door. Open sessions at the skate bowl are free.
“ACTION-ENTERTAINMENT”
Being able to snowboard, surf and skateboard in one day is known as a trifecta, said co-founder Daphne Goh, explaining the inspiration behind the facility's name.
But for those who don't do any of these sports, Trifecta can be an "action-entertainment" space, she said. Colourful steps that double up as seats have been positioned throughout the attraction to encourage spectators, and the snow arena has large windows.
"We've kept it intentionally open and inviting because, for the sports that we have here such as snowboarding, skiing or surfing, there's a barrier to entry," she said. Many people don't try these sports because this “barrier to entry” is high.
"We wanted Trifecta to embody that openness," said Ms Goh, noting that spectators can enter the attraction for free, while fees apply for those who want to try the simulators.
Visitors can also drop by for food and drinks at Butter, a cafe opened in collaboration with Two Men Bagel House. Butter will serve bagels, pancakes, grain bowls and more.
For the first four weekends, film screenings, a community art market and a music festival will also be held.
"I'm excited to see how people will receive the space ... (especially) people who are not your typical skateboarders, surfers or snowboarders," said Ms Goh.
Trifecta will operate from 7am to midnight daily. Classes cost between S$40 (US$29) and S$120.
This article was originally published on Channel News Asia. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes.
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