Brazilian surfer Arno Anhelli is preparing to return to Al Ain next month as he builds towards a planned 25-hour surfing endurance record attempt in the UAE.
Anhelli is due to train at Al Ain Adventure in October 2026, one year before the proposed attempt at the same venue.
The Brazilian and his team plan to use the visit to test the surf pool, equipment, recovery periods, nutrition and the physical demands involved in spending a full day moving between waves and short rests.
Al Ain Adventure sits at the foot of Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain. The venue operates a dedicated surf pool with adjustable wave settings and private sessions available outside its normal surfing hours.
The October training block will give Anhelli his first chance in this phase of the project to work through the planned record conditions at the venue.
His team says the record attempt is scheduled for October 2027 and is being prepared for Guinness World Records recognition.
“I am ready to accomplish it,” Anhelli said.
The challenge would require Anhelli to continue surfing across a 25-hour period while managing food, hydration, recovery and equipment changes.
Those details will form a large part of the October training session. Anhelli and his support team will also assess how often he can surf, how much recovery he needs between waves and how his body responds as the hours build.
It is familiar territory for a surfer who has previously taken on an endurance record in a wave pool.
In April 2005, Anhelli surfed 308 waves over seven hours at Splash Beach Park in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Contemporary reports said the achievement earned him a place in the 2007 Guinness World Records book.
The proposed Al Ain attempt has been discussed for several years, with Anhelli working towards a longer wave-pool challenge after his earlier record.
The latest schedule puts the key UAE preparation session in October, followed by another 12 months of training before the planned attempt.
Anhelli’s team has also linked the project to water conservation and environmental awareness, although the sporting target remains straightforward: complete 25 hours of surfing in the Al Ain pool and satisfy the requirements needed for the record to be recognised.
The venue itself has an established surfing set-up. Al Ain Adventure lists dedicated surf sessions among its regular activities, with adjustable waves available for experienced surfers.
October’s visit should provide a clearer indication of how Anhelli intends to manage the longer challenge.
Twenty-one years after his first endurance record, he is preparing to test himself again, this time in the UAE and over more than three times the duration.
