The struggles of putting on major surfing events based upon natures conditions are starting to get a little easier. There have been smaller surf contests in wave pools like Redbull’s Electric Wave Festival @surfsnowdonia. However, the current professional surf tour, the WSL, has announced they will have an event in 2018 outside of the ocean in a wave pool at Kelly Slaters Surf Ranch in Lemoore, CA. We expect to hear of more events in wave pools in the future.
http://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/283223/surf-ranch-announced-as-2018-championship-tour-venue