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The 2025 edition of the Crozon Foil Festival got off to a thrilling start on October 14 in Brittany, France, with the Downwind Foil Elite race. Under dawn skies lit up above the bay in front of the historic three-masted ship Belém, conditions quickly evolved into a perfect setting for the first of six international downwind foil events on the world tour.
More than 60 riders from across the globe including Hawaii, Australia, Germany, South Africa, Belgium and France gathered at Morgat’s port for the morning briefing. From there, competitors were taken to Pors Péron beach to begin the 16 km course, finishing at Pors Théolen. A steady tail-wind swell and rising breeze made equipment choice critical in what proved to be a physically and technically demanding race.
In the men’s category, Australians Kai Thompson and Jarrod Snow assumed the early lead, with France’s Tom Constant pressing hard. They pushed speeds above 15 knots all the way to the finish. Among women, Tahiti’s Naumi Eychenne dominated, ahead of Germany’s Marnie Bertram. French‐Brittany rider Anaïs Guyomarc’h delivered a powerful showing, reaffirming her position among the global SUP foil elite.
Following the finish, riders and teams convened at Morgat harbour for an official opening ceremony and social event, introducing participating nations and setting the stage for the next disciplines: Surf Foil and Dock-Start/Foiling contests.
A Multidisciplinary Festival: Downwind, Surf Foil & Dock-Start
Beyond the Downwind Foil event, the Crozon Foil Festival includes three major disciplines making it one of the most comprehensive foil competitions of the year.
Downwind Foil: Featuring both an Elite and Open race format. For 2025, entries include 50 elite‐level spots plus 130 open spots via selection
Surf Foil: Running waves at La Palue beach, with a field selected on performance and video submissions. The judging emphasises speed, flow and manoeuvre variety.
Dock-Start Pumping Foil: A spectator-friendly sprint discipline in the harbour, launching from a dock start, turning buoys and finishing between a boat and buoy. A format that blends accessibility and foil racing excitement.
All three events contribute to an overall ranking in which riders compete for titles such as “King Foiler” and “Queen Foiler” by virtue of their combined performance across disciplines.