In October, the beautiful bay of Crozon hosted the first-ever Crozon Foil Festival 2024. Organized by Amaury Dormet, a leader in water sports and SUP racing for over a decade, this festival is quickly becoming one of the biggest foil events in Europe.
More than 110 enthusiastic foilers came together for the event, representing various disciplines like SUP, surf, and pumping. Competitors traveled from across France and its overseas territories, including Tahiti, New Caledonia, Guadeloupe, and La Réunion. There were also athletes from countries like Hawaii, Australia, the USA, South Africa, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Portugal, highlighting the event’s international appeal.
Over four exciting days, the festival featured three disciplines spread across five stages, giving athletes the chance to showcase their skills in challenging conditions. Although the light winds made things tricky, racers showed that with determination and the right gear, they could still perform well.
Clement Colmas won the SUP foil division – “I’m so happy to be the winner of the @crozonfoilfestival in the SUP foil division! Thank you for this amazing event!”
He acknowledged the light conditions during the waiting period but was pleased that they managed to complete two races. “It’s hard to define minimum conditions or bumps. With the right gear, we can always make something happen—even if we all want bigger bumps,” he explained.
Clement used the Starboard Foilboard Ace Foil Lightning 7’5″x15, Starboard Foil Blade M and Starboard Foils MF 1160 for his races, proving that performance can shine even in tough conditions.
Benoit Carpentier also had a great first race, finishing in first place.
“I didn’t expect this on my first race ever on a SUP foil today,” he shared. “The wind was almost nonexistent, but I chose the right gear and managed to pump 15km.”
Benoit used the Starboard Foilboard Ace 8’2″ x 18″ with the Starboard Foil Blade M, along with the Starboard Foils 82cm mast and 1160 MF. His success showed how important it is to have the right strategy and gear in competitive foiling.
As the event continued, the atmosphere was filled with excitement and camaraderie among participants, especially during the surf foil competition. With the first Crozon Foil Festival now complete, it’s clear that this event has created a great foundation for future gatherings that celebrate the foiling community.
The festival was more than just a competition; it showed the growing foiling community and the innovative spirit of its members. We look forward to seeing how the Crozon Foil Festival grows in the coming years and becomes a must-attend event for foiling enthusiasts.
Photo credits: Crozone Foil Festival