There are plenty of surfers out there with insane talent, yet little interest in putting on a jersey or pursuing the WSL. Fortunately, a new wave of events has emerged, ditching the traditional format of judging panels, scorecards, and elimination rounds.
Now in its third year, William Aliotti’s Twin Fin Invitational does exactly that, summoning some of the world’s best free surfers to a week of twin-fin surfing judged not by officials and scorecards, but by surfers and filmers who rate performance based on creativity and style.
This year’s lineup includes legends like Tom Curren, Clay Marzo, Dylan Graves, Miguel Blanco, and Chippa Wilson among the men, and Lee-Ann Curren, Juliette Lacome, and Holly Wawn among the women, alongside a strong contingent of Basque heavies like Aritz Aranburu and Kepa Acero who will be right at home throughout the course of the event.
They join a growing list of standouts who’ve participated since it launched in 2024, including Victor Bernardo, Kaito Ohashi, Tosh Tudor, Tom Morat, Maud Le Car, and Victoria Vergara. Having hosted the past two editions in France, this year’s event moves southwest to the Spanish side of the Basque Coast, just as the Atlantic swell season is finding its rhythm and firing up.
To put it simply, the Twin Fin is independent event that blurs the line between contest / festival / and family reunion while keeping style as the guiding principle. Rather than reward formulaic heat strategy, it celebrates creativity on classic twin fins, specifically keel fins. Boards must have a minimum width of 19.5 inches at the board’s widest point and a tail width greater than 9 inches tip to tip, surfers are required to ride both front and backside.
The thirty-minute mixed heats invite men and women to surf together in groups of about 6, with at least two rounds and no elimination, thus upending the separation that happens in most contests. Instead of a judging panel, surfers and filmers review footage after their heats and vote on style, flow, and creativity. Prize money totals €4,000 each for the men’s and women’s overall winners.
In addition to a shot at the prize money, the surfers and guests are treated to a full week of activities including premieres, live music, special meals, and community gatherings, with past editions also including beach cleanups. Vol. I (2024, Seignosse) and Vol. II (2025, Vieux-Boucau) set the tone; Vol. III unfolds this week in Zarautz.
Stay tuned on the SURFER and Twin Fin Invitational Instagram’s for clips, pics, and updates throughout the week. With a bump in the forecast for later this week, there’s sure to be some memorable action of what is quickly becoming one of the most prestigious events for free surfers.
Invited Surfers
Men — International: Clay Marzo, Tom Curren, Dylan Graves, Kaito Ohashi, McKenzie Bowden, Balaram Stack, Sam Piter, Miguel Blanco, Eli Beukes, Brendon Gibbens, Makoa Gomez, Gatien Delahaye, Chippa Wilson
Women — International: Juliette Lacome, Lee-Ann Curren, Maud Le Car, Lillian Young, Eden Edwards, Sara Taylor, Holly Wawn, Zoe Jaeckin
Basque Country: Ainara Aymat, Garazi Sánchez, Kepa Acero, Ander Mendiguren, Aritz Aranburu, Iñigo Idigoras, Rudy Palmboom, Kepa Housset