Tom Earl Takes Two Wins in Europe

UK-based Amos Shapes team rider Tom Earl has been on a serious streak lately – three major foil events, two wins, and a fifth place in one of Europe’s biggest foiling competitions. From his home waters in Cornwall to the turquoise runs of Saint-Tropez and the wild Atlantic in Brittany, Tom’s been busy proving why he’s one of the most exciting foil riders in the scene right now.

October is when the European foiling scene really comes alive. Events stack up back to back, the winds settle into rhythm, and the water turns on across the continent. The month kicked off with the Kernow Foil Classic, held from the 1st to the 5th of October in Cornwall – Tom’s home ground, where he’s spent years refining his style and connection to the ocean. The event drew one of the biggest fields in the UK foil calendar, with plenty of anticipation and high energy around the surf-foil discipline.

The format suited Tom’s approach perfectly, focusing on pure surf foiling – clean wave riding, controlled turns, and surf-style flow. “It meant everything to me,” Tom says. “I felt equal parts fired up and relieved to take the win in pumping conditions.” This was his third time competing at the event: he took the win in 2023, finished third in 2024, and came back this year determined to reclaim the top spot. The pressure was on with home expectations and world-class riders like Guy Bridge and Luke Atkinson in the mix, but Tom handled it with composure, winning every heat on his way to a dominant first-place finish in the Elite Prone final.

A few days later, Tom was in southern France for the Les Ailes de Saint-Tropez Downwind Foil Festival, an event supported by one of his sponsors, Foil Drive. The atmosphere was electric – part racing, part community, and packed with some of the biggest names in foiling. Tom was there with the Foil Drive team for demos, content, and to connect with other riders, but he couldn’t resist jumping into the Downwind Race. “Halfway through, I realised I was right up there,” he says. “There were only two guys ahead, and suddenly it was game on.” What followed was a neck-and-neck battle with Ryan Arzy that ended in a joint first-place finish. It was an unexpected but fitting reward for a week that captured everything Tom loves about the sport – competition, connection, and the shared stoke on the water. 

The final stop of the month was the Crozon Foil Festival in northern Brittany – an event that’s fast become the unofficial world finals of surf foiling. With forty-eight of the best riders from around the world in attendance, the standard was through the roof. “The level was insane,” Tom says. “Everywhere you looked, the world’s best were flying.” Conditions were small but clean, with waist- to chest-high sets under sunny skies. Tom progressed comfortably through the early rounds, winning multiple heats before facing Hawaiian powerhouse Jeffrey Spencer in a tight quarter-final. “I had the wave to make it,” he admits, “but I took my foot off the gas and didn’t attack hard enough.” He finished equal fifth overall – a strong result in such a stacked field, and one he’s already analysing for next time. “It’s all a learning experience. I took a lot away from this one, and it’s fuel for what’s next.”

Across all three events, Tom rode the Nano V2, a board just releasing and not yet released to the public. “The Amos boards are the best I’ve ever ridden,” he says. “I loved the V1, but for competition, I asked if we could tweak it – a bit more paddle power, a slightly wider outline for more leverage, and a few refinements through the rails.” The result, he says, has “some magic in it.” Competing on an unreleased prototype across different formats and conditions only underlined Tom’s confidence in the design – and in the partnership behind it.

As for what’s next, Tom’s focus is simple: keep progressing. “I want to keep pushing my own level, keep competing, and build stronger relationships with my sponsors,” he says. “There’s a lot of momentum right now in the foil scene, and I want to be part of that evolution.”

With two wins, a top-five finish, and a month of elite competition behind him, Tom’s heading into the off-season with confidence and clarity. For Amos Shapes, it’s been unreal watching one of our own lead from the front – proud, composed, and charging with purpose. We can’t wait to see where he takes it next.

Follow Tom on Instagram @tomoearl to keep up with his latest sessions, travels, and updates from the water.