QUEEN CLASSIC SURF FESTIVAL

2025-09-05

SEPTEMBER 12th - 13th - 14th

The Queen Classic Surf Festival presented by Vans is set to take place on September 12th, 13th, and 14th, 2025, on the Côte des Basques beach in Biarritz, France. Launched in 2021, the Queen Classic Surf Festival is the first inclusive, community-driven free surf event, setting itself apart from other cultural, sporting, and nonprofit initiatives. Over the course of three days, performances, panel discussions, art installations, and competitions unfold, driven by some of the world’s top female surfers, including Sasha Jane Lowerson, the first transgender surfer to win a professional competition. The Queen Festival is far more than a simple event: it champions diversity and seeks to dismantle industry norms by swimming against the tide. The event creates a space for both critical thinking and concrete action, raising questions about the practices, public image, and accessibility of the sport. It breaks down exclusionary dynamics by actively reclaiming space for women and minorities. Through an eclectic program, the Queen Festival gives a platform to organizations committed to LGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality, environmental issues, and Basque culture, affirming its commitment to key social issues. The Queen Classic Surf Festival is a multifaceted event aimed at reshaping representations in surf culture and beyond.

SURF

On September 13th and 14th, the Côte des Basques beach will come alive with two days of surf competition, combining both longboard and shortboard events for the very first time. Talents from Iran, Brazil, Guadeloupe, the United States, and beyond will take to the waves in a spirit of camaraderie and excellence. Guided by an inclusive approach to surfing, the event honors the plurality of identities, body types, and personal paths. Women, men, and non-binary individuals from the queer community come together on an equal footing, in a competition where technique, flow, boldness and team spirit are the sole measure of success. The event is part of a growing movement led by emblematic figures, such as Sasha Jane Lowerson, the first high-level transgender surfer, Marie Chauché, a big-wave surfer and iconic figure from the Basque Country, Lola Mignot, often called the “Rosalía of surfing”, Frankie Harrer and Jalessa Vincent, punk icons of today’s surf scene, and Karina Rozunko, a global reference in classic longboarding. Alongside them, the Queer Surf Club will host open and festive free sessions, transforming the Basque coastline into a vibrant hub of freedom, visibility, and collective celebration.

Jalessa Vincent is an Australian surfer and multidisciplinary artist with a bold and free-spirited style. Hailing from the Sunshine Coast, she’s known for her instinctive approach to surfing that breaks away from the conventional scene, and a creative energy that fuels all her projects. A musician, punk band vocalist, and visual artist, she crafts a raw and expressive world blending painting, performance, and a bold visual identity. Jalessa embodies a new generation of hybrid talents at the crossroads of sport and art.

Karina Rozunko is an American surfer from San Clemente, California, and an iconic figure in modern longboarding. Spotted at a young age by Joel Tudor, she quickly rose to international fame with a fluid style rooted in classic surfing, yet reinvented with her own unique flair. As a Vans Surf ambassador, she has made her mark in prestigious competitions like the Vans Duct Tape Invitational, and distinguished herself through creative projects like the film Doll Riot, which fuses surfing, aesthetics, and alternative culture. Through both her surfing and artistic collaborations (including a collection with Vans), Karina Rozunko embodies a generation of surfers who combine performance, style, and freedom of expression.

MUSIC

The music at the Queen Classic Surf Festival doesn’t just set the rhythm for the day, it ignites each night with bold and captivating performances. The festival celebrates the diversity of sounds and bodies, creating a unique atmosphere every night. Driven by artists who challenge expectations, the lineup becomes far more than a mere musical sequence: it offers a collective experience, a manifesto of freedom and celebration. In past editions, unforgettable performances by Lulu Van Trapp, Barbara Butch, and Agar Agar left a lasting impression, just like the liberating energy of DJ sets by Dustin Muchuvitz, Reina Del Mar, and Anaïs B. Collectives such as La Sueur, La Créole, La Famille Maraboutage, and Divin0 delivered a series of hybrid, high-energy, and socially engaged performances. True to its roots, the festival spotlit the local scene with performances by Anaïs B, Marge, PATXARANGA, and Eusko Princess.

PODCAST

Hosted by journalist Élisa Routa on DIA RADIO, the Disco Queen podcast explores the intersections of sport, culture, and society, shedding light on often overlooked topics. Female athletes, activists, sociologists, and artists take the mic to question power dynamics in sport and deconstruct established norms. Tackling topics from minority representation and inclusion of athletes with disabilities to the hypersexualization of surfing and the evolving perception of toplessness on French beaches, the show challenges stereotypes and sparks meaningful debate. In that same spirit, Disco Queen will set up on the beach to record live, public podcast sessions.

Just on time for the Queen Surf Festival, discover the New Future collection — a bold evolution of the Premium Old Skool™, co-designed by athletes Karina Rozunko and Tania Cruz, who will bring surf and skate energy to the Festival