I recently sat down with Jeremy Arnoux, a French professional bodyboarder with nearly 30 years of experience in the water. As a co-founder of Duke Swim Fins, Jeremy is now channeling his expertise into hardware.
I asked him a series of questions about the origins of his new brand, the technical design of the fins, and why French riders are currently making such a massive impact on the international stage.
Table of Contents
Background & Genesis of Duke Swim Fins
Origin Story
Can you walk us through your wave-riding background? What was the catalyst that made you want to transition from riding as a professional bodyboarder to actually designing and manufacturing your own fins?
Behind the brand, it’s really Mathieu Desaphie and myself. First and foremost, we are bodyboarders, and we’ve both been riding for nearly 30 years. Over that time, we’ve probably used the majority of fins available on the market — from iconic American models like Vipers and Churchills to Redley, Kpaloa, and Manta Blade.
My background is in product design engineering, so the transition into fin development came quite naturally. In fact, back in 2014–2015, I was involved in developing the Vulcan fins with PRIDE, which were specifically designed as an asymmetrical fin model for bodyboarding. That gave me solid hands-on experience in fin design and performance development.
With our current structure, it felt like the logical next step to create a new product that could genuinely raise the performance standard beyond what the current bodysurf and surf rescue fin market has to offer. Our goal with Duke Swim Fins is to bring something more advanced, more efficient, and better adapted to the demands of serious ocean users.
Biarritz Influence
Biarritz has such a rich, foundational surf culture in Europe. How does being based here influence the DNA of Duke Swim Fins?
Biarritz is truly the surfing capital of France, and one of the historic homes of surf culture in Europe. Surfing first arrived in the region in the 1960s, notably through the famous “tontons surfeurs,” who helped shape the local surf identity.
There is a deeply rooted ocean culture here, especially around surf rescue. The area is home to the largest coastal lifesaving club in France, and possibly even in Europe, with nearly 5,000 members training year-round, including throughout the winter.
Over the years, the mindset in the region has evolved significantly. People are now far more connected to the ocean, which is no longer seen only as a hostile and dangerous environment, even though, of course, it still commands respect.
Today, the region is also home to a huge number of surf schools that fill the beaches, and surfing has become one of the city’s major economic and cultural drivers, especially from a tourism perspective.
This environment naturally influences the DNA of Duke Swim Fins: performance, ocean safety, and authentic surf heritage are all deeply embedded in what we do.
The Name
Let’s talk about the brand’s identity. Where does the name ‘Duke’ come from, and what does it represent for you and the company?
The name Duke is a tribute to Duke Kahanamoku, who embodies the ultimate waterman. He was not only a surfer, but also an exceptional swimmer, a lifeguard, and an Olympic medalist.
For us, he represents a complete and timeless connection to the ocean, performance, safety, and respect for the sea all combined. He has been a huge source of inspiration, and in our own way, as lifelong ocean riders, we feel like we are continuing a small part of that legacy.
Design & Industry Positioning
The Competition
The premium fin market has established brands like DaFiN and Yucca, which carry incredibly loyal followings. From a design, material, and performance standpoint, what separates a Duke fin from the rest of the pack? Are you targeting more of a European market?
Brands like DaFiN and Yucca have built incredibly strong reputations, and rightly so. They’ve set a high standard in the premium fin market.
From our side, Duke swim fins are actually produced using the same high-quality materials and manufactured in the same region, Malaysia, which is known for its expertise in fin production. So the real difference doesn’t come from the materials themselves, but from how we design and tune the product.
Where we truly stand apart is in the shape and the distribution of stiffness, which are the two key parameters that directly impact performance in the water.
We focused heavily on comfort, especially in the foot pocket. The thickness above and below the foot is evenly distributed, which creates a very balanced and natural feel when you wear them, something you immediately notice.
In terms of performance, we designed a relatively stiff blade to maximize energy transfer while kicking. The rails maintain the same stiffness and extend up to about halfway into the foot pocket. This creates a more consistent propulsion through the entire kick cycle and helps avoid weak points or “breaks” in the flex.
Our philosophy is simple: a fin should never be too stiff, because that leads to fatigue and puts strain on the ankles, but it shouldn’t be too soft either, as you lose power and drive. Duke fins are built around finding that optimal balance between efficiency, comfort, and performance.
As for the market, we naturally have strong roots in Europe, but the goal is definitely broader. We’re building a product for anyone who takes the ocean seriously, wherever they are.
French Patent Legacy
France holds a foundational stake in swim fin history; Lieutenant Commander Louis Marie de Corlieu patented the modern rubber fin in Paris back in 1933, though the design was famously licensed and popularized globally by the American Owen Churchill. As you pick up this mantle of French aquatic innovation almost a century later, did you ever study de Corlieu’s original propulseurs de natation et de sauvetage (swimming and rescue propulsion devices) for design inspiration, or are Duke swim fins strictly a modern evolution?
That’s a great reference. Now that you mention it and looking back at the early designs from Louis Marie de Corlieu, there are actually some visual similarities with the Duke fins. But honestly, that’s purely coincidental.
Our approach wasn’t to revisit or reinterpret historical designs directly. Instead, we focused on creating something simple, clean, and highly functional, guided by our own long-term experience using fins across different conditions.
The design process was very hands-on: a mix of pool testing, real ocean sessions, and iterative development in close collaboration with our manufacturing partner in Malaysia. Every decision came down to performance, comfort, and efficiency in the water.
French Bodysurfing Culture & Competitive Dominance
Institutional Support
The French Surfing Federation was established early on in 1964, and the first bodysurfing club was founded in Hossegor in 1988. The FFS even has a dedicated commission for bodyboarding and fin-related disciplines, including bodysurfing. Why do you think the French are so much more organized regarding competitive surf sports infrastructure compared to other nations?
It is clear that France has a unique, tiered ecosystem that blends state-level institutionalism with grassroots passion. While the French Surfing Federation (FFS) provides the skeleton, the heart of the sport clearly lies in the volunteer-driven club culture.
To keep it brief: France’s strength lies in its associative DNA. Local clubs and “strong personalities” (like those at Ocean Roots) provide the passion and volunteers, while the FFS provides the technical framework (rankings and judging software). However, the Olympic status of shortboarding has effectively monopolized 99% of the funding, leaving the other 13 disciplines to survive on crumbs.
The French model is a fascinating paradox: it offers world-class structural organization through its club-and-league system, yet creates a financial desert for anyone not riding a shortboard.
I could expand on this for hours, especially since my perspective as a bodyboarder aligns closely with bodysurfers and longboarders. We share a common struggle for recognition and resources that is fundamentally different from the experience of “traditional” surfers.
Point Panic Takeover
Historically, everyone looks to Hawaii, Australia, and California as the undisputed bodysurfing powerhouses. But at the 2024 International Bodysurfing Championships at Point Panic, the French absolutely dominated—taking first place in the Men’s Open, Women’s Open, and Under-19 divisions. As someone deeply embedded in the French fin-riding community, why do you think French bodysurfers have been so successful on the international stage?
French riders grow up in powerful, constantly changing beach breaks, which are often harder to read than a wave like Point Panic. That builds strong ocean awareness and adaptability.
We also have a solid competition structure in France, from regional events to national championships, so athletes gain real experience in heat strategy and judging criteria — which is a big advantage internationally.
On top of that, strong coastal lifesaving clubs, especially in Biarritz, train thousands of young riders and create a natural link with bodysurfing.
All of this helps explain why French athletes are currently leading in disciplines like bodysurf, bodyboard, and longboard.
