By Vatican News

Organizers of the recent “Zanzibar Cup” unveiled the kitesurfing sporting event at a press conference in Zanzibar on Friday, August 16. The Zanzibar Tourism Commission and the Zanzibar National Sports Council announced the second such event, officially named “Zanzibar CUP KUSI 2024,” with “Kusi” referring to the seasonal winds in this region of Tanzania that facilitate kitesurfing.

The kitesurfing competition will take place on Saturday 24 August, weather permitting, in Kiwengwa in the North Unguja region of Zanzibar. This is the second international kitesurfing regatta, a very popular sport in Zanzibar, which is known for its stunning nature, beaches and beautiful coastal scenery.

So far, 33 participants have registered, including four professional kitesurfers from Austria, Italy, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Other participants come from Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain and some are locals from Tanzania.

The coordinator of this second international competition is Italian doctor Stefano Conte, who lives in Zanzibar and is passionate about kitesurfing. Dr. Conte is a pediatric surgeon and has been volunteering his expertise in Africa for many years. He also helped organize the first Zanzibar Cup, which was scheduled to take place in January 2024. In an interview with Vatican News, he explained: “The goal is to create a meeting of the peoples of Africa, a diversity of people from all over the world united in their passion for the same sport. This event represents a message of peace in many ways.”

Sponsors of the August competition include the Zanzibar Tourism Commission and a number of local hotels and businesses that will help accommodate and cater for participants and delegations. Zanzibar, an archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, is also aiming to increase sports tourism in the region in order to become a sports hub of sorts in East and Central Africa.