Antsiranana Bay is hosting the first edition of the Sookany Trophy, a dhow regatta that revives traditional sailing while promoting maritime heritage and tourism. If Antsiranana Bay, renowned as the world's second-largest natural bay, is already famous for international kitesurfing and windsurfing competitions, it is now set to write a new chapter in its maritime history with the launch of the inaugural Sookany Trophy regatta, showcasing traditional sailing. The event takes place over three days, from July 17-19, on the legendary Ramena beach.

According to Koezy Company, the main organizer of this nautical event, thirty-nine traditional dhows and nearly one hundred fifty sailors will compete on a challenging course in the heart of "Diego Bay" during this first edition. Festivities will begin with a grand nautical parade bringing together all vessels in Ramena waters, a spectacle that will officially mark the opening of the competition.

Far more than a simple sporting competition, the Sookany Trophy aims to honor the dhow, an emblematic vessel of northern Madagascar and a symbol of ancestral expertise of Antsiranana's maritime communities. In the northern dialect, "Sookany" means "rudder," evoking mastery, leadership, and the ability to stay the course when facing challenges—values that perfectly embody the spirit of this regatta.

Crews, composed mainly of fishermen, are divided into three groups of thirteen dhows. After the parade, a draw will determine the order of passage for each group. Each race, approximately 34 kilometers of navigation (18.6 nautical miles), lasting about three hours, will qualify the five best dhows from each group for the final. The first group will compete this afternoon, while the other two will continue racing throughout Saturday.

While the first two days will be devoted to qualifying rounds, the grand finale, scheduled for Sunday, July 19, will bring together the fifteen qualified vessels. The top three crews will take the podium and receive trophies from this inaugural edition, destined to become an unmissable event on Antsiranana's nautical calendar. The prize is particularly attractive: the winner will take home ten million ariary.

Beyond the sporting competition, the event focuses on promoting maritime heritage, developing tourism, and boosting the local economy. Spectacular races, intense emotions, and electric atmosphere await the public at this grand regatta. Promoters also aim to combine tradition, innovation, and territorial appeal. The event will also be a true popular celebration, featuring cultural entertainment, contests highlighting local traditions (vakodrazana competitions), social initiatives, and health awareness campaigns benefiting a thousand women (screening for female cancers). For safety, participating sailors will each receive a life jacket.

According to Billy Geoffrey Gaspard, manager of Koezy Company and promoter of the Sookany Trophy, this nautical event is not limited to a race; the organizers want to make this dhow regatta an annual gathering highlighting centuries-old maritime heritage. "In a region historically turned toward the sea, the Sookany Trophy was born from a simple ambition: to restore to the sea the place it deserves in Madagascar's identity. Our goal is to make this regatta a regional reference, then national, while promoting maritime heritage, sailors' expertise, and the region's exceptional tourism potential, and especially to generate economic benefits for local communities," he explained.