The thank-you note from Rodrigues arrived after the competition had ended, but it did not feel like a formality. It brought us straight back to Anse Mourouk: kites over the lagoon, riders checking the wind, families on the beach and a community sharing the same stretch of water. Kitebelles was proud to support the Rodrigues Kite Festival 2026 as an official sponsor.
For us, this partnership was never only about having a name on an event banner. It was a way to support the people who keep kitesurfing visible, welcoming and alive across the islands of the Indian Ocean.
More than a logo on the beach
A festival like this is built long before the first start. Organisers prepare the programme, local teams ready the site, volunteers solve dozens of small problems and riders make the trip with boards, wings and hopes for good wind. Sponsors help give that work the room and visibility it needs. We are grateful to the Commission for Tourism, the Rodrigues Tourism Office, Mourouk Wind Sports Club and the organising committee for inviting Kitebelles to be part of it.
Four days carried by the trade winds
Held at Anse Mourouk from 2 to 5 July 2026, the festival brought competition and celebration together in one of Rodrigues’ defining lagoons. The programme moved between Slalom, Mini-Raid and Big Air, while wingfoil made its official debut at the event. That mix mattered: speed and tactics had their place, but so did style, progression and the pleasure of watching different generations meet on the same beach.
The results also gave the weekend a clear sporting story. Matthew Hogan Raboude won the men’s Mini-Raid and Big Air and finished as the overall men’s festival winner. Aaron Albert took second place in the men’s Mini-Raid, with Drany Clair third. In the women’s events, Audrey Pauline won both Slalom and Mini-Raid, while Gaëlle Chelpi took the Big Air victory.
Why this festival matters to us
Kitesurfing grows when people can see a path into it: a local rider gets a first chance to compete, a young spectator recognises someone from home on the podium, an instructor shares experience with another school, and a destination shows that its wind culture belongs to the community as much as to visitors. Those connections cannot be measured by a single result sheet, yet they are what remain after the podium is packed away.
Supporting the festival was our contribution to that longer story. Kitebelles works every day with riders who are learning, returning after a break or trying to take the next step. Events in Rodrigues remind us that progression is not only individual. A whole scene moves forward when organisers, clubs, riders, partners and spectators show up for one another.
Thank you, Rodrigues
We send our warm thanks to the organising teams, officials, volunteers, riders and everyone who came to Anse Mourouk. Congratulations to the winners and to every participant who launched a kite, crossed a start line or stepped into competition for the first time. We are honoured to have played a part as an official sponsor, and we hope the energy of this edition carries into many more days on the water.
Sources: Rodrigues Tourism Office event page and Le Mauricien’s festival report.
