The Sant’Agata Cup – The Agatino Sports Week was presented, the program of sporting events included in the official program of the celebrations in honor of the Patron Saint of Catania. A journey which, from 19 January to 8 February, is involving athletes, sports clubs and citizens in a rich and transversal calendar, capable of combining tradition, inclusion and sports promotion.
At the press conference of what has now become a tradition – conceived by Enzo Falzone in 2016 – in addition to the numerous sports entities involved, the institutional, political and sporting authorities involved intervened (among others, the vice mayor of Catania, Massimo Pesce; the president of Coni Sicilia, Enzo Falzone; the president of the Celebration Committee, Carmelo Grasso; the regional secretary of Sport and Health, Germana Vinci; the delegate Coni Catania, Davide Bandieramonte; Erika Bonaccorsi president of the Sport and Tourism Commission). It was an important moment of discussion and great sharing, in a particularly delicate phase marked by the devastation caused by Cyclone Harry. The common will is to restart through sport, promotional activities and being together, the prerogative of those who want to smile.
THE EVENTS
The event kicked off on Monday 19 January with the Sant’Agata Tennis Trophy, at the Umberto Tennis Club: the first act of an event which, right from the start, recorded good participation and is still ongoing. The “On the way to Sant’Agata” walk took place on Saturday 24 January, an initiative with a strong social and religious value organized by the CSI Catania, which crossed the city center starting from Piazza Cavour, involving families and enthusiasts.
Sunday 25 January was a particularly intense day, marked by several events: the Sant’Agata Field Hockey Trophy, the 20th “Gigi Pili” Master Swimming Trophy and the Paralympic Swimming Trophy were contested, events which reaffirmed the inclusive vocation of the Sant’Agata Cup and the attention paid to sport for all.
The calendar continued with the Sant’Agata Table Tennis Trophy, in the morning in the Paralympic version and in the afternoon with the Olympic competitions, on a day which coincided with the institutional press conference to present the event. The weekend of January 31st will further expand the range of disciplines with youth badminton at the PalaNitta – also home to the experimentation of pickleball – the riding tests between dressage and show jumping (at the SISA of Aci Sant’Antonio) and the recreational-motor activities dedicated to children and families, with “Sport in Comune”, an event promoted by Sport and Health.
Sunday 1 February will represent a central point of the event: the 26th Sant’Agata di Calcio Trophy at the Massimino stadium, the Duathlon Super Sprint – prologue of cycling – and the 13th Sant’Agata di Ciclismo Trophy – 11th T. Mirabella Memorial are scheduled, events promoted by CSAIn: partnership also sealed by the presence of the national president Salvatore Spinella. Also on the calendar is shooting, organized by the UITS, and a new day dedicated to horse riding (CSAIn).
The traditional Sant’Agata Trophy road race will take place on 2 February, starting from the Palazzo della Cultura and running through the heart of the historic centre, organized by AtleticA Sicilia. On Wednesday 4 February it will be the turn of the Trofeo Sant’Agata di Bridge (ASD Convivium), before entering the final weekend. On Saturday 7 February the protagonists will be padel (City), youth women’s football with the Under 13 (FIGC Catania) and the spectacular Dragon Boat in the port of Catania, promoted by the Canoa Club. The Sant’Agata Cup will end on Sunday 8 February with the last day of padel and with the Sant’Agata 2026 Sailing Regatta, the final event which from the sea will symbolically seal the link between sport, the city and the Agatina tradition.
THE “SANT’AGATA AND SPORT” AWARD TO FALZONE
The 2026 edition also marks the establishment of the “Sant’Agata and Sport” recognition. A commission composed of the CONI Catania delegate Davide Bandieramonte, the ANSMES president Pippo Leone and the USSI Catania president Nunzio Currenti awarded the prize to Enzo Falzone. «The first to believe in it in 2016 – recalls Bandieramonte – and to invest resources and energy in the creation of sporting events in honor of the Patron Saint of Catania. Enzo, the first Catanian in history to hold the role of regional president of CONI, went further, obtaining total involvement from federations, promotion bodies, clubs and ordinary athletes, not only on a sporting level but also on an emotional level. A value that makes the Sant’Agata Cup particularly rich in meaning.”
THE STATEMENT OF ENZO FALZONE, PRESIDENT OF CONI SICILIA
«The Sant’Agata Cup was born from a clear vision: to make sport one of the ways through which the city of Catania can express its identity, its devotion and its ability to look to the future. I strongly wanted this event to become a permanent part of the Agatha celebrations program because I believe that sport, with its values of respect, inclusion, sacrifice and community, is perfectly consistent with the profound message that Sant’Agata transmits to the city. This event is not just a calendar of competitions, but a cultural project that unites federations, promotion bodies, sports clubs and institutions. The response from the area has been extraordinary and confirms that the path taken is the right one: a city that celebrates its Patron Saint also through movement, participation and the beauty of sport. Receiving this recognition in my Catania excites me extremely: today is a special day.”
A FESTIVAL OF THE CATANIANS
Deputy Mayor Massimo Pesce reiterated the international importance of the Feast of Sant’Agata: «In the context of the celebrations, numerous collateral events were organised, with a strong focus on sport. They range from the historic Sant’Agata Trophy, which has always been present, to football and padel tournaments, up to swimming and paralympic swimming initiatives. A complex set of activities that animates the city, involving not only the center but also the other urban areas, including the suburbs, contributing to making the event truly participatory and widespread throughout the territory.”
The president of the Celebration Committee, Carmelo Grasso, illustrated the details of the cultural events promoted, highlighting some aspects of the celebration in the year of the Agatino Jubilee and after the devastation produced by Cyclone Harry: «We are certain that it will be like last year, without any problems in terms of safety. For the rest we hope for good weather. The directives for this year are clear: order and discipline for everyone. I would also like to remind you that the candidacy of the festival as a UNESCO world heritage site has been presented and observers will be present in Catania in charge of concretely verifying the progress of the events. I therefore hope that everyone will do their part.”
The president of Confindustria Catania, Cristina Busi Ferruzzi, also spoke at the press conference and presented the concert on 3 February, an event that marks the start of the initiatives for the Centenary of Confindustria.
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