Zita Martel

Vaimasenu'u Zita Sefo-Martel (born 15 July 1961) is a Samoan women's rights activist, fautasi skipper, and archer who has represented Samoa at the Pacific Games. She is also an honorary consul of France.

Biography Martel attended Canterbury University, where she had been a rower.

In 2000, her local church needed a skipper for their longboat, or fautasi. At first she refused the request, but was eventually persuaded to give it a try. In 2020 her crew won the Faleula to Apia fautasi race.

She represented Samoa in archery at the 2007 Pacific Games in Apia, winning silver (alongside Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi and Eddie Chan Pao) in the mixed recurve matchplay and in the individual compound. At the 2011 Pacific Games in Nouméa she won gold in the compound matchplay and bronze in the compound individual.

Martel also speaks out against domestic violence in Samoa.

Honours In 2013 Martel was made an officer of the French National Order of Merit.