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Independent Singapore
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
Max Maeder wins European Open for the 2nd year in a row
SINGAPORE: Maximilian Maeder, Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist to date, emerged triumphant on Monday (May 19), winning the 2025 Formula Kite European Championships in Urla, Turkey. Winning the event did come easily for the 18-year-old Maeder, who crashed in the opening series. Moreover, he touched kites with Italy's Riccardo Pianosi in the first round of the grand final. After officials reviewed clips of the incident, Pianosi was penalised, resulting in a win for Maeder in that round. The Singaporean then went on to win the following race, which clinched the championship for him. Pianosi was declared European Champion, with Switzerland's Gian Andrea Stragiotti and Greece's Cameron Maramenides crowned European silver and bronze medalists, respectively. 'Max had an amazing race, he sailed clear, especially in that first race, and I'm happy for him,' Pianosi said after the race. Maeder, meanwhile, was equally generous and praised his competitors: 'It's a really great experience to have outstanding competitors. I was pushed to my limits by the people around me, Riccardo especially. They bring out the best in me,' he said. The victory must have been especially meaningful for Maeder after a recent shoulder injury. According to a May 19 post from DBS, for which Maeder is a brand ambassador, the athlete sustained a partial shoulder dislocation just a few weeks ago. 'Today, he stands victorious on the podium,' DBS noted, adding, 'His resilience wasn't just about getting back in the game—but pushing past limits, trusting the process, and showing up stronger than before.' On its Facebook and Instagram pages, DBS shared a video of Maeder's journey through his recovery. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DBS Bank (@dbsbank) Last year, the athlete gave Singapore a gift on National Day in the form of a bronze medal from the Paris Olympics for the Men's Formula Kite event. Since that historic win, he has only gone from strength to strength. In September, the Singaporean kitesurfer emerged as champion after winning 11 out of 12 races at the Austrian leg of the IKA KiteFoil World Series at Lake Traunsee. Later that month, he took home his next gold at the 2024 Formula Kite Asian Championships in Daishan, China. In October, Maeder made it a three-peat, winning the overall title at the World Series on the final day at Kitefoil World Series Sardinia, in Italy . Maeder, the oldest of three brothers, started kiteboarding at six and took up kitefoiling when he was just 10 years old. In 2018, he won his first competitive tournament in the Formula Kite Asian Championships. His mother, Hwee Keng, 52, is Singaporean, while his father, Valentin, 60, is from Switzerland. They both work at Wakatobi Dive Resort on the island of Sulawesi, which is part of Indonesia. The two helped build the resort. /TISG Read also: Max Maeder to serve curry puffs as promised after winning the Young World Sailor of the Year award
CNA
19-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Singapore star kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder wins European Championships, retains title
SINGAPORE: Singapore star kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder successfully defended his Formula Kite European Championships title on Monday (May 19) after holding his nerve to snatch victory on the final day of racing. The 18-year-old pipped Italy's Ricardo Pianosi, winning the first two races in the medal series to take the crown. In the opening series, Pianosi topped the fleet with 18 nett points, landing him one match point and automatic qualification to the medal series. 18-year-old Maeder scored 40 nett points and placed second, which meant that he too qualified automatically. Going into the final day of racing in Urla, Türkiye, Pianosi needed just one more match point in the four-man final to take the title. However, it was the Singaporean who kept his nerve and sealed the victory after two straight race wins. Pianosi took silver and Switzerland's Gian Andrea Stragiotti the bronze. Maeder started the year by retaining his title at Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Palma, Mallorca, last month. He finished ahead of Pianosi and Austria's Valentin Bontus. The Singaporean then took silver at the French Olympic Week event in Hyeres, France, in late April behind Pianosi. The world's top-ranked kitefoiler had a sensational run of form in 2024. In August last year, he ended Singapore's eight-year wait for an Olympic podium finish since swimmer Joseph Schooling won gold in 2016. Maeder, then 17, also became Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist. He then went on to win four consecutive titles after his bronze showing in France, taking the Austrian leg of the KiteFoil World Series, the 2024 Formula Kite Asian Championships in Daishan, China, the Italian leg of the Kitefoil World Series and the Formula Youth European Championships in October. Maeder's compatriot Ryan Lo notched a significant milestone at the ILCA 7 Men's World Championships in Qingdao, China, over the weekend.
