Singapore’s Kitefoiler Max Maeder successfully defends title at 2023 Formula Kitefoiling Youth World Championships
The 16-year-old has now won three consecutive titles.
Local kitefoiler Max Maeder defended his title as youth world champion at this year’s International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) Under-21 Formula Kitefoiling Youth World Championships on Monday (Jul 24).
Held in Gizzeria, Italy, the five-day tournament saw the participation of 64 boys and 23 girls from 27 countries.
Similar to last year’s championships, Max, who is currently ranked seventh in the world, beat China’s Huang Qibin (ranked 18th) and Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi (ranked fourth) who finished in second and third place respectively.
The 16-year-old started off the tournament in constant contention with Huang for the top spot throughout the opening rounds.
Despite being level on points on the first two days, the 16-year-old managed to beat the Chinese national to first place through a two point lead after winning two out of his three races on the third day.
Both then qualified for the Finals after finishing in the overall top two on the fourth day, before Max secured his title defence after winning the final race out of 24 other international foil riders on the fifth day.
Shared through a press release by the IKA, Max, who has now won three consecutive titles, said that he felt “overwhelmingly positive” and enjoyed the increased competition in the Finals.
“It genuinely makes it such a high level race to be a part of,” he added.
Having first been crowned world champion two years ago in the under-19 division of the 2021 KiteFoil World Series, Max then won his second title at the International Kiteboarding Association Kitefoiling Youth Under-21 World Championships a year later.
Aside from competing in the youth divisions, the local kitefoiler has won titles in the men’s division of the 2021 KiteFoil World Series and in the 2022 NSDF Formula Kite Asia-Pacific Championship.
His achievements have also led him to become the nation’s Sportsboy of the Year at the 2022 Singapore Sports Awards.
