Profile | Paris Olympics: meet Max Maeder, the kite surfer on verge of Singapore’s second gold ever
- The 17-year-old world champion has been involved in the sport since he was six, and is being compared to F1 superstar Max Verstappen
As Singaporean kitesurfer Maximilian Maeder gears up for the final of the men’s kite event in sailing, Singapore stands on the cusp of potentially witnessing their first medal – possibly even a gold – at this Olympics.
At just 17 years old, Maeder has already cemented his status as a formidable force in the world of kitesurfing and has made a stunning Olympic debut by advancing all the way to the medal round.
The world champion has been dubbed the sport’s Max Verstappen, who himself is a Formula One world champ. And Maeder, who is racing into Singaporean-legend status, describes his fast and furious sport of kite surfing, one of the Olympics newest additions, as Formula One meets chess.
This talented star, currently ranked No 1 in the world in Formula Kite men’s, is on the cusp of writing his name in the history books as this biggest race of his life beckons.
Born in 2006 to a Singaporean mother, Maeder was introduced to kitesurfing by his Swiss father at the age of six at his parents’ dive resort in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Four years later, he took up kite-foiling – a more advanced form of the sport – and embarked on his first competitive pro race at the age of 11.
