First win of season puts wind in Max Maeder’s sails as he launches World C’ships comeback

SINGAPORE – The comeback bid to reclaim his world title has started on a high for Singaporean kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder, who kicked off his 2026 season by winning his fourth straight Trofeo Princesa Sofia title on April 4.

The two-time world champion’s performance also proved that his training over the winter, during which he focused on improving his speed, has paid dividends.

With the Formula Kite World Championships looming in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, in May, the 19-year-old described the regatta at Spain’s Bay of Palma as an important stepping stone.

“The regatta in general was a great experience to have leading up to the world championships and the next regatta coming up,” said Maeder, who clinched silver at the world meet in 2025.

“I’m feeling great... But it’s important to remember that this is only one step towards the world championships and we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

The 2024 Olympic bronze medallist topped the qualification series with 30 nett points to book a direct spot in the four-rider final, alongside Italy’s reigning world champion Riccardo Pianosi.

A tweak in the competition format meant both riders entered the final on equal footing – each carrying one match point – after the advantage afforded to the top qualifier in previous seasons was removed.

Completing the final line-up were Austria’s Olympic champion Valentin Bontus – who made his competitive return after a year out due to injury – and American Noah Runciman.

Maeder wasted little time, winning the first race in the final to seal the title.

Not paying close attention to the results also worked in the teenager’s favour – a strategy that had already proven effective during a test event in January for the 2027 World Sailing Championships in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Looking ahead, Maeder acknowledged that there is still work to be done as he turns his focus to the April 18-25 French Olympic Week in Hyeres, France, before the world championships a month later.

He said: “Definitely all the winter work has paid off in terms of the work on speed and the technical aspect of it.

“Racing tactics and strategy-wise could use some work, I do need to work on it more.”

There were also encouraging signs for other members of Singapore’s sailing contingent, as ILCA 7 sailor Ryan Lo finished 12th in the 199-strong fleet.

He was the second-highest placed Asian sailor in Spain, behind South Korea’s three-time Asian Games champion Ha Jee-min, who ended seventh.

The 29-year-old was pleased with how he performed, given that it was his first time competing in an international fleet since the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championships in China in May 2025.

He said: “It was an encouraging week. It’s great to see where I stand as compared to an international fleet and also Asian counterparts.

“I’m just happy to tick off quite a few boxes and that I was able to come to Palma to achieve.”

The next few months will be busy for the Asian Games ILCA 7 defending champion.

After completing his studies at James Cook University in Singapore in a few weeks, he will fly to Auckland for a training camp before competing in the European championships in May.

The European regatta is the second and last selection trial earmarked by the Singapore Sailing Federation for the Sept 19-Oct 4 Asiad.

His schedule could then include an event in Los Angeles in July and the ILCA 7 Men’s World Championships in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, in August before the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Lo said: “My goals coming into the regatta (in Spain) were mostly to see where I was at and to translate the work I’ve been doing the last few months over the winter into racing, and consolidate what I’ve been working on physically and tactically.

“I’m happy I was able to use them and gain confidence in my routines, I’m looking forward to the season ahead.”

Singaporean iQFoiler Angel Chew, who is also campaigning for an Asian Games berth, also took positives from the first major event of her season.

She placed 66th while compatriot Marsha Shahrin was 64th in their fleet of 70.

Chew, an English literature undergraduate at the Nanyang Technological University, has taken two months off her studies – she is continuing her coursework remotely – to train and compete in Europe.

The SEA Games silver medallist said: “I was feeling pretty good going into the event. The results weren’t exactly what I’d hoped but I still feel really good because there are quite a few things that I’ve been trying to work on that I feel I really cracked at this event.

“My starts improved massively, I made significant improvement and my coach was also really happy. 

“The main thing I have to work on is bringing everything together and getting more experience racing with bigger fleets.”

In the 49erFX, Cecilia Low and Elizabeth Yin – the Olympic sailors have joined forces in a bid to qualify for the Asiad – placed 57th out of 62.

Singapore was also represented in the ILCA 6 by Jania Ang and Keira Carlyle, who were 114th and 136th respectively.