SEA Games 2025: Singapore’s Max Maeder cruises to kitefoiling gold in debut
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- Maximilian Maeder secured kitefoiling gold at the SEA Games with a dominant performance, achieving an unassailable lead after 12 races.
- Despite previous Olympic and world titles, Maeder values this SEA Games gold, aiming to represent Singapore well and maintain peak performance.
- Maeder will take a break before rigorous training for the next season, targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after a coaching change.
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PATTAYA – On the quiet Jomtien Beach where a few holiday makers lay sunbathing, a loud cheer broke the tranquillity as Maximilian Maeder, the SEA Games kitefoiling champion, arrived on the shore.
There was much for the Singaporean supporters to be happy about, for the 19-year-old had secured the gold on Dec 16 with a day to spare after a perfect run in 12 races.
There are four more races on Dec 17, but the Games debutant has an unassailable lead over his rivals with nine points from 12 races (after three discards).
Thailand’s Joseph Weston sits second on 18 points, ahead of Warner Janoya (27) of the Philippines and Indonesia’s Wayan Wiranatha (35).
He said after the day’s races: “I will be competing on the last day and I will finish all the races and I will be a sportsman. You will see me out on the water tomorrow and yes, I will be trying my very best to get all those wins.
“I think it’s very special and it’s different from other international competitions, because this is a Games environment...
“It feels special because of that, and I think that’s why these Games environments are so meaningful, because you get to experience that pressure, that stake, that anxiety and, if you’re lucky, that reward.”
Despite winning an Olympic bronze in 2024
“When I came in, I was really trying to focus on performing well and doing everything cleanly and being sportsman-like and just representing Singapore in kitefoiling,” he added.
“I’ve been asked ‘Will it be easy? I said, maybe, but only if I give it my best’. So it’s definitely a super, super difficult thing to maintain your highest level of performance, no matter what.”
Maeder has had a year of change after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He switched his coaching set-up
After spending five years with coach Ivica Dolenc, he began training with the Swiss team under coach Matthieu Girolet in mid-2025.
His 2025 campaign has seen some highs and lows. He first retained his Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta title in April, before playing second fiddle at the French Olympic Week
The two-time world champion then won the European championships in May, before two second-place finishes at the youth European championships and the world championships
At the Formula Kite Youth World Championships on Nov 1, he was fourth, finishing outside the podium in an official event for the first time since 2021.
Maeder will take a three-week break after the Games and he is hoping to spend some time with his family over the holiday season.
He said: “I’ll be giving it my all in training in this winter period, but first comes the mandatory break given by my coach and our team.
“After that, we will be putting all the work in to make sure that we have a phenomenal next season and it’ll be hard work, so I’m getting myself ready for that.
“The break is going to be for three weeks and it means family time finally, because we’re all split apart all the time. So family time over the Christmas and New Year, and then it’s back to work.
Max Maeder has had a perfect run so far, winning all 12 of his races in Thailand.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Singapore Sailing Federation Stanley Chan said: “Max Maeder’s victory highlights that South-east Asia is a hub for wind sports.
“From the familiar shores of Singapore’s East Coast to kiting destinations in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, our South-east Asian waters are world-class.
“This gold medal also signals the rise of new youth-focused Olympic disciplines. Kiting represents the new wave of sailing – fast, fun and exciting.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to our Thai friends for their vision in including Olympic kitefoil in the SEA Games for the first time, bringing the fastest Olympic discipline to the SEA Games stage.”
Singapore kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder (left) in action on Dec 16.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Earlier, on Dec 14, fellow sailors Ryan Lo (ILCA7), Ethan Chia (boys’ Optimist) and Jania Ang (ILCA6) picked up golds for Singapore.
There were also silvers from Austin Yeo in the boys’ ILCA4 and Anya Zahedi in the girls’ Optimist, while her older sister Nia Zahedi clinched a bronze in the girls’ ILCA4.
Apart from Maeder, Team Singapore’s windsurfers Elkan Oh, Angel Chew, John Wong and Jonathan Chan will also be in action in the iQFoil and Techno 293 Plus on Dec 17, with the victory ceremony the day after.
