Maeder, kitefoiling get sweet Yeo's bundle deal

An already momentous year for Singapore's kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder got even better on Nov 9, when local food and beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo's) extended their sponsorship deal by another four years from 2025 to 2028.

- Kimberly Kwek

Yeo's had inked a three-year agreement with Maeder in 2022 to support his journey towards the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he made history by winning a bronze medal in kitefoiling's debut. While the quantum of the new accord was not specified, Yeo's is also pledging another $180,000 to the Singapore Sailing Federation (Singapore Sailing) over the next four years to promote kitefoiling.

On Yeo's backing, Maeder said: "They will for the next four years play a big part in supporting my endeavour to go and compete and train... but what I find so wonderful is bringing others along as well, and that is what really makes me so happy to be together with Yeo's and to work together with them."

At the Marseille Marina in August, two-time world champion Maeder clinched the bronze to become Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist and the first Singaporean sailor to stand on the podium at the quadrennial Games.