More Of The Same Please, Max

As in 2024, kitefoiler has pre-season jitters; hopefully 2025 is another year to remember

- Kimberly Kwek

Maximilian Maeder had a year to remember in 2024, winning nearly every title on offer. He retained his world title, claimed the Asian Championship, and became Singapore's youngest Olympic medallist with a bronze at the Paris Games.

Yet, despite his success, he was still hit by pre-season nerves ahead of his first event in 2025 — the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Spain from March 28 to April 5.

Ahead of the regatta, he had encountered unfamiliar challenges during training. While he had previously dominated his training partner, Martin Dolenc, the Croat was now occasionally faster than him.

But the 18-year-old accepts that it is part of the experience of being an elite athlete.

"You always have a bit of pre-season jitters, you don't know what everyone's been doing over the winter. You want to see what it's like, and you're not so sure about what everyone's standings is, and even your own so things like these are normal," he said.

"The more you experience, the more seasoned you are and the more self-confidence you have in these types of situations... it's just something that I get to work on now."

After a whirlwind 2024 filled with new experiences, the start of the season has brought more of the same, and Maeder is embracing it.