MAEDER ENDS ON A HIGH

S'pore kitefoiler wins European youth title to close 2024, which felt like 'two seasons'

- Melvyn Teoh

A gruelling season for Maximilian Maeder ended on another winning note, when the Singaporean claimed the Formula Kite European youth title on Oct 13.

The 18-year-old, who had earlier bagged eight titles and an Olympic bronze, sealed the crown in the medal series, ahead of silver medallist Riccardo Pianosi of Italy and bronze medallist Gian Stragiotti of Switzerland.

Maeder had entered the final day of the Oct 7-13 Youth European Championships in Torregrande, Italy, in first place, winning eight out of his 13 races, with Pianosi joining him in the final.

Stragiotti and Brazil's Lucas Fonseca later took the remaining two slots in the final after finishing in the top two in the semi-finals.

As the top qualifier, Maeder entered the first-to-three-wins final with two match points, needing just one more to seal the title. And he wasted no time with a victory in the first race to collect his fourth consecutive title since the Paris Olympics in August.