Singapore kitefoiler Max Maeder aiming for progress not perfection as he places second in France

SINGAPORE – Maximilian Maeder’s run of international kitefoiling triumphs, which started after the 2024 Paris Olympics, has stopped at five following his second-placed finish behind Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi at the French Olympic Week event in Hyeres, France, on April 25.

Once again showing maturity beyond his youth, the Singaporean teenager told The Straits Times: “I went in first into the medal series, which was the goal, so that was well done.

“During the final, I just have to take my hat off to Riccardo, who had a wonderful execution... not making any mistakes and attacking aggressively.

“There are lessons to be learnt, which is good motivation to improve for the future.

“Also, the less you let the bad or good results affect you, the better you can have your consistency shine. So that’s the goal, just to try and take whatever lessons we can from this event and continue training and improving. I’m aiming for progress, not perfection.”

The 18-year-old had looked set to continue his winning streak as he topped the 60-man field during the qualifying series with six wins in 15 races to progress to the Grand Final with one match point, which meant he needed just one more match point in the four-man finale to claim overall victory.

But Pianosi, who was second in the qualifying series, stepped up to secure the two match points needed to take the gold by winning the first two races, in which Maeder placed third and fourth to finish second overall.

Swiss Gian Stragiotti and Italian Lorenzo Boschetti were third and fourth respectively.

Before the loss, Maeder had been in red-hot form as he won nine out of 10 events in 2024. After clinching an Olympic bronze, he won the KiteFoil World Series in Austria and Italy, the Asian Championships and