Singapore's young sailing sensation, Maximilian Maeder, has just made waves at the SEA Games 2025, securing the kitefoiling gold medal in his debut appearance—and he did it with a day to spare! But here's where it gets even more impressive: Maeder dominated the competition with a flawless performance across 12 races off Jomtien Beach, leaving his rivals in the dust. With four more races scheduled for December 17, the 19-year-old has an unshakable lead, proving why he’s a force to be reckoned with in the sailing world.
Thailand’s Joseph Weston trails in second place, followed by the Philippines’ Warner Janoya and Indonesia’s Wayan Wiranatha. Maeder’s journey to this victory has been anything but ordinary. Fresh off his bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Singaporean prodigy has been navigating a year of significant change. And this is the part most people miss: He recently switched coaching setups, parting ways with long-time coach Ivica Dolenc to train with the Swiss team under Matthieu Girolet in mid-2025—a bold move ahead of his 2028 Los Angeles Games bid.
His 2025 season has been a rollercoaster. Maeder kicked off the year by retaining his Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta title in April, followed by a second-place finish at the French Olympic Week. The two-time world champion then claimed the European championships in May, only to place second at both the youth European championships and the world championships, each time behind Italian rival Riccardo Pianosi. But here’s the controversial twist: At the Formula Kite Youth World Championships on November 1, Maeder finished fourth, marking his first time off the podium in an official event since 2021. Is this a sign of growing competition, or just a minor setback for the sailing star?
Singapore’s sailing success at the SEA Games didn’t stop with Maeder. Earlier on December 14, Ryan Lo (ILCA7), Ethan Chia (boys’ optimist), and Jania Ang (ILKA6) each brought home gold for the Republic. Silver medals were claimed by Austin Yeo in the boys’ ILCA4 and Anya Zahedi in the girls’ optimist, while her older sister, Nia Zahedi, secured bronze in the girls’ ILCA4.
Now, here’s the question that’s bound to spark debate: With Maeder’s recent coaching change and his unexpected fourth-place finish, is he still the unstoppable force we’ve come to know, or is the sailing world catching up to him? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
