Max Maeder charts course for Paris 2024 after missing out on World Sailor of the Year award

SINGAPORE: Although Maximillian Maeder missed out on the prestigious Rolex Sailor of the Year Award, he remains a champion in the eyes of many, not only within the sailing community but also across the broader sporting landscape. Australian sailor Tom Slingsby clinched the coveted award for the third time in his career. The 2012 Olympic Games gold medallist previously claimed the Sailor of the Year award in 2010 and 2021, solidifying his position as one of the sport’s most decorated athletes.

In a video shown by the World Sailing during the award ceremony, Maeder said, “It came out of the blue (the nomination), and I guess I immediately thought wow what a rare chance to have. A rare opportunity and I hope that I could bring pride, and a sense of achievement to not only myself and family, but my nation, and the Sailing Federation. To help sailing grow in Singapore, and I guess it was such a pleasant surprise to me.”

The Sailor of The Year award was announced in Malaga, Spain, on Nov 14, with the winners decided by a panel of experts and a public vote. World Sailing revealed fewer than 20 votes separated Slingsby from his nearest competitor. The other competitors in the male category are Charlie Enright (USA) and Dutch pairing of Bart Lambriex and Floris van de Werken. South African Kirsten Neuschäfer was named the female World Sailor of the Year for her outstanding accomplishments, as she became the first woman to finish first in the solo Golden Globe Race, a journey around the world without relying on any modern technology.

“To our young hero, Max Maeder, you are already a true Champion to stand alongside these sailing giants. We look forward to you charting history for yourself and maximizing your true potential and talent as a world-class athlete. Rest assured we will be right behind you for your upcoming campaign – Paris 2024!” said the Singapore Sailing Federation in a Facebook post.

Maeder had an illustrious year, winning the Asian Games Formula Kite gold medal event in September before he went on to clinch the top spot in the opening two series in the Kitefoil World Series earlier this month in Austria and then in Sardinia, Italy. He currently leads the leaderboard with 600 points, ahead of second-placed Denis Taradin of Cyprus on 585 points. Martin Dolenc (Croatia) is in third spot with 579 points, followed closely by Florian Gruber (Germany) on 576 points. The Kitefoil World Series will resume with the third leg in Zhuhai, China, from Nov 29 to Dec 3.

Prior to the Asian Games, the 17-year-old won his third consecutive Formula Kite Youth World Championships title in July. A month later, the Singaporean sailor became the youngest winner in any Olympic sailing class of a world championship. He won the Formula Kite World Championships in August in The Hague, Netherlands, earning him a spot in next year’s Paris Olympics. It is reported that the Sailing Federation’s head of high performance and coaching, Chung Pei Ming, is working closely with the relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Ministry of Defence, to ensure that Maeder’s National Service obligations can coexist with his Olympic dreams next year.