PUBLISHED ONMay 17, 2026 2:23 AMBYKhoo Yi-HangSingapore's Maximilian Maeder has reclaimed his kitefoiling world title on Saturday (May 16) after clinching gold at the Formula Kite World Championships (FKWC) in Viana do Castelo in Portugal.
This is Maeder's third win in the FKWC, having won in both 2023 and 2024.
Maeder's streak was broken in 2025 after Italian kitefoiler Ricardo Pianosi took first place that year, with Maeder finishing in second place.
This year, Switzerland's Gian Stragiotti came in second, while Austria's Valentin Bontus came in third.
"Wow, what a finals," Maeder said in an Instagram video on Saturday.
"It was amazing, I feel so good... I was so lucky I made it, hats off to my competitors for pushing me so hard... the whole week was amazing and obviously you can see that I'm in tears. It's simply fantastic."
He also praised his team after the race, stating that he's a "fortunate person" and that he's been trying his best to make the most out of it, CNA reported.
"And the others, I'm sure they'll catch up very soon, so I'll have to stay on my toes as my coach always says."
Maeder's win comes after four days of the FKWC's opening series, which saw him take first place in all days except for the first, where he lost the lead to Stragiotti.
He automatically qualified for the Saturday race due to his performance, CNA reported.
The win at the FKWC comes hot on the heels of his victories at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia and the Formula Kite title at the French Olympic Week last month.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
