MARSEILLE – Singaporean kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder inched closer towards his medal bid at the Paris Olympics after securing his spot in the men’s Formula Kite final on Aug 8.

With weak winds resulting in the cancellation of the fourth day of racing on Aug 7, the top two in the current standings have qualified directly for the final.

Maximilian was second on 15 net points, with Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek leading the fleet of 20 sailors with 12 net points.

As the leader, Vodisek enters the final with two match points, which means the 24-year-old needs just one victory under the first-to-three format to take the title.

Maximilian, who carries over one match point after qualifying second, will need to win two races on Aug 8 to clinch gold.

Organisers are expected to give an update on the status of the semi-finals, which were supposed to see the third- to 10th-placed kiters vying for the remaining two spots for the final.

Light winds at the Marseille Marina have caused delays and limited racing, making things challenging since the kitefoiling competition started on Aug 4.

On Aug 7, racing took place briefly before being abandoned due to weakening winds. Organisers then decided to call off the other races.

Despite retaining his world title in May and sweeping all the trophies on offer so far this season, Maximilian had previously cautioned against complacency, noting that his competitors were also training hard in preparation for kitefoiling’s debut at the Olympics.

In Marseille, the 17-year-old acknowledged that the level of competition had increased, saying: “It’s difficult to put into perspective but perhaps at the world champs people weren’t as tuned in or prepared, the conditions were different.

“Personally, I believe this is a higher-level event, simply because of how well people have prepared for it and how much is at stake. So obviously, the general standard is higher.” 

Riccardo Pianosi, a silver medallist at the 2024 world championships in Hyeres, also highlighted the strength of the fleet.

While he recognised Maximilian’s skill, the 19-year-old believes that it is anyone’s title.

He said ahead of the Aug 7 race: “He (Max) is a strong competitor as are the other guys. We are in the top 10, we are at a very high level and I think anyone in the top 10 can be on the podium. Max is a good level but the Olympics are another reg...