S'pore kitefoiler Max Maeder ranks 2nd after 7 races, moves on to Grand Finals for medal fight

It's day four of the Olympics Men's Kite event, and Singapore's Max Maeder finished second overall, securing his spot in the Grand Finals.

Maeder only raced seven races as the rest of the races were cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

The teenager will compete in the Grand Finals on Aug. 8 for a chance to win a medal in his Olympic debut.

The 17-year-old had previously won the world championship twice and won a gold medal in the Men's Kite event at the 2023 Asian Games.

How does kitefoiling work?

The Olympics website broke down kite foiling as a sport that combines paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding.

Athletes will reach speeds upwards of 45 knots, about 82km/h.

Kitefoilers compete in 16 races in the opening series, where they are given points each round.

A lower total score means a better overall placement.

The first and second-ranked boats of the opening series for men's kite will progress directly to the final on Aug. 8.

Boats ranked third to tenth will progress to the semi-finals, where they will be split into two groups based on their standing.

The winner of each semi-final will advance to the finals.

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Top photo via Jeremy Lee/SportSG