Singapore kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder’s Olympic final postponed after one race contested

MARSEILLE: Singapore world champion kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder will have to wait longer in his bid for an Olympic medal, after the men’s final was postponed on Thursday (Aug 8).

The 17-year-old finished second in the day’s first and only race, out of a possible six. The remaining races were then delayed to Friday, due to lack of wind.

Austria’s Valentin Bontus took top spot in that one race, while Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi finished third and overall race leader Toni Vodisek was fourth.

Maeder had automatically advanced to the final after finishing second overall in the opening series.

In the final, competitors need three race wins to secure gold.

However Vodisek, who topped the opening series, had the advantage of beginning with two race wins and only needed one more to take gold.

Maeder started the final with one race win and needed two more victories to take gold, while Bontus and Pianosi, as winning semi-finalists, needed three race wins each.

The result on Thursday means that Vodisek still leads while Maeder and Bontus are now tied on one race win.

Maeder had successfully defended his kitefoiling world title in May.

Prior to the Olympics, the youngster also won five events in a row, including the Asian Games and European Championships.

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