Max Maeder will be serving curry puffs tomorrow for winning award

Curry puffs will be served with yet another chunk of history for Maximilian Maeder, who became the first Singaporean to be named the male Young World Sailor of the Year.

Looking sharp in a black suit, white shirt and silver tie, the 18-year-old kitefoiler received the award from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong at the World Sailing Awards at Chijmes Hall on Nov 5.

This award caps a brilliant year in which he won an Olympic bronze at Paris 2024 and nine other titles, including the world, European and Asian championships.

After a red-hot season, Maeder thanked everyone who has played a part in his success, and said: “It’s like pouring gasoline on a fire, it invigorates me, it inspires me to share, to bring joy, to connect and to be able to live and make a positive impact. I’m phenomenally happy and I’m grateful World Sailing is promoting youths of sailing.”

For his latest accolade, which recognises the achievements of sailors under 21, Maeder had to fend off challenges from Italy’s mixed dinghy world youth champion Vittorio Bonifacio, Australia’s iQFoil Olympic silver medallist Grae Morris and Denmark’s Magnus Overbeck, who won the SailGP Inspire season and the international title at the 2024 Waszp Games.

The Young World Sailor of the Year awards are new accolades which celebrate sailing’s rising stars as part of the World Sailing Awards that were launched in 1994.

Poland’s Ewa Lewandowska, who won the mixed 29er world championship with Krzysztof Krolik, was named the female Young World Sailor of the Year.

The other honours handed out include the male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year, and Team of the Year awards.

Spain’s 49er Olympic and SailGP champions Diego Botin and Florian Trittel won the male World Sailor of the Year, while Dutchwoman Marit Bouwmeester, the Paris 2024 women’s laser radial gold medallist, was the female World Sailor of the Year.

Italy’s Nacra 17 Olympic champions Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti were the Team of the Year.

Public voting made up 50 per cent of the final decision for the winners, with the other half from World Sailing’s expert panels.

Maeder, whose national service has been deferred until Aug 31, 2028 to allow him to prepare for a gold-medal tilt at the Los Angeles Olympics in less than four years, said he did not feel any nerves because he did not view the event as competition, although he was elated to win his award on home soil.

After he collected a $250,000 cheque for his Olympic bronze at the Singapore National Olympic Council’s Major Games Award Programme presentation on Oct 23, Maeder had promised to work at a curry puff stall for a day if he won the Young World Sailor of the Year award.

And he will duly keep his promise before returning to his main job and head to Perth for a training camp in mid-November.

Maeder revealed that he will be serving curry puffs at Soon Soon Huat in East Coast on Nov 7, saying: “I’m a man of my word... I’ll be there as early as I can, and as long as I can.

“They have some very, very good curry puffs and I’ve enjoyed it every time I’m there so I had to pick that one.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get my food hygiene certificate in time (to make the curry puffs), but I do get to serve them to customers, and thank everyone for their support.”

Singapore Sailing Federation president Lincoln Chee congratulated Maeder on another unprecedented achievement for a local sailor, adding: “He has had an outstanding season.

“More importantly, he represents the qualities our federation likes to see in our champions: Technical and physical excellence, character, sportsmanship and connectedness with the country and community.

“Bravo Max, this award is well deserved and Singapore is proud of you.”

In 2023, Maeder became the first Singaporean nominated for Male Sailor of the Year at the world body’s annual awards, following a monumental year that saw him become the youngest world champion in any Olympic sailing class competition.

The accolade eventually went to Tom Slingsby for a third time, after he guided Australia to a third consecutive SailGP title.