In the initial race that opened the finals yesterday, Austrian Valentin Bontus led ahead of Singapore’s Maximillian Maeder and Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi, respectively. The fourth finalist, Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek, who was then leading the overall standings, was penalised with 0.6 points for arriving late to the qualifying area before the race began.

With this background and the remaining races ahead, the kiteboarding final for the four finalists began today. A delay of more than 3 hours again influenced the course of the race. It was after the third race that Paris’ champion, Austrian Valentin Bontus, was determined, followed by Slovenian Toni Vodisek and Singaporean Max Maeder. The latter, at just 17 years old, became the youngest Olympic sailing medallist since 1952, when American Michael Schoettle won a medal at the age of 15.

The Austrian rider dealt with delays after the action was cancelled yesterday due to time constraints. However, he kept his composure to put on a show in his iconic white suit. Both Bontus and Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi had to navigate the Semi-Finals after finishing third and fourth in the Opening Series, but quickly qualified to join Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek and Singapore’s Max Maeder in the Final.

Vodisek only needed one win to secure gold, but it was Bontus who took the first race, continuing his red-hot form from the Semi-Finals. He seemed set to surge until racing was postponed. The wait did little to deter Bontus, as he returned to the water on Friday and won his second race in the Final, after choosing a different line from the other riders early in the race.

Bontus pumped his arms in celebration as he crossed the line and then refocused for the crucial next race. While Vodisek crashed and Maeder struggled for pace, Bontus powered on and outduelled Pianosi to cross the line first and secure Austria’s second sailing gold of Paris 2024.

Following the victory, Bontus shared his thoughts. "I stayed calm, did the same thing I did in the Semi-Final and managed to pull it off three times in a row. I’m stoked to have shared the race course with these three legends, and walking away with the gold medal is quite insane. I felt good over the last two days, felt strong and knew my speed was there. I just had to get off the start line and keep my speed, and I did that. I had some songs in my head that came and went in waves, and I tried to stay calm with those."

For his part, Vodisek said, "The nerves were getting to me. Everything was just a little bit heavy on the shoulders and it stopped me from performing at 100%. Everything was still open right until the very last moment, and for that, hats off to Mr Valentin Bontus. He did really amazing; I’m very proud of him, and I can’t wait for him to come back to LA 2028 so I can beat him." Maeder also took a moment to remember his country. "I’m overwhelmed by the support; it’s absolutely phenomenal, and Happy Birthday Singapore. This medal is for you; it’s a monumental day for Singapore."