MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) - Driving a racing car while playing chess is how Singapore's Max Maeder sums up "flying" on a foiling kiteboard at speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour in Olympic sailing's newest event.
The sport's 17-year-old world champion hopes he is "among the people who would more likely make it into the medal series than not" given his recent performances, but cautions "a lot can happen" in the fast and furious Formula Kite.
"I don't see the couple of events as putting on pressure, but more as proof of concept," he told Reuters in Marseille, where the kites are billed as the fastest sport of the Games.
"I'm competing for Singapore which is so wonderfully supportive of their athletes. They want to build a sporting culture and you feel that," said Maeder, whose mother is from Singapore, where he was born, and whose father is Swiss.
Foiling carries risks, said Maeder, but there have not been many "major incidents" among kiters, who wear helmets and goggles as part of their kit and try hard to avoid crashes.
"If I had been skateboarding for the amount of time I have been kiting I would probably have injured myself more," said Maeder, a confident speaker who picks his words carefully.
Maeder, who learned kiteboarding at his parents' dive resort in Sulawesi, Indonesia, said he has been able to build his lifestyle around something he loves doing.
"Otherwise, I'm your average teenager, I like to listen to music, play video games and I enjoy chess, scroll social media, hang out with friends, you name it..." he added.
"I enjoy classical (music) and 'oldies but goodies'. I've been listening to the Bee Gees a lot lately," said Maeder.
PUZZLE
Maeder feels a strong camaraderie among the group who travel the world competing in major kite competitions.
His training partner is Croatia's Martin Dolenc, who is also taking part and whose father Jonny coaches both kiters.
Weighing in at around 94 kilogrammes, Maeder says kiters cannot be "too light" if they are going to compete at the top, with riders ranging from around 80 to 110 kg.
"You are going to eat healthily, but in generous amounts, and you are going to train mainly your legs," he said.
As for his favourite food, what Maeder craves in France is a "classic Singaporean chicken curry", something he hoped his mother might cook when his parents joined him.
"I love to compete. I love doing well and I love improving just as much as anyone else. Perhaps I've caught a stroke of luck once or twice more than others, but in the end we are all in this sport together," said Maeder.
"I don't think I see myself as an ambassador of the sport. If I have a chance to inspire I'll gladly go the distance to do that," he added of his role in the sport.
And how does Maeder prepare mentally?
Among the online chess community, he says, players tackle puzzles which get harder as you do better.
"My superstition is that if I do well at the puzzles then the race goes well," he said.
"It's a good way to pass the time, better than scrolling social media, but the superstition plays like: 'if I do badly I'm going to be nervous on the water'," said Maeder.
"Maybe I should see what my fate will be without the superstition," Maeder added, laughing.
(Reporting by Alexander Smith; Editing by Ros Russell)
