Allianz Sailing World Championships 2023: Ones to Watch - Formula Kite

Men’s Kiteboarding – Formula Kite

The Men’s Formula Kite competition is likely to come down to a battle between the teenagers and the ‘old men’ of the class in their early to mid-twenties.

Such is the mature approach to his campaign, it is easy to forget that Max Maeder (SGP) is just 16 years old. He carries the hopes of all Singaporeans to bring back a medal – quite possibly the gold – from Paris 2024, such has been his consistency over the past two seasons.

Beating Maeder to the world title last year was Toni Vodisek (SLO) who is not as consistent but devastatingly quick on the right day. Others in the mix include Connor Bainbridge (GBR) and Denis Taradin (CYP), along with some potent Italians such as Lorenzo Boschetti and Riccardo Pianosi.

However, the strongest national squad is the French team who look very at home on the Olympic waters of Marseille. For a while the rest of the world was catching up and overtaking the French, but recent victories by Axel Mazella suggest he is back to his very best.

Gold medals at Hyeres Olympic Week in France, the Allianz Regatta World Cup in the Netherlands and the Paris 2024 Test Event in Marseille make Mazella the most likely pick for representing France on home waters at next year’s Games.

Women’s Kiteboarding – Formula Kite

The USA has struggled to win medals in Olympic sailing for more than 20 years but in Daniela Moroz (USA) there is real cause for American optimism.

The 22-year-old has won six world titles as well as pretty much every competition she had entered up until the middle of 2022.

Since then, Moroz has lost out a few times to other riders, most notably Lauriane Nolot (FRA). Taller and heavier than Moroz, the French rider has better straight-line speed upwind compared with her American friend and rival, and this rivalry is shaping up to be one of the most eagerly anticipated contests of Paris 2024.

While Nolot failed to match Moroz’s big wave consistency at the World Championships in Sardinia last October, 2023 has gone very well indeed for the French rider.

She has won gold at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma, Hyeres Olympic Regatta in France and the Paris 2024 Test Event in Marseille.

Taking silver in Marseille was Ellie Aldridge (GBR) who has often played third fiddle to Nolot and Moroz but who came out ahead of the American who finished in bronze.

These three are looking the most likely for the Olympic podium next year although Nolot and Aldridge have some stiff home competition to overcome in their national selection trials.

Poema Newland and Jessie Kampman are the main threats to Nolot in the French squad, and Aldridge will have to beat the rest of a strong British squad which includes Maddie Anderson and former Nacra 17 World Champion Katie Dabson.