In his voice, which is not suppressed, there is joy, but also a lot of relief. It’s noon in Qatar on Wednesday, but Maxime Chabloz hasn’t just gotten up after a night of drunkenness. “With my girlfriend and my friend, we were quite good,” he laughs on the line. With all these emotions, we were exhausted, as is often the case after a competition. But we will try to make up for it during the week.”
He had dreamed of it since he discovered kitesurfing, thanks to his father, at the age of 7. Tuesday, sixteen years later and after several attempts crowned with disappointments (3rd in 2023), the Nidwaldo-Vaudois – he was born in Aigle, but grew up in Beckenried, a small village located at the foot of the Klewenalp – became champion of the world for the first time.
On Fuwairit beach, one of the most beautiful in Qatar, Maxime Chabloz played for the title against Frenchman Arthur Guillebert. “There were four of us, but I only looked at him,” he explains. I beat him on the penultimate jump and when those close to me showed me that I was crowned world champion, I was overwhelmed by emotion.”
Triple world kitesurfing champion among juniors (2016, 2017, 2019), Maxime Chabloz went to Brazil for three months at the age of 15 to experience the beginning of his dream. He finished it off with fireworks this week. “I dreamed of this moment, of being the best,” he continues. It was the ultimate goal of my career, of my life, I want to say. It’s a unique feeling because it’s a very long-term job. All the sacrifices, the defeats, the hours of training: all that is behind me.”
In French-speaking Switzerland, Maxime Chabloz has become famous in recent years for his exploits on skis. For his first season on the Freeride World Tour, in 2022, he tamed the Bec des Rosses in spectacular fashion to win the Verbier Xtreme and the world title. Not bad for a rookie. “Everything happened very quickly in a discipline that I discovered when I was only 17,” he continues. I remember that after this title, my approach changed on the snow. I wanted to please myself above all, and not just the judges. I am very much looking forward to discovering this sensation in kiting in a few months.”
Starting next week, Maxime Chabloz will switch back to skiing and the Freeride World Tour, since the season will kick off in Spain in a month. “There are currently discussions for freeride to one day become Olympic,” he recalls. That would be interesting for a next chapter.” At 23 years old, this ultra-versatile champion may only be at the very beginning of his book.
