Kiteboard Racing: Real Deal Or Cheap Thrills?

I don't really know what to make of kiteboard course racing, but I do know that kiteboarding is taking over the world and has kicked in the Olympic door.

But the world's best kiteboarders are in Cagliari, Sardinia right now, at the Course Racing World Championship, so we get a chance to see what it all looks like. Here's the promo:

My initial impression: style (speed) over substance (tacitics). But what do I know? So here's a summary of the

Day 1 racing action. Decide for yourself:

As a bonus, since we are talking about sailing disciplines that emphasize thrills over chess, here is a quick look at Loick Peyron raising the heart rates of his crew at the America's Cup World Series in San Francisco: