Parlier duly leapfrogged fellow Frenchman Axel Mazella and assumed a comfortable five point lead in the overall standings.

It came after an exhibition in top class kitefoil sailing in tough conditions.

Parlier now lies on just seven points - once his discarded worse result is removed - and has only once finished outside the top two in six races.

Mazella remains in contention after following two second places with a sixth position today to score 12 overall.

Defending champion Maxime Nocher, now representing Monaco, lies third on 14 points after three successive third places today.

British teenager Guy Bridge slipped to fourth, on 19 points.

Action is due to continue until a final day of competition on Sunday (October 8). 

Kiteboarding is an extreme sport which combines wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding and gymnastics.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed last year between the International Kiteboarding Association, World Sailing and the Global Kitesports Association to achieve a new governance structure for the discipline.