Watching a kiteboarder put sail to the wind and slice through—and often well above—the water off the coast of California or Hawaii, Spain or Brazil, it's easy to be dazzled by the grace and speed on ...

Sailors rely on wind. Surfers need waves. The best kiteboarders require both. The original concoction of Dominique and Bruno Legaignoux, two young French sailing champions, the first inflatable kite ...