The Frenchman crossed first in each of the opening two races before placing seventh in the third race.

He holds a slender one point advantage over team-mate Nico Parlier, who finished second in two races before a sixth place in the third today.

Great Britain's Guy Bridge also started well after his second place finish last year.

He registered two second place finishes and a third to join Parlier on 10 points.

Defending champion Maxime Noche lies fourth, a further two points back.

The 10-time kiteboarding world champion, who is registered as competing for Monaco rather than France, endured a frustrating start after finishing fourth and seventh in his first two races.

A victory in the third race showed he remains in contention. 

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.