"Was this record confirmed on the RETURN trip within say 15 minutes ?"
No, it wasn`t. Neither is this a requirement in the rules for a record to be ratified, so what exactly is the point of that question, Wouter ? Did Hydroptere sail back upwind at the same speed that they managed 52knots on GPS ?

I`d have to disagree here. I think that the technology developed for a boat such as Hydroptere will make far less impact on "the science refined back into everyday sailing". If that were the case we would see a lot more folks sailing Windriders and Hobie Trifoilers, but we don`t.
In contrast to this, the kites being used are available off-the shelf from the manufacturers through dealers - or if they are prototype kites they will use that technology in next year`s kites which will be available for sale to the ordinary kitesurfer - how many of us can buy Hydroptere ?
This was proven by Rob Douglas at the beginning of the Luderitz event - he was an "unknown" contestant with 4 months of speedsailing training, and broke the windsurfer`s record, showing that the kites have massive potential.

Yes, undeniably you have to have flat water with ideal wind conditions and direction, this has been the case ever since speedsailing began, it makes no sense to try and break the landspeed record on a motocross track, why try speedsailing on lumpy water ? Each craft has their own special requirement, no-one complained when Yellow Pages took the record from windsurfers at Sandy Point, a shallow, flatwater venue.
I think that all the craft that are trying for the record are awesome in their own right - Sailrocket, Hydroptere, the windsurfers and the kiters, all for their own reasons.
Being an average person with an average income, I kind of like the idea that the equipment required costs a few thousand dollars, and not a few million. It makes it accessible to almost anyone who aspires to and has the courage to want to be the fastest.