well, in a nutshell, if all racing in the entire world was COMPLETELY about speed nobody would be racing sailboats anyway.

It's also the same reason I get enjoyment out of racing a 6 knot **** box J22 - it's definitely NOT about speed. It's about challenge. It's about using your skill and body to beat the other guy who also happens to be racing the same craft with the same identical limitations.

No, popping wheelies isn't the fastest way to get around the race course...clearly. But given the fact that it's so wildly photographed, that alone means that people see it as an exciting aspect of the N17 - photographers capture it and people like to see it...all of that is good for the sport, good for multihulls, and good for the N17.