Hi Bill

Do you prefer sitting cross leg facing forward while driving downwind?

no not actually ;-)
In this picture we were just sailing towards the spectators boat (thats were the picture was made from) and had allot of boats around us. so i guess the reason for the unusual position was to have a better view at the other boats around us.
Normally I sit on the hull, in rough conditions one leg goes to the daggerboard, to prevent forward motion and i hold my self with my outer hand on the beam.