Here is a diagram of ridge lift from a glider site. Given how rare this is for kiters and common for soaring gliders, I suspect there is more to grabbing a strong area of lift or standing pressure wave than readily comes to mind.
From: [
http://www.drjack.info/INFO/DELMONTE/toc.page.html
When gliders drift downwind out of the area or lift, they slip into areas of wind shadow induced turbulence or rotor. They sink out there and come to earth sometimes hard. You can see this in both video clips. Soaring gliders work hard to not drift out of the lift band and into the area of rotor. If they do damaged gear and injury can easily result.