no it is not faster - no where near, because you have to work your way up to the top left. The level was originally designed as a figure of wight, I think - going left, then dropping down the "D" to go up the right side and over the top for the last flag on the "S" - but trust me... going right and over the top is WAY faster.
The level is actually funner if you go left first. The finish flag used to be right where the flag is on top of the S until right before putting it in Old School. We decided to give a right first option. I kind of wish in looking back on it that we kept it the way it was. Oh well.
But Lee is right, going right is way faster. Plus if you look at the replay again, Kristopher moved the starting point which makes it appear faster.