Stopping is a factor of friction. Friction produces heat. Heat in almost all cases causes excessive wear. Heat is dissipated by surface area, air flow and time. In the extreme case of coasting to a stop wear would be zero wear. As the time shortens it is logical to assume wear will go up.

If the goal is to race the longer you go fast the quicker you stop the faster you will complete a course of mixed stopping and going. If your goal is to save resources and be safe I would say anticipation combined with slow stopping would best do the job. I have read on long downhill’s the method to best manage controlled speed and heat would be to alternate front and rear brakes. That also sounds right to me.

Just my opinion and I could be wrong.