Ben Paton, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sailing coach, did his chances of a top-ten finish at the Yannmar International Moth World Championships in Japan no harm yesterday.

The British sailor overcame strong winds and tall seas to post an impressive 6-5-8 record on a day plagued by capsizes and breakages out on the racecourse.

After nine races and one discard, Paton sits in sixth spot among the 66-boat racing fleet boasting America’s Cup sailors, Olympic gold medal winners and world champions.

He has four top-five finishes under his belt with a best finish of third in the third race.

Paton impressed in December’s inaugural Amlin International Moth Regatta in the Great Sound, placing seventh among a star-studded fleet of 55-boats.

Yesterday, the lead swapped hands for the third time this week as British sailor Paul Goodison replaced compatriot Chris Rashley at the top.

Goodison, the Artemis Racing helmsman, Olympic gold medal-winner and world champion, coped the best in the challenging conditions to post a superb 1-1-3 record on the day.

European and UK Moth champion Rashley, who celebrated his 27th birthday in Bermuda last year, managed a 3-2-2 record on the third day of the championships, which left him in second a point adrift of the leader.

Maintaining third spot a further six-points off the lead was Scott Sabbage, of Australia, who finished yesterday’s racing with a bang after posting a second bullet of the championships.

Day one leader Robert Greenhalgh jumped five-places on the leaderboard from 16th to 11th after returning ashore with a 5-3-6 record on the day.

Greenhalgh, the inaugural Amlin International Moth Regatta champion, surrendered the lead on day two in Japan after retiring from the fourth race with damaged rigging which also kept the British sailor out of the next race.

Those whose boats have suffered damage over the past three days will get a chance to make repairs during today’s lay day before racing resumes tomorrow with winds expected to diminish.

Sailors will be allowed to make a second drop after the tenth of a scheduled 15 races.

More than 70 sailors from 13 countries are competing at the Yanmar International Moth World Championships being held from May 21 to 29, with all racing taking place in Hayama, the sailing venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.