Campbell Patton will be looking to make one final push for glory at the US Laser National Championships that conclude in Houston, Texas, today.

The promising sailor, who competes under the banner of both the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and Sandys Boat Club, sits in third among the 38 sailors competing in the Laser Radial gold fleet.

Patton kept himself thick in the hunt for honours after coming back ashore with a 3-7-3 record from yesterday’s three races contested in light and shifty breezes on Galveston Bay. He trails leader Ricky Welch by seven points and second placed Marcus Huttunen by four going into today’s final day.

Patton has managed six top-three finishes to date, including two firsts during the qualifying phase of the four-day regatta being hosted by the Houston Yacht Club. He is one of two RBYC youth sailors competing on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Also holding their own at the regatta is Benn Smith, who is seventh in the 35-boat fleet competing in the full Laser rig. Smith has seven top-ten finishes in the nine races, including a first in the fourth race.

Malcolm Lamphere leads the full Laser fleet by three points over nearest rival Marek Zaleski. Leo Boucher sits in third, a further ten points adrift.

After the championships finish, Smith will travel to Long Beach, California, to begin preparations for the Laser North American Championships held from July 12 to 15. The championships, hosted by the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, will serve as the country qualifier for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. The top seven countries not previously qualified in the full Laser rig (men) and Laser Radial (women) will secure qualification.