the Etchells World Championships sprung back to life after two days of inactivity due to heavy winds.

However, sailors were greeted by 18-20 knot southeasterly winds prior to the morning heat, and many felt conditions were still too choppy to race.

Patton's yacht Morning Glory finished 45th out of 69 finishers in the inaugural run -- the third heat of the competition -- and in the afternoon session improved slightly by taking 40th spot out of 59 yachts that completed the race.

That places Patton at 42nd overall going into the final heats today and tomorrow in Brisbane, Australia.

Contacted from his hotel room yesterday, Patton complained of confusion at the start of the third heat because organisers first decided not to let racers out of the harbour because of the windy conditions, but suddenly changed their minds and signalled the start of the race.

"We were three minutes late for the start because of the confusion surrounding the sequence,'' said Patton, who noted that he could benefit from protests lodged following both heats.

Patton's bad luck continued before the fourth heat when he was two minutes late getting started.

"I always seem to have trouble with that start and pre-start stuff,'' he lamented. "It's a personal weak point for me.'' Even though it has been a trying week for Patton -- he has endured everything from race cancellations to premature start calls and even a boat crash -- the Bermuda yachtsman remains upbeat about his showing so far.

"If we started from where we should have yesterday, you'd see us in a much higher position this morning,'' he said. "One of my other problems has been handling a boat in such a big fleet. We just don't get that in Bermuda.

"But we've been sailing fine and I'm not at all embarrassed.'' Australia's leading yachtsmen hold the lead in what has been described in the local media as "the toughest regatta anywhere in the world this year,'' said Patton.

Sydney skipper Ian Brown, aboard Golden Parachute , led the fleet for the entire course to claim the third heat while Colin Beashel, also of Australia, won the fourth heat with his yacht, The Boat .

Overall, the Australians have locked up the first seven places after four heats with Beashel in first and Brown second followed by John Bertrand as the top three.

US skipper Dennis Connor pushed his way into eighth place after finishing a strong fourth in the fourth heat.

Patton now has his eyes on a 20th-place finish by the time the competition wraps up tomorrow and is buoyed by forecasts of good sailing conditions this morning.

"That would be our best hope,'' he said. "And we (including crew Brian Hillier and Nick Kingsmill) would be very happy with that, especially if you take a look at some of the people competing around here.

"But we'll have to get away with a clean start, and if we get with the front batch of boats, then we'll stay there.'' And if not? "Then I'll have a great Thai dinner tonight, no matter what.''