Campbell Patton is feeling inspired after starting his year against some of the world’s elite at the Oceania and Australian ILCA Open and Youth Championships.

The Bermudian sailor finished an impressive eleventh among the formidable 40-strong ILCA 7 fleet, which featured two-times Olympic champion and regatta winner Matt Wearn, to get his 2028 Olympic campaign off on the front foot.

Patton, who represented Bermuda at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, posted seven top-ten finishes in the 12-race series, with a best finish of second in the fifth race.

“It was a good start to the year in a great mix of conditions,” he told The Royal Gazette. “I continued to excel in the light air.

“Not my best showing at the Australia nationals because last year I was eighth, but there were a few more internationals there this time.”

The 24-year-old now hopes to build on his recent showing at future world-class regattas as he sets his sights on representing Bermuda at the next Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I’m still looking to qualify for the LA 2028 Olympics and the campaign is looking good,” he said.

“I have four big international events coming up this year: French Olympic week, Kiel week in Germany and LA Olympic classes regatta. All three of these are World Cup level regattas and the World Championships in Dublin,” he said.

The son of multiple national Etchells champion Tim Patton was high on confidence heading into last week’s national championships after being crowned New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory State Championships for the fourth time.

He resides in Sydney and credits the progress that he has made in the single-handed Olympic class dinghy lately to his training.

“Training with the Australians is a real asset to me,” Patton said. “It helps push me to improve and I am hoping to take part in more training camps with them this year.”