Tim Patton saved the best for last during the final day of racing at the Etchells World Championship 2012 in Sydney, Australia at the weekend.The Bermudian sailor placed ninth in the final race of the nine race series to finish 36th in the 74-boat fleet.It was by far his best showing during a week of sailing in testing conditions Down Under.“It was a great week of racing on sometimes very challenging conditions,” he said. “This has been a great learning experience.”The Bermudian Sailing Association (BSA) president was locked in a fierce duel with past Americas Cup and Etchells World Championship winning skipper John Bertrand who finished third overall in the final race contested in shifty conditions.“It was a good way to finish battling it out with John Bertrand for half the race,” Patton said. “We had a good start and went the right way, which sounds easy.”This year marked Patton’s 24th appearance at the Etchells World Championships.That he managed to achieve his goal of a mid-fleet finish was perhaps made all the more impressive by the fact he and crew (Roly-Lenox-King and Andrew Cooper) had very little time to bond after arriving in Sydney on the eve of the start to the world -class regatta.“Crew work was great,” Patton said. “Our boat speed was good, especially downwind.”The veteran skipper, who avoided being penalised on the course all week, finished seventh among the 16 overseas sailors that competed in this year’s Etchell Worlds.Patton’s bets finish at this regatta arrived in 1988 in Perth, Australia where he placed fourth overall.Also competing Down Under last week was Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) skipper Mark Watson.The Newport Bermuda Race veteran and Argo Group CEO finished 47th overall after crossing the finish line in the final race in 46th.Tom King won the regatta, hosted this year by Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, by a comfortable 14-point margin over compatriot Graeme Taylor.