Campbell Patton stood proudly on the podium after producing an outstanding display of sailing at this year’s Laser Youth Easter Regatta that concluded in Italy on Saturday.

Competing in the single-handed Laser 4.7 dinghy, the Warwick Academy student surpassed his own expectations after winning the under-16 boys division and finishing fifth among a fleet of 107-entries.

He finished among the top ten in five of the eight races sailed, with a best showing of second.

“I think it was better than I would have expected or my dad [Tim Patton] would have expected, especially for my first event in the class,” the 14-year-old said. “We don’t even have a Laser 4.7 class in Bermuda.

“A lot of guys I was sailing against in the Optimists were here and I beat an Optimist world champion, which feels pretty good and shows you where you are at. I think the competition was good.”

Patton made the most of the breezy conditions on Lake Garda, where he has also competed at in the Optimist dinghy.

“There is good wind here and the conditions were mostly in my favour,” he said.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club youth sailor demonstrated good boat handling skills and more often than not crossed over at the favoured end of the starting line to get to the fresher breeze on the left side of the racetrack.

“The starts were really a big thing throughout the week,” Patton said. “I had really good starts and was able to come off the line with good speed.

“Basically you have to go to the left side of the course because that’s where the good angle was on the upwind, and in order to do that you had to get a really good start.

“That was really important and I was able to do that well throughout the regatta, which was good for me.”

Guido Gallinaro, of Italy, claimed the overall Laser 4.7 title while Julia Büsselberg, of Germany, was the top female sailor and second overall.

Rounding off the overall top three was another female sailor, Laila Van Der Meer, of Holland.