High waves prevented Adriana Penruddocke and Campbell Patton from building on their fine starts to the Pan American Games yesterday.

Choppy conditions meant no sailing took place on the scheduled second day of competition, with the reserve day on Tuesday now coming into play.

The lull in the regatta may not have suited Penruddocke and Patton, who a day earlier put themselves in good position for an Olympic Games qualifying spot after the first day of action in Algorrobo, Chile.

Penruddocke knows a place at Paris 2024 is up for grabs at this regatta if she beats all of the North American region bar the United States and Canada, who have already qualified for the biggest Games of them all.

After day one Penruddocke is doing exactly that, sitting in seventh position and ahead of all her regional competition after a couple of decent performances in 10 to 14-knot winds on Saturday.

The young sailor finished ninth in the first race and seventh in the second race in the ILCA 7 class to leave her on 16 points after day one, 13 points behind leader Erika Reineke of the United States, but crucially three points ahead of nearest Olympic hopefuls Mexico.

Patton also performed well in testing conditions and sits seventh of 22 in the ILCA 6 class after finishing sixth and seventh in his two races. His 13 points leaves him nine behind leader Pedro Luiz Fernando Gamboa, of Puerto Rico, but just four points behind bronze-medal position.

Penruddocke and Patton will be hoping to get back in the water today, when they will compete in three races weather permitting.