With just one British boat able to represent Team GB in each individual discipline at the Rio Olympic Games, Patience knows that every race from now on will count towards his dream of reaching Brazil and winning an Olympic gold.

After claiming silver at the London 2012 Olympics, Patience is set to compete alongside Elliot Willis and knows the race to Rio gathers significant momentum at September’s World Championships in Santander — a regatta where all Rio classes will be represented.

Patience and Willis only joined forces earlier this year but are already ranked as Britain’s number one team and number three in the world and the sailor from Rhu believes they are on course to claim Olympic gold.

After racing round the Isle of Wight Patience said: “We’ve known each other for years and we’ve actually hit the ground running. We’re Britain’s number one and I think we’re ranked three in the world and we’ve just started.

“So we’re really up and running now but there’s plenty work to do; two years worth of hard, hard work.

“But I can honestly stand here and say that I’m confident we can arrive on the start line for the Olympic Games and be a team that can bring home a gold medal.” While Patience will return to serious training for the upcoming World Championships Patience admitted his weekend sailing against amateurs at the J.P Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race had been a welcomed change of pace.

The J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race is one of the largest participation sporting events in the UK and the largest yacht race of its kind in the world. Organised by the Island Sailing Club in Cowes, it is dubbed ‘Britain’s favourite yacht race’, regularly attracting around 1,500 boats and 16,000 competitors Normally Patience races in the 470 fleet alongside just Willis but being part of an extended crew had been an enjoyable experience, he said: “It’s my first RTI race, I’ve never done it before and it’s really cool to be here.

“The atmosphere is amazing, I’ve never even been here as a spectator so it’s great to be here now.

“I really like it, it’s good British stuff and it’s a great event to finally be a part of.

“We’re mid season at the minute, this is something that comes at a nice time and I’ve been lucky enough that team Volvo invited us over and we get the chance to do it.

“It’s just a really nice thing to do and it’s an aside from all the Olympic stuff.

“We’re in 2014 now, we’re mid-season, mid-competition, we’re all going every week so it’s cool to come and experience it.

“Even to just say I’ve done it is great because it’s such an historical part of our sport and one of the largest sporting events in the world.

“All the boats on the water at the start will just paint the water with sails and its funny when you think about it because it’s ordered chaos.

“There’s no room but somehow everyone manages to get around and no one gets hurt.

“There’s a great inclusivity about the event and what we do is so business-like day in day out; there’s targets to hit and it’s filled with expectation and pressure.

“I appreciate it for what it is and I love doing it but there are moments where you forget that there’s an element of fun.

“So it’s coming and doing things like this weekend which is a great way to fuel that side.”