His name was Kirt Roberts and this gunslinger had just shot down an entire fleet of would be challengers to the throne of Bermuda's best.

However, this was not a shoot-out contest in the manner nor style of the wild west. There was no old town saloon. There was no dusty corral. And, thankfully, no bloodshed.

Instead it was a battle waged upon the high seas, with the only rounds discharged being that of Roberts' rainbow coloured skater -- nicknamed Bullet -- taking dead aim at the winners' circle of this year's Around the Island Powerboat Race and finding the mark with SWAT-like precision.

Roberts and co-pilot Douglas Davis seized line and Class S honours during yesterday's 34th running of the event, which attracted thousands of landlubbers and seamen alike to Ferry Reach.

Resplendent in black overalls trimmed with red, orange and red stripes and armed with the sleek, 24-foot aerodynamic craft powered by modified twin 2.5 Mercury engines, the pair willed themselves around the Island, including an unforgiving South Shore.

Their time of 43 minutes, 47 seconds was some three minutes off the race record held by Derek Simons, but this mattered little to Roberts or Davis, who were happy to finish and ecstatic to have won.

"We went out to win it and that's what we did, it's been a long time coming,'' said Roberts, who previously captured S Class honours back in 1992, but had never been first across the line.

Still, it was a rough ride, especially the south side, which proved the demise of more than a few racers.

The 36-year-old was challenged most of the route by rival S Class entrant Troy Burgess, as the pair raced side by side, dodging inside and outside of the reef line before Roberts took control near Elbow Beach, staying with the shorter outside line, while Burgess remained closer to the shore.

"North Shore all the way through to Dockyard was relatively calm, but once you got around the point off Dockyard to West Side and so on it was rough, extremely rough,'' explained Roberts.

"A couple of times we nosed dived, we hooked left to right, we did everything but turn the boat over.

"All the while Troy was probably about 100 feet in front of me and then behind, which urged me on and then from Elbow Beach on we took it in our control and after that it was home, sweet home.'' Added Davis: "South Shore was definitely a battle for survival.

"Half the time I wasn't even in the seat because we were completely airborne the entire way down South Shore. It was definitely a rougher ride than previous years I've raced.'' Burgess, who suffered mechanical problems late in the race, still managed to cross the line second in the class and sixth overall in a time of 47.54.

While Roberts thrilled with his performance, almost overshadowed was Patrick Stamper, who once again showed that he is indeed `The Man'.

Stamper captured his fifth consecutive D Class victory and was second overall, laying waste to challenges from Paul Rodrigues, Peter Rans and another former multiple winner Andy Stoneham.

Rather than raw speed, the veteran driver used guile to outwit the field, staying just close enough before unleashing a furious assault along South Shore, while watching rivals falter in his wake.

"The competition did pretty good today, but South Shore makes you or breaks you,'' said a beaming Stamper, simply clad in a white T-shirt, shorts and wide brimmed straw hat.

"I was behind (Paul) Rodrigues up until Ariel Sands, where we got side by side, and then I finally overtook him before Castle Roads, so that was even better, but it was a good run, a really good run.

"He had the power, but again, it was just a matter of reeling them in down South Shore. I knew I could pick them down along South Shore no matter how slow I was going, because you can't go fast down South Shore when it's like it was. You have to pace yourself because you had some big swells out there.'' Stamper, who had Ian Bridges as co-pilot, completed the course in 52.45, with Rodrigues (53.02) second and Peter Rans (58.51) third.

Meanwhile, Guy DeSilva and Brian Smith, winners of line honours a year ago, had to settle for first in Class A only, clocking 1:09.21.

DeSilva was satisfied though, saying it was even better than a year ago.

From the wave of the flag DeSilva seized the lead, a position he would never relinquish as he flashed along North Shore, and battled three to six foot swells on the south side.

"When we left here we were running very well until we hit Pompano and the sea started coming in,'' he said. "It was totally impossible to run hard down South Shore, we tried the inside, we tried the outside, but the groundswells and waves were just too big.

"Still, we held the boat together and made it, that's the main thing. I wanted to go fast, but the waves wouldn't let me.

"I think I'll be back out for next year. My main goal now is to break the record for the A Class.'' Second in the class was Justin Wall (1:11.27) as the other two entries were forced out.

Meanwhile, other winners on the day included Greg Corbet, who was first in Class B in 1:11.02 ahead of Howard Paynter (1:12.43), while Louis Martin (53.17) won Class B on his first attempt in the driver's seat.

Photos by David Skinner NUMBER ONE -- Kirt Roberts and Douglas Davis give the victory salute as they cross the line first during yesterday's Around the Island Race. BELOW -- Patrick Stamper (right) and co-pilot Ian Bridges celebrate yet another triumph in D Class.