DESPITE the tragic death of one member and the injuries suffered by three other competitors in last weekend's annual Round the Island Race, the Bermuda Power Boat Association is to go ahead with this Sunday's meet.

Association Commodore Christopher Roque said the men were ready to get back on the water and hoped that the public would come out and support them.

"The guys are pretty upbeat," he said yesterday. "They're ready to go back and race and so we will be doing the regular race at Ferry Reach on Sunday at 12 noon. All we ask is that all the fans come out and support us."

It was last Sunday that 34-year-old Stuart Smith was killed after the craft he co-piloted with driver Michael Araujo flipped off Coral Beach.

The native New Zealander was rushed to shore and given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in vain while Mr. Araujo, also thrown from the boat, was subsequently treated for a broken arm and fractured ribs.

The accident was one of three. Last year's champion, David Durham, was admitted to hospital for neck and back injuries after his boat flipped while travelling at John Smith's Bay and Michael Lopes was treated for a possible concussion after his boat flipped off Ordnance Island.

Mr. Smith's death stunned onlookers and the community at large. In a statement released soon after the boater's death, Minister of Community Affairs & Sport Randy Horton expressed his sorrow at the passing of a talented sportsman.

"On behalf of the Government and my Ministry, I extend condolences to the parents, family members, friends, the Bermuda Power Boat Association and sport supporters for their tragic loss.

"We are especially saddened when a tragedy such as this occurs at events intended to bring enjoyment and recreation and it grieves us all the more to lose a talented and enthusiastic sportsman.

"We are deeply saddened when accidents such as occurred, take away a life. but if we can at this time focus on the positive things that Stuart left with us in the years of his association with power boat racing, it may help us to deal with the sorrow and sense of loss at his passing."

The men had been hit hard by the events, said Mr. Roque, but many were coping with the assistance of counselling which had been offered by the Association.

"Some have taken the counselling, some haven't. But it's there for anybody who feels they need it. We're not forcing anybody to take it; we're not giving anybody a hard time who doesn't want to take it, but most who have, have said it's definitely been beneficial."

The Association was planning to honour Mr. Smith's memory, said Mr.Roque.

"We haven't actually set a date yet but we will be doing a memorial for Stuart and there will be a moment of silence on Sunday. We're very appreciative of the fact that we've been donated a New Zealand flag from Allan Davidson of Tropic Traders to use, and we will be flying it at half mast."

It was important that members continued to preserve the sport, said Mr. Roque. And he agreed with the Association's former Commodore, Craig Burt, that the ten-knot no-wake zone in effect at Ferry Reach was not helping its development.

"(It's) killing all in-shore sports," he said. "It's putting a damper on them because (the racers) can't practise. The junior programme is lapsing because of it. They have two days a month to practise which just doesn't cut it, especially for those kids out there, trying to discover whether or not they're interested. It's not something they can work out in two practice sessions."

Boaters, said Mr. Roque, were allowed to practise from Stone Crusher Corner to the point where the five-knot zone began off the Bermuda Biological Station for Research.

"The practice time is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on (the Saturday before the race) and on the Sunday they can race, I believe, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

"If there were more time allotted they could go down on a Tuesday afternoon or whenever and practise then. But I'm hoping to put together a summer camp next year or something to that effect so that kids can be exposed and are able to practise."