Just getting around in one piece was Michael Araujo?s priority in yesterday?s Round the Island powerboat race.

This year was the first time the driver had entered the event since he lost his co-driver Stuart Smith in a fatal crash four years ago.

Araujo and co-driver Kevin Young, also a friend and work colleague of New Zealander Smith, motored around the island without a hitch.

Having completed the race in the same rebuilt boat in which the tragedy occurred, the relief was tangible ? not just from the racers but also from well-wishers in the crowd.

There were many warm hugs and handshakes from spectators who clearly appreciated the courage Araujo had shown by climbing back into the driver?s seat on such a poignant day.

?My aim was to get Kevin home safely,? Araujo said. ?We?re known to push our stuff too hard, but today I just wanted to finish safely, so we can go out and race again.

?This was a tribute to Stuart. It?s what he would have wanted us to do and we did it for him. I?m sure he would be proud of us.

?The boat is identical in every way to the one that Stuart and I raced in. Stuart actually built the boat and after the accident, Kevin rebuilt it.

?Stuart, Kevin and I all worked together at A & P Marine and we were all good friends.?

Araujo was himself seriously injured in the fatal crash off Coral Beach and needed bone graft surgery and metal plates inserted to repair damage to his right forearm.

But he did not let the horrific memory of 2002 hold him back as he clocked a time of 43:04 in his C-class boat to finish fifth overall.