The accustomed post-race bragging and revelry of the annual Around The Island Power Boat Race was nowhere in evidence yesterday - and for good reason.

The death of co-driver/navigator Stuart Smith in a crash off Coral Beach threw a pall over any thoughts of champagne and celebrations.

Instead of banter about who beat who or hailing the first-ever father/daughter combination in the competition (A-Class winners Roderick and Kelly Sims), all anyone could think about was the three-boat tragedy that not only cost the New Zealand expatriate his life but left three others injured.

"I wasn't expecting anyone to get hurt. I didn't think conditions were that bad. It's really terrible to hear that people have been hurt," said Derrick Seymour.

He, with Andy Stoneham at the throttles, swept to victory in S-22. Unofficially they were timed at 35.48 minutes.

Amid suggestions that winds and sea conditions were inappropriate for racing, the second-placed team of Ricky Sousa and Eddie Roque (S-20) defended the decision to go ahead with the race which had already been postponed because of adverse conditions last Sunday.

"It was definitely a lot better than last week. I don't know how good you're going to get South Shore. You always have to expect something on South Shore.

"You're going get something at some point along there but I've seen South Shore a lot worse than today," noted Sousa who was racing for the first time since 1988.

Roque added that the important thing in racing is "to drive the boat to its ability without hurting anybody".

"You have your own fate in your hands," said the veteran power boat racer.

Jason DeSilva who won the B-Class, partnered by Frank Mello, acknowledged their triumph was tempered by the tragedy. He shot into the lead after B-360 and B-25, who were ahead of him, both flipped over. Only about seven of the 23 boats competing finished under official power.

Matthew White, the victorious driver in the C-Class, offered some sobering comment as his colleagues plunged into mourning.

"I know that sometimes when we get involved in racing - and we want to beat the next boat - we forget and maybe sometimes we make mistakes.

"I'm just happy to be back and my thoughts are with those people and their families right now," he said, adding that "conditions weren't very good" and that South Shore was "lumpy".

His co-driver Dennis Trott agreed saying: "The water was really, really bad."

Seymour advised anyone interested in entering the sport to recognise it requires a lot of skill and knowledge.

"Practice makes perfect. It's good to get out there and feel your boat out and use small races to prepare for races of this magnitude. It's important to practise rather than sit off and wait until Around The Island comes and just jump in your boat and go."

Last night, members of the Bermuda Power Boat Association (BPBA) gathered at Flanagan's for what was supposed to have been an awards presentation and celebration. Instead, they comforted each other and grieved for the loss of a friend.