Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 14, 2010 Sports
Power Boat racers Clarence Belle & Dave Scott promise to sizzle
By Franklin Wilson
The word Regatta is now synonymous with Bartica and Speed (Power) Boat Racing. The growing appreciation and excitement at this event held during the Easter holidays is expected to grow at this year’s event.
Regional Chairman of Region #7, Cuyuni/Mazaruni Holbert Knights said preparations and plans are moving at a fast pace and he is expecting this year’s activities to best the best ever.
Apart from the marquee event of Power Boat Racing, other sports activities include football which will kick off on Sunday March 28; domino; athletic road race and the exciting river swim from Kaow Island to Bartica.
Regatta which will take place at Golden Beach, Third Avenue Bartica will be held on Easter Sunday and Monday.
Kaieteur Sport will feature some of the leading Power Boat racers and champions beginning with Clarence Belle who is the 200hp champion and Dave Scott champion of the 225 and over division.
The 43-year-old Clarence Belle comes from a family that has a great tradition of competing successfully in Power Boat Racing starting with his elder brother Christopher ‘Big’ Belle who is also the founder of the Bartica Speed Boat Service. ‘Big’ Belle is now retired from Power Boat Racing.
Another sibling in the business is United States-based Steven Belle who is expected to be back again to compete. The love for the sport has not only stuck with the brothers but has been trickling down to their off springs.
Rising star Randy Belle is the son of ‘Big’ Belle and Clarence, whose two sons have also been his mechanics, is contemplating the introduction of his elder son Sean at this year’s event in the 75-90hp category.
Clarence told Kaieteur Sport that he has been in the business of Power Boat Racing for the past 15 years; his great love and the fun derived from the sport are the main pull factors that keep him going year in year out since the sport does not have great incentives.
He revealed that over the years he has won over 25 championships and it has become a norm for him to win every year, competing in April (Easter) and August (Summer) at Bartica as well as the August Regatta held at Lake Mainstay in Essequibo.
Sponsored by Digicel for the past three (3) years, Clarence disclosed that his house does not have enough space to accommodate the over 150 trophies he has won over the years. He is of the view that Corporate Guyana and the Government should find ways and means of putting up more attractive incentives. To this end he is proposing that duty free concessions can be one of the options for the individual champions especially since they are faced with heavy import duties for the necessary equipment they would have to get in order to compete at a high level and to make the events attractive for the fans and spectators.
Clarence recalled that last year he imported a Fibre Glass boat which could not have been used because it was not suited for the choppy waters here. “I still had to build two boats which were constructed by Mark Jardine of First Avenue – made of Fibre Glass and plywood – suited to the choppy waters we encounter here.”
This year will see Clarence again competing in the 150 – 200hp and 75 – 90hp races with his boats named Quick Silver and Extreme Limit.
“And of course I am aiming to be the best again. In anything I do, I aim for the top and that is my standard of operating which will be no different.”
The veteran racer noted that he is a marked man when it comes to competition and will be around for about two more years before hanging up the keys to his engines. But as for now, training is ongoing; he was practicing yesterday and will continue to do so since he is leaving no stones unturned to excel again.
Practicing, he also informed, is costly and can run competitors to as much as $20,000 for 45 minutes to one hour. Calendar’s Service Station has also assisted Clarence over the years with fuel at championship time.
Another competitor to watch out for is Dave Scott who will be behind the wheel of the ‘Jaguar’ in the 225hp and over category. Scott was not able to compete at Regatta 2k9 after his very powerful engine boat burst into two before the start of one of the early races.
Not daunted by that mishap, Scott rebounded to whip his fellow competitors at the Summer Regatta in Bartica and at Lake Mainstay in Essequibo and is promising that barring any mishaps this year he will be recording number podium finishes next month.
The 34-year-old Scott who has been competing for the past 12 years started in the 75-90hp category and has graduated with flying colours through the ranks.
Like Clarence Belle, Scott says the love for the sport and the fun he gets from competing are the primary reasons for his continued participation.
He {Scot}too admitted that it is very costly to participate. Scott is self sponsored, his business are taxed heavily whenever it comes to Regatta – Dave Scott Mining and Scott Service Station – both in Bartica.
Preparations for Scott are at an advanced stage and he too has been hard at practice as he aims to be 100% fit and ready for the imminent challenges that he will encounter from other competitors.
Scott was born at Lanaballi on the Essequibo River before relocating to Bartica to start business.
He estimates that it will cost him in the vicinity of five (5) million dollars to be totally ready for war on Easter Sunday and Monday. “I am ready to win again this year.”
Canoe racing, canoe skills and Jet Ski racing will also form part of the exciting programme at Regatta 2K10.
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-round performance to lead her team to a commanding 113-run victory over Pakistan Women in the first One Day...Kaieteur News – For years, the disciples of Bharrat Jagdeo have woven a narrative of economic success during his tenure... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]