FORMER Region Eight Chairman and Chairman of the Bartica Regatta Committee, Holbert Knights has said that the late speed boat champion, Orin Keith Belle would be greatly missed. Knights in an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport pointed out that the late Belle was a prominent face at the region’s annual regatta activities. He added that many are still in shock over his unfortunate death.
“Many persons are still in disbelief, as a lot of us are really shocked over his sudden death. I saw him the morning he died like many persons and he was in his usual jovial, happy sprit, so to hear a few hours later that he was dead is still a shock,” Knights said.
Knights noted that the community of Bartica has not only lost a speedboat champion but a businessman, a speed boat operator and a very well respected citizen. “He was just not only a speed boat champion but he was both a speed boat owner and operator so there are many ways in which he would be missed,” Knights stressed.
He added, “Belle was not just a racer but his heart and soul was in his community, thus, his long-standing involvement in the Regatta races.” He opined that the community will be tasked with how the late speed boat champion can be fittingly honoured,  noting that the speedboat operators and owners will have to gather to determine how they will honour Belle’s memory.
“It will be important for the community and the regatta committee to determine how we would honour his memory as his contributions to the regatta was very meaningful,” he noted. The former Regatta Chairman pointed out that Belle competed in the 75-90 hp and the 200 hp races adding that he won endless races.
He recounted that Belle had indicated to him and others that he was quitting the sport due to the fact that he had been competing for years. However, he would always return citing his passion and love for the sport as a reason why he was unable to stop. “He told me many times that each regatta was going to be his last year but after the regatta he would return the next year indicating that he was finding it difficult to quit due to his love and passion for the sport,” Knights recollected.
He added, “A number of Monty’s family members had encouraged him to quit the sport also but he didn’t quit as he had confessed that he just loved competing and it was his love that just kept him going on and on.”
Knights disclosed that Belle is the first person to die in a regatta in some two decades noting that the only other death that he can recall occurred years ago, which he said had occurred at the Swim Club at Parika. He related that in that accident it had claimed the life of Bartician Ganesh Ramsingh.
The late Belle died on Sunday after his “Iron Charlie” had collided with another boat piloted by Dave Young during the staging of the 90 hp race at the Lake Mainstay Regatta in Essequibo. According to reports, the 42 year old Belle was making the second lap of his race, when his boat collided with Young’s boat sometime around 11.45hrs. This was during the staging of the first race causing him to sustain several injuries. All the other boat races for the day were called off. Belle will be laid to rest tomorrow in his hometown of Bartica.