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Tributes have been paid to Superbike champ Marvin 'Skinny' Robinson who was described as a great competitor, a true friend and the life and soul of the pit lane.

Pole position will remain vacant for every race of the Superbike Championship this season in respect of his rightful place on the grid.

His number - 911 - has also been retired and the opening race day of the season, on May 20, will be in his honour.

Robinson was killed after his 600cc bike careened off the track and collided with a fence during practice ahead of Sunday's St John's Ambulance Fundraiser at Southside.

David Jones, president of the Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club and another Superbike racer, said Robinson was the "greatest competitor" he had ever faced at home or abroad.

The pair had an exciting battle for the championship last season, with Robinson ending up the victor.

"He rode hard behind, alongside and in front of me. He pushed me to the limit. I couldn't have asked for more from a competitor.

"He was a good friend off the track, he was our champion and he is going to be sadly missed.

"He was the life of the party. He made everybody feel good about life down here at the track. We are going to miss that. There was nobody else like him. He was one in a million."

Jones said he had taught Robinson to race the GP 125 bikes first but it was not until he started riding the high-powered Superbikes that his passion for the sport really took off.

"He loved it. He took to it straight away and became the champion."

Robinson also raced overseas with the Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club, most recently on a hugely successful trip to compete in Miami. Robinson finished ninth and tenth in his two races against top class opposition.

Lifelong friend and fellow competitor Paul DeCouto, who also raced in Florida with Robinson, said: "He was a great guy. He was always trying to make people feel happy. Anything negative he would try and spin it round to a positive."

DeCouto said Robinson had been racing for the last few years and it had given him a new lease of life.

"We used to pack race when we were teenagers but we stopped because it was too dangerous. Finally we found a home down at Southside where we could race.

"Ever since he started coming down the track you could see the positive impact it had on his life.

"I know he would want us guys to carry on racing."

He said Robinson had got his son Markeem, 13, into racing and had just bought a family membership at the track. He also leaves another son Dameko, 14, and girlfriend Tirsite Selassie.

DeCouto described Robinson as one of the most popular guys at the track and his best friend.

Dennis 'Chicken' Wilson, another former bike champ, grew up with Robinson in Warwick.

He said he was "the ultimate giving type of person" and had personally sponsored his son, one of Bermuda's top young riders Toriano Wilson's gas and tires for the whole of last season.

"That's the type of person he was, if you needed something and he had it, he would give it to you.

"Toriano was due to go away and race in the States this season and he was going to go with him. He was a real family friend. Toriano and he were tight. He's already a big miss in our household."

He said he had spoken to Robinson on the morning before his death and he had been excited about the new season.

"He was teasing Toriano about whether he could beat Cyril Whitter (GP 125 champion). He was pretty stoked about the day and the new season.

"He just loved bikes and racing, the whole atmosphere."[[In-content Ad]]

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