If you have fuel and a spark, then either the spark or fuel is at the wrong time if it won't start, have you checked the compression, is the cam dialled in correctly, I would check the basics first.
I would be surprised if a xr3i starter was not man enough for the 1.9, in light of the lower turbo's CR, maybe the ignition timing is to far advanced and this is slowing the starter speed ?
tabetha