Offshore powerboat racing promoter, John Carbonell has passed away after a long illness, he was 83.

After racing offshore for ten years Carbonell came to prominence when he started running races in 1989.

His Super Boat International (SBI) outfit organised the Key West World Championship for many years and attracted celebrity racers to his series including Don Johnson, Kurt Russell, Chuck Norris, Bruce Jenner and Jason Priestley.

Carbonell with Don Johnson

In 2019, Race World Offshore (RWO) took over the event after Carbonell’s contract to run races in Key West expired.

After losing the Florida event, Carbonell announced last year that he was going to bounce back with a Japan Power Boat Association partnership which had an intended race pencilled in for 2021.