A suburb of New Orleans, the City of Kenner will host the first Super Boat International race of the 2019 season. The race on Lake Pontchartrain is set for June 21-23, according to a press release this morning from SBI, which is based in Key West, Fla.

Super Boat International action will kick off in June in the New Orleans area on Lake Pontchartrain. Photo from the 2018 SBI Key West Offshore World Championships courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

According to the release, the Kenner Super Boat Grand Prix has been “in the works since last September” and the Super Boat team is excited to returning to the New Orleans area.

“My last race in New Orleans was in 2002 when I raced in the world championships,” said John Carbonell, president of Super Boat International and a former racer, in the release. “I am really looking forward to seeing a lot of the old friends I raced with there—I have fond memories not just of racing, but also of those races I produced.

“There are so many reasons Kenner and New Orleans are special,” he continued. “It will be great to be back to start this year’s race.”

The Kenner Super Boat Grand Prix will open on Friday night with a welcome parade starring the race teams and their boats. Spectators will also have the chance to enjoy seeing classic automobiles that will take part in the parade and will remain available for viewing at the dry pits throughout the three-day event.

“This is an exciting announcement for our city,” said Ken Zahn, the mayor of Kenner, in the release. “It’s been some years since Kenner hosted a powerboat race. Events like this continue to put our city on the map and attract visitors and business to Kenner. I am looking forward to this exciting event.”

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