EXCITEMENT should be high at next June’s powerboat championships to be staged off Greenock’s Esplanade.

The River Clyde is often described rightly as being the jewel in Inverclyde’s crown, and the spectacle that will enfold upon it will be seen by millions in more than a hundred countries.

Large crowds are expected each day of the Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea UK Championships, with estimates varying between 20,000 and 40,000.

It should be much more successful than the disappointing wet blanket of the World Yachting Grand Prix held here in 1991, when the boats were often too far away to be seen properly.

This time the craft will be more powerful, quicker and, crucially, racing up and down the Esplanade rather than at a distance where you would need binoculars to try to work out what was happening.

Hopes of a thrilling weekend are bolstered by the knowledge that the organisers, Powerboat P1, are said to be the world’s leading marine motorsport promoters, having staged more than 200 events in 17 countries across three continents since 2003.

Some people may opine that the £160,000 cost might be a waste of Inverclyde Council and Riverside Inverclyde money when budgets are tight.

But it’s clear a considerable amount of thought has gone into bringing this prestigious event here, and, if all goes well, it could be a massive boost to the local economy.

So perhaps you should reserve your space on the Esplanade now!