Largs Sailing Club will host the prestigious 470 European Championships 2012.

For many of the teams, the event will be a warm-up for the London Olympics.

The event will provide a boost to the local economy during a weekend which also sees the Largs Live music event – headlined by Eddi Reader – taking place.

North Ayrshire Provost Joan Sturgeon said: "It is a real coup to attract such an event."

The race will feature Scottish sailor David Kohler, who said: "Largs is special to me because that's where I learned to race."

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk