World Sailing approves RS21 International Class application

RS Sailing has announced the successful ratification of an application made to World Sailing for International Class status for the RS21 keelboat.

The World Sailing equipment committee voted unanimously in favour of the application. The decision formally enables the RS21 Class to host a number of international level World Sailing endorsed events, including world championships.

“We are delighted that the RS21 Class received a unanimous vote in favour for International Class status, this decision serves to further cement the RS21 in the keelboat sector,” says RS Sailing technical CEO and co-designer of the RS21, Alex Newton-Southon. “I want to thank all those passionate individuals and the sailing programs they represent that have worked hard to establish the RS21 so far and, on behalf of the rest of the RS team, we look forward to seeing this activity grow to new levels as a result of this exciting news.”

This latest successful class application now brings the total number of RS classes that are able to promote themselves as World Sailing Class Associations to six, with the RS Tera, RS Feva, RS Aero, RS100 and RS500 classes all having enjoyed international class recognition.

With RS21 fleets now established in countries including the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Germany, Poland, USA, Bermuda and Australia as well as fleet development projects well underway in other parts of the world such as the Middle East, Central / South America and Asia, the next couple of years will no doubt see a large growth of the class in all continental regions, says RS.

The RS21 is a modern keelboat designed with corinthian racing at its heart. The powerful rig and distinct chines are balanced by well-mannered boat handling and an ergonomic deck layout to ensure everyone sailing has a key role to play, says RS Sailing. The company also cites sustainability as actively influencing the design, resulting in a boat built from eco-friendly materials.