The International RS21 Class Association, in collaboration with RS Sailing and the JK BRIVA Sailing Club, is delighted to announce the inaugural RS21 World Championship will be held in the beautiful town of Biograd Na Moru on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast from the 3 to 6 November 2022*.
Following on from a successful European Championships in Malcesine, Lake Garda last year, the International RS21 Class expect around 40-50 RS21’s to compete for the honour of being crowned the first RS21 World Champion. Entries are expected from Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, as well as the home nation, Croatia.
JK BRIVA Sailing Club has hosted many high-level international competitions over the years, and it is a fantastic venue to race at. Petar Jakovljev, President of JK BRIVA Sailing Club commented on the announcement of the event, “This area is well known for excellent sailing conditions, proven by the list of major international classes who have raced in our waters in the past 20 years from the 420 European Championships to the TP52 Super Series. The rapid growth of the International RS21 Class has impressed us, and we are honoured to host this first RS21 World Championship. After four days of what we are sure will be great racing, we are excited to see who comes out on top.”
Last year’s RS21 Italian Cup Champion and one of the favourites for the championship, Gianluca Grisoli, from Beyond Freedom, commented, “I love the close racing in the RS21. The tight one-design nature of the class means that we know it is us that makes the difference around the racecourse. Biograd looks like a great venue for the World Championship, and I am excited to line up against the best from around the world.”
Jonas Berg from Charleston Yacht Club, Charleston, SC, RS21 International Class President, commented, “I love racing the RS21. The ‘face in’ nature of the boat makes it very sociable and allows for easy communication for manoeuvres, tactics and strategy – the racing is super close. I’m really looking forward to competing at this year’s World Championship, the venue looks great, and I can’t wait to catch up with all of the friends I have made in the RS21 Class.”
Tomislav Basic, a local professional sailor, commented, “I’m looking forward to welcoming international sailors into my home waters. They are one of the most strategically challenging racing areas I have ever sailed. Shifty winds from the shore, stable winds from the sea, an oscillating sea breeze, shore effects, wind bends around the islands, and current in the channels offers the perfect setup for interesting tactical racing during the four days of the championship. It will be a lot of fun!”
The event itself will see racing held over four days from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6*, with a practice race on Wednesday 2*. In true RS style, sailors can expect to have as much fun onshore as they will on the water. A full social calendar is planned, starting with an Official Opening Ceremony on Wednesday evening and ending in style with a Gala Dinner on Saturday evening. In order to keep the racing fair developing from last year, the International Jury will be afloat, acting as umpires to ensure more time is spent socialising onshore and less time discussing incidents on the water.
Entry to the event will be €950, and charter boats will be available for €3,000 for those wishing to attend without transporting their boats, but there are special offers available for those who book early.
Interested teams can register their interest by contacting the RS21 Class Manager Jack Fenwick by emailing jack@rssailing.com.
*N.B. – Dates have changed
