RS21: the 2026 Season and the Appeal of One Design
The RS21 2026 calendar, the boat’s key features and the Magique et Terrible project with SLAM, with a closer look at the appeal of one-design racing.
Magique et Terrible Sets Course with SLAM
RS21, where racing goes back to basics
There is a reason why the RS21 continues to win over more and more sailors and crews: it puts real racing back at the centre. Same boat, same sail plan, same race course. Everything else comes down to manoeuvres, tactical decisions, trimming and the quality of the team.
That is what makes one-design racing such a spectacle, because it removes almost every variable and lets the sailors on board do the talking. The RS21 was created around exactly this idea: a modern one-design, built for close racing and simple management, with clear roles and tight dynamics.
The 2026 calendar
The RS21 Italian Class season stretches across the whole country with a sequence of events that keeps the intensity high: a double event in Sferracavallo, then Torbole, Malcesine and a final stop in Scarlino, venue for the Italian Championship from 24 to 27 September 2026.
It is a calendar that confirms the strength and continuity of a class that is becoming ever more solid and competitive.
An accessible but technical boat
The success of the RS21 comes from a very clear formula. We are talking about a 6.67-metre boat designed for crews of three or more, with no crew weight limit, a Corinthian approach and simpler management than many boats in a similar category.
It is accessible in terms of logistics, but highly technical on the water. Sensitive to trim, it rewards those who can make the difference through setup, speed, manoeuvres and consistent performance. That is why every race is easy to read, even from ashore. No corrected times, no waiting around: whoever is in front is genuinely in front.
Magique et Terrible, identity and team spirit
Within this setting comes the Magique et Terrible project, the women’s team supported by SLAM. A young, close-knit crew that is becoming increasingly recognisable in the RS21 scene and within the brand’s Making Waves storytelling.
The team has already proved its value internationally, taking victory in the Women category at the 2025 RS21 World Championship in Porto Rotondo, with
Malika Bellomi at the helm alongside
- Sofia Giondi
- Lucia Marchi
- Chiara Degli Angioli and
- Elisabetta Cappato
RS21, a natural continuation for young sailors
There is another aspect that makes the RS21 especially interesting: its role as a natural next step after youth classes. After classes such as the Optimist, 29er or Waszp, many sailors find themselves facing a difficult choice: commit to an Olympic campaign, with everything that implies in terms of time and resources, or slow down until they drift away from racing.
The RS21 offers a real alternative, a way to keep racing at a high level while entering a new dimension, the crew environment. For many young sailors this is an important transition, because they often come from single-handed classes or, at most, double-handed ones, and are facing for the first time the broader management of a team. It is a technical step forward, but also a personal one: learning to communicate, coordinate, understand roles and build mutual trust.
Last year SLAM supported these values through a dedicated mentoring programme. Today that same spirit lives on within the class, which increasingly represents an opportunity to keep sailing while sharing races, responsibilities, emotions and experience.
Malika Bellomi’s path tells this story well. After an important background in the Optimist, 29er and Waszp, she returned to the race course through the RS21, finding in the Magique et Terrible project a dimension built on teamwork, passion and shared goals.
Partnership and a shared vision
The connection between SLAM and the RS21 world also comes through shared values. The Italian class has developed a concrete path in sustainability, leading to ISO 20121 certification for responsible event management. SLAM is moving in the same direction, with an ever more significant part of its technical collection made from recycled polyester and research that also looks towards innovative yarns.
It is a natural fit, because those who live the sea know that performance and environmental responsibility have to move in the same direction.
What to wear in RS21 racing
In such a dynamic class, apparel also makes a difference. You need garments that are light, versatile and able to adapt quickly to changing conditions.
The OD Tech T-Shirt LS and the OD WS Tech Hooded T-Shirt are a perfect base layer: breathable, quick-drying and with UV protection, ideal for long days of repeated starts and close-set races. The OD Tech T-Shirt LS is made with a predominant recycled polyester component, while the OD Tech Hooded T-Shirt is presented by SLAM as developed in recycled polyester to combine performance with greater attention to materials.
When you need an extra layer without restricting movement, the OD Hybrid Vest protects the core while leaving full freedom to the arms and shoulders, which is essential during manoeuvres.
If the wind increases or spray starts coming over the deck, the OD Spray Top or OD WS Hooded Jacket offer protection from water and wind while maintaining high breathability. In races where the gaps are minimal, staying dry and focused is part of performance.
The OD Shoes will be an essential part of the onboard kit, the One Design shoes you wear when you know you simply cannot afford to lose grip on board. Lightweight, breathable and incredibly stable, they are built to give you real grip, control and comfort on deck, even when the boat is heeled over and the manoeuvres become more physical.
-
OD Tech Hooded T-shirt
-
Od Hooded Jacket
Direct sailing, no filters
The 2026 RS21 season starts again from an idea of sailing that is clean, technical and engaging. A kind of sailing where the result is immediate and the competition direct.
Magique et Terrible, with SLAM, embodies that spirit perfectly: crew chemistry, identity and the ability to work as a team. Even before the result.