RS:One Overview 2020

RS:ONE

RACING CLASS

RS:One is an exciting, ISAF-approved one-design racing class by NeilPryde. One sail, one board – everyone competing on the same equipment. It's the rider that makes the difference.

RS:One comes from the same racing pedigree as the Olympic RS:X and the NeilPryde RS:Racing. This universal one-design class allows male and female racers of all ages to compete on the same equipment. RS:One is a fantastic opportunity for sailing and yachting clubs and federations to organize races and attract newcomers - bringing back the regatta fans to the sport.

ISAF council granted the ISAF Class status to the RS:One on 12 November 2011, at the annual ISAF meeting held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This recognition is a great step forward for the worldwide Class growth and will see the first RS:One World Champions at end of 2012.

THE STORY

  • ROBERT STROJ
  • PATRICE BELBEOCH

NEILPRYDE SAIL DESIGNER

Please Explain The Sail Design.

Main rig characteristics we needed to achieve with RS:One were easy handling combined with good performance in sub-planning conditions as well as control and performance when planning. We needed a rig with as large wind range as possible.

We decided that 7.8 will be a perfect size in order to keep the rig light and easy to handle by youth sailors while still providing good low-end power, keeping the board on rail while sailing upwind and getting planning early.

What Were The Big R&D Steps For This Sail?

To achieve the design goal we worked on towards a lightweight rig but optimum durability was also a very important point as RS:One will be used by much younger and less experienced sailors than RS:X. We decided to use a five batten plus Flexhead platform (similar to NeilPryde Helium) in order to keep weight to minimum and to get the maximum lift and light wind performance out of a 7.8 sail. We used two lightweight, simple and strong cams, the same as currently used on RS:X. Batten construction uses a heavy-duty two-piece tube/rod combination which eliminates lightweight (but more fragile) three-piece construction used in RS:X. This is the optimal balance between profile stability, performance and durability.

What Makes This Sail Different To RS:X?

The main differences to RS:X are size reduction, focus on easy handling, light weight as well as durability. While in RS:X rigs we use much more exotic materials (Carbon boom, 100% Carbon mast, three-piece batten construction) in order to get maximum performance, on RS:One we worked on a design which uses the best construction compromises that give us optimum balance between easy handling, performance and durability.

What About The Performance?

With above explained design features we achieved a rig that is very easy to handle, is responsive to pumping and that will get the RS:One board on the rail when sailing upwind and planning on a downwind course in very light winds. The RS:One sail responds very well to different tuning settings, so it is easy to trim the sail for optimum control and speed in the upper end, effectively extending to the maximum the wind range covered by a single 7.8 sail.

BOARD DESIGNER/PWA WORLD WAVE CHAMPION, 1996, PWA RANKING 2 OVERALL 1996

What Is Your Involvement Within This Project?

I wanted to work on a board which will be the natural step to the RS:X. It is a great opportunity for our sport and for our young racers as it seems that they are not satisfied with existing boards today. The one-design concept allows everyone to compete on an equal footing while encouraging and developing sportsmanship. Mr. Neil Pryde and I share the same view on this and our paths crossed.

The combination of my world cup experience and the different R&D programs that myself and shaper Jean-Marie Guirec have been involved in over the years helped with the board development.

Can You Explain The Board Design Brief?

Even if the design brief looked simple on paper, it was actually pretty complex to achieve. The RS:One must excel in a large spectrum, performance, range, handling, accessibility, and still has to fit with the evolving sizes of youngsters (taller, stronger). The simplicity of use and its attractiveness are key to the success of the RS:One. No matter if you are in light, medium or strong wind conditions, you will still get the same pleasure sailing this board.

What Is The First Test Feedback Like?

The first test feedback from the NeilPryde team confirmed the thoughts shared with my son Cedric and other, young Bic Techno OD 293 athletes. The RS:One performs incredibly well in all kind of winds. The parallel outline board shape provides great glide. The 63cm dagger board helps the board to perform in sub-planing conditions while the 48cm fin brings the board to high speed in planing conditions. The board allows for wide curve jibes creating amazing speed out of the turn that will be a clear advantage on the race course. The RS:One is a result of many months of R&D and international tests conducted by different athletes in Brittany, Hong Kong and Denmark.

The Board Is Designed With The Under 20'S In Mind But, Can It Be A Competitive Raceboard Or An Alternative To A Wider Windsurfing Audience?

The RS:One can't be compared to a Raceboard as it is a one-design board like the RS:X. A Raceboard is longer in length and comes with different sail sizes, which makes the comparison impossible. I can guarantee the incredible potential of RS:One in light winds, it will be extremely difficult to beat once the wind picks up and allows the board to plane. On top of that, this board will be easy to handle and therefore really fun to ride.