Merry Christmas America’s Cup fans – you’re getting a sixth challenger! That’s right!!! It’s time to add a new challenge to the line up.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Emirates Team New Zealand announced today they’ve accepted a joint challenge from the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club Muiden and Royal Maas Yacht Club, which sees the number of challengers double since the late entry deadline closed.

Rumours about a Dutch challenge have been surfacing for about a month, so it’s great to have them finally confirmed. There’s no word yet on who the team will be headed by, although reports seem to point to America’s Cup and Volvo veteran Simeon Tienpont having a key role. They now join Luna Rossa (ITA), American Magic (USA), INEOS Team UK (UK), Malta Altus Challenge (MLT) and Stars & Stripes Team USA (USA).

Emirates Team New Zealand said, “This is really positive news for the Auckland event in 2021.

“The reality is, the more teams that race in the Prada Cup Challenger Selection Series, the greater the spectacle on the water and the better the economic return off the water for Auckland and New Zealand. This has always been the overarching objective of Emirates Team New Zealand since we won the America’s Cup in 2017.

“We will be reaching out to Prada and the Challenger of Record to discuss further planning for the events in light of this exciting news. We are hoping and expect them to embrace this latest entry in line with the underlying philosophy of the America’s Cup being a friendly competition between foreign countries.”

Today Emirates Team New Zealand have advised the Auckland Council and Government that if there ultimately are not six challengers, there is an option not to build the Hobson Wharf extension as five teams can be accommodated on Wynyard Point saving taxpayer money.

Could we end up with New Zealand facing off against Old Zeeland in the America’s Cup match? Only time will tell! Until then, let’s celebrate what is shaping up to be a very healthy line up of challengers for the 36th America’s Cup, happening in Auckland in 2021.

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