Twice winner of the America's Cup with Oracle launches the Dutch bid for 2021

Oracle, two-time winner of the America's Cup with Oracle, makes a final attempt to join a Dutch sailing syndicate at the 2021 event in Auckland.

The sailing pundit Peter Lester said Radio New Zealand a team from the Netherlands had applied in the last two days. If successful, this would be the first time that a team from the Netherlands would participate in the America's Cup.

"Simeon Tienpont is the skipper and, of course, he has won two America's Cups, both with Oracle," Lester said.

"So he knows the game, he knows it very well, and I think the Dutchman could have legs because of the strength of his shipping industry and his great sailors."

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The deadline for teams to sign, stamp and deliver their applications, which cost $ 1.5 million, is set for 17:00 Thursday.

So far, three candidates to the New Zealand team have been confirmed: the Italian Luna Rossa, the American New York Ross Club and the INEOS Team UK.

Teams from Italy, the United States, China and Norway also reportedly applied.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron reviews each request, which will determine the number of bases to build on the Auckland waterfront.

Team New Zealand operations manager Kevin Shorebridge said eight challengers had expressed interest, in addition to the three accepted.

"Some of them will not succeed and we have no clear idea of ​​how things will unfold … but we are delighted with the feedback and feedback we have received from these new teams have started and are trying to enter the America's Cup ".

The teams selected in their application must pay 1.5 million dollars in addition to the application fees.

"I think that even getting to the point where you come in is probably a good quality team, you know, we had six [challengers] in Bermuda, including Oracle.

"Before, in San Francisco, we had only three, so we're pretty happy with what we have now, but it will be great to be able to increase that number," Shorebridge said.