New Zealanders, David Endean, 27, and Tony Mutter, 37 are the latest ABN AMRO sailors to join Sweden’s Victory Challenge for the America’s Cup. Endean and Mutter from the winning VOR yacht ABN AMRO One have teamed up once again with fellow ABN AMRO crewmembers Simon Fisher, Andrew Lewis and Luke Molloy who were aboard ABN AMRO Two.

Endean, the youngest sailor on board ABN AMRO One also sailed with Team TYCO during the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race, and was part of the American One World Challenge during the America’s Cup in Auckland, 2002-2003. Endean’s position in Victory Challenge is pitman.

Mutter did his third round-the-world race when he won with ABN AMRO One. He sailed with Swedish Match in the predecessor to the Volvo Ocean Race, the Whitbread Round the World Race, in 1997-1998 and with SEB in 2000-2001. He was a member of the American America’s Cup team Abracadabra, during the America’s Cup in Auckland, 1999-2000. Mutter was New Zealand champion in OK Dinghy in 1989, 1991 and 2000. He has known Victory Challenge since Auckland. He stepped in as trimmer in 2002 when Lars Linger was injured and it is as trimmer that he has now joined.

This latest recruitment of new sailors into the team comes just ahead of Victory’s intense two-boat training programme that begins soon. Chatting about the two new recruits Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman said: “They both have a lot of experience, both from the America’s Cup and a number of round-the-world races, where winning the last Volvo Ocean Race is a real triumph. Also, they both have important specialist skills for our continuing development work, David as boat builder and Tony as sailmaker.”

Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13 takes place between 3 and 7 April, the Louis Vuitton Cup between 16 April and 12 June. The America’s Cup Match begins on 23 June.