The deadline for America's Cup entries has been extended by two months, to the end of March. This will allow more teams to compete in the blue-ribbon event next year at 'Naples.

The entry deadline has been extended until March 31 to give teams more time to prepare for AC38. An America's Cup official said on Sunday that the entry period had been extended until March 31.

Initial deadline for late entries was January 31.

Last month, the defenders Emirates Team New Zealand and the five teams that have signed the new America's Cup Partnership, ACP, came together to announce the event dates.

Britain, France and Italy have announced their teams to compete for the right to face New Zealand next July. But there are still hopes that other countries will enter the competition.

Grant Dalton, the CEO of New Zealand's America's Cup team, was asked in Naples about late?entries last month. He flagged an unnamed Australian team, a possible second Italian entry - Mascalzone Latino, and Riptide racing of the United States.

Riptide, headed by Chris Poole as CEO, announced their plans to "acquire a pre-existing America's Cup package", which would allow them "immediate?access to proven assets, design data, and infrastructure".

The team has assembled crew members and sponsors, but they have not yet announced a formal entry.

They did not respond immediately to a comment request. (Reporting and editing by Clare Fallon; Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)