Team New Zealand has named Australian Chris Nicholson as the skipper of its round-the-world campaign.
The Camper-sponsored campaign will be Nicholson's fourth Volvo Ocean Race, having been co-skipper of the second-placed Puma last year.
The team has also named New Zealand's world match racing champion Adam Miniprio as one of the three under-30 sailors required by the race rules.
Nicholson says the rest of the crew still to be named could also be younger than usual.
The Volvo Ocean Race sets off from Spain late next year and stops in Auckland early in 2012.