Chanel announces a long-term agreement to sponsor the famous Oxford-Cambridge regatta, also known as The Boat Race.
Chanel becomes the first brand to play the dual role of title sponsor and official timekeeper of The Boat Race, the famous race of rowing held annually on the river Thames. Challenging each year since almost two centuries ago (the first edition dates back to 1829), and except for the year of the Covid-19 pandemic (i.e. 2020), are a crew of theUniversity of Oxford and one fromUniversity of Cambridge. From 2025, then, the event will be called The Chanel J12 Boat Race.
It is the oldest sporting event in the UK, which pits crews of eight rowers each against each other every spring on the River Thames. The 2025 edition of The Chanel J12 Boat Race for women and men will take place on Sunday 13 April, sailing up the London river for 6.8 km (4 miles e 374 yards), between Putney and Mortlake. The Boat Race is followed by over 250,000 spectators, and is broadcast live by the BBC, allowing millions of people around the world to see it on television.
The Chanel J12 Boat Race: the UK's oldest sporting event
This long-term partnership is an expression of a shared philosophy, and an uncompromising pursuit of excellence.
Boat Race Day encapsulates the raison d'être of Oxford and Cambridge: to develop and showcase exceptional talent, in the same way as the Maison Chanel supports great creative skills. Chanel has its roots in sport, since its foundation in 1910. Inspired by the sportswear worn predominantly by men at the time, in fact, Gabrielle Chanel was an active sportswoman herself, and used materials such as knitwear and tweed to create avant-garde designs.
These models gave women freedom of movement, to ride horses, bicycles, and above all the possibility to choose how to dress and 'who to be'. Chanel was also the first luxury fashion house to launch its own perfume, in 1921, and its own fine jewellery collection, in 1932. In 2000, the French house also launched the iconic J12 unisex watch, whose name was inspired by the 12-metre J-Class racing boats of the early 20th century.
About this important partnershipFrédéric Grangié, President of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery, said: "We are delighted to sign a strategic partnership with The Boat Race, which shares our same values of collective commitment and pursuit of excellence. It is an honour to be the first official timekeeper in the 195-year history of the regatta, and to be both title sponsor and main partner.
