Chanel Is Now The Lead Sponsor Of This Historic Sporting Event

Chanel is getting sporty. The luxury French fashion house has announced its first ever sport sponsorship, and it’s here on British shores (or should we say London shores?). The Boat Race puts ancient British universities Oxford and Cambridge head to head every year, as rowers tackle the 6.8km Championship Course in the hopes of bagging a shiny trophy and ultimate bragging rights, and add an all-important tally to their 200-year feud.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Boat Race, plus how Chanel will be shaking things up.

Image courtesy of Row360

The Boat Race 2025: When, Where & How To Watch

Chanel is all about excellence, which relies on a collective effort to succeed. The House noticed a synergy with The Boat Race, which they say captures the raison d’être of Great Britain’s best and most historic universities: to develop exceptional talent. And while it’s haute couture, Chanel has its own sporting associations: Gabrielle (aka ‘Coco’) was an active sportswoman and used jerseys and tweeds in her trailblazing designs, giving women the freedom of movement.

The oldest sporting event in the world, what better first foray into sport sponsorship for a historic fashion house like Chanel? So historic is The Boat Race, though, it outdates Chanel which was founded by Coco in 1910; the first Boat Race was rowed almost 100 years earlier in 1829.

‘We are delighted to sign a strategic partnership with The Boat Race who share the same values of collective endeavour and the pursuit of excellence,’ says Frédéric Grangié, President of CHANEL Watches & Fine Jewellery. ‘It’s an honour to be the first ever official timekeeper in the race’s 195-year history to simultaneously become Title Sponsor and principal Partner.

‘Synchronicity in rowing is as crucial to the race as watchmaking craftsmanship to ensure accurate timing,’ Grangié adds. ‘Every rower, like every mechanism in a watch, must work together as one; the balance, the weight and the oar movements must all be impeccably timed.

‘We look forward to working with The Boat Race over the coming years to bring this partnership to life, through the world of CHANEL and our iconic J12 watches,’ Grangié says.

‘On behalf of the wider Boat Race community, we are so thrilled to welcome CHANEL as our new Title Sponsor,’ Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race Company Ltd, added. ‘We knew when we first met, on June 10 – the same date as the first ever Boat Race in 1829 – that they understood the appeal of our event and we’re very confident that their involvement will help us take the event to new places and new people, as well as enhancing it for our millions of existing followers.’

Left, Chanel J12 watch in white; right, Gabrielle Chanel on Roussy Sert’s yacht in front of the Lido, Venice, 1936. (© CHANEL Watches/V.H. Grandpierre/Vogue Paris)

What Is The Boat Race?

The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race along a 6.8km course on the River Thames in London, between Putney Bridge and Chiswick Bridge. The competitors are students of Britain’s oldest and most prestigious universities: the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

Six races make up the competition:

• The men
• The women
• The men’s reserves (Isis v Goldie)
• The women’s reserves (Osiris v Blondie)
• The men’s lightweights
• The women’s lightweights

You can read more about the history of the Race here.

When Is The Boat Race 2025?

In 2025, The Boat Race will take place on Sunday 13 April under the title ‘The CHANEL J12 Boat Race’, named for the house’s iconic J12 unisex watch, itself inspired by J Class 12-metre racing boats from the early 20th century.

How To Watch The Boat Race

The Boat Race airs live on BBC 1, BBC Sport Live and BBC iPlayer.

Every year, the Race attracts more than 250,000 spectators on the riverbank. If you’d like to see it in person, too, these are our favourite pubs, parks and riverside spots for a glimpse of the action.

Discover more at theboatrace.org