The Boat Race is a historic fixture in London's event calendar as each June, Oxford and Cambridge rowing crews meet at Putney Bridge to vie for first place in the 4.25-mile race to Mortlake. The first race was in 1829, making it England's oldest major sporting event. As of June 2025, the race will be called The Chanel J12 Boat Race. The French luxury house will be the Title sponsor and the official timekeeper. Demanding, requiring exceptional talent and teamwork, The Boat Race is a natural partner to Chanel's watchmaking division. Frédéric Grangié, President of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery, explains the rationale: "It's an honour to be the first-ever official timekeeper in the race's 195-year history to become Title Sponsor and principal Partner simultaneously. Synchronicity in rowing is as crucial to the race as watchmaking craftsmanship to ensure accurate timing. 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."
The Race is also one of the most gruelling physical challenges in the sporting world in which the two teams of eight rowers work together to a tightly paced rhythm, expending maximum effort over the course. The elite rowers are all amateur sportsmen and women, and students at two of the world's most prestigious universities. The Oxford colours for the boat and kit are dark blue, while Cambridge sports a lighter duck egg blue. Like a well-regulated watch, the team works perfectly in collaboration. Lined up one behind the other, backs to the finish line, the crew look to their colleagues' blades to keep the rhythm in a precisely orchestrated release of power.
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Designed by the late Jacques Helleu, Chanel's Director of Fragrance and Beauty, the J12 was launched in 2000. It was named after his favourite racing yacht class. Like Madame Chanel's creations, the new arrival elegantly put aside conventions about what a sports watch should look like with its stylish use of hi-tech ceramic, more normally found in brake linings and Space Shuttles. Embracing new materials was inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel's tendency to experiment with fabrics such as jersey. Used for men's underwear, it became her signature cloth that she adopted to make seductive dresses following wartime shortages. In Chanel's hands, glossy, scratchproof, high-tech ceramic becomes as alluring as a new alloy of gold.
Previously sponsored by watch house Parmigiani Fleurier, Chanel's entrance into the elite rowing world will bring a new glamour and excitement to this quintessentially British sporting event with a long history of sporting excellence.
