CHAIR’S NOTE

Welcome to The CHANEL J12 Boat Race 2026

Saturday 4 April will be the culmination of a year’s hard training and preparation by our world-class student athletes. This is the second year of our partnership with CHANEL as our Title Sponsor and Official Timing Partner. The CHANEL J12 is a modern icon designed to endure, not to follow trends. As such, it is a perfect match for The Boat Race itself, a great British tradition that transcends generations.

Each year, millions of viewers worldwide tune in to watch The Boat Race on television. We are delighted to have a brand new Broadcast Partner in Channel 4. They share our ambition to reach new audiences and to have a fresh perspective on our almost 200-year old sporting and cultural event. We look forward to a new look and feel to the broadcast whilst retaining the traditional elements of the race.

A living tradition

I remember fondly competing for Cambridge in the 1990s, when although the coaching and sports science techniques might have been very basic compared to today, the one thing which has never changed in The Boat Race is the relentless will to win – and willingness to accept the possibility of losing. Going back much further, there was a time when only men competed. The first women’s race in 1927 came at a time when women were also making strides in other fields. Gabrielle Chanel is an icon of the period, and it’s no accident that her revolutionary approach to women’s fashion took inspiration from sport in terms of movement and functionality. Gabrielle Chanel was at her most creative in the 1920s and in fact opened her first London boutique in 1927 – the same year that the female rowers of Oxford and Cambridge were breaking new ground.

A sporting contest so rich in tradition throws up new anniversaries and firsts every year. 2026 is the tenth anniversary of the notorious near-sinking of the Cambridge women’s boat, a memorable event we trust will not be repeated! As someone with an Irish name and Irish heritage, and given the strong Irish association with Hammersmith, I’m also thrilled that this year sees the first ever Irish umpire of The Boat Race. Ciarán Hayes, who learned to row at Skibbereen Boat Club in west Cork, takes charge of the men’s race, while Clare Harvey takes on the women’s.

Whether you’re a long-term follower of The Boat Race or a newcomer, this event is all about rivalry. So, ‘Which Blue are You?’ And that brings me to the student rowers themselves. You can read more about the crews, their coaches and their stories in this programme.

Coming from diverse backgrounds, what they all have in common is a determination to give their very best performances on Saturday 4 April. The women’s and men’s races respectively start at 14.21 and 15.21 on the dot. And in the timeless spirit of competition, it’s all about who can rise to the occasion and produce their best performance on the day. No wonder the precision, endurance and rhythm embodied by The Boat Race also inspires others who strive for excellence.

A celebration of life and togetherness

On the day of The Boat Race, a party, celebration atmosphere will descend on the River Thames. The river symbolizes more than strength and speed. The Thames connects diverse boroughs and communities and provides daily contact with wildlife, tides and seasons through London. It’s been shown that ‘blue spaces’ improve mental health as much as green ones, so everyone joining the day can expect a mood boost, as well as a lot of fun.

On that note, I’d like to thank the Oxford and Cambridge clubs for making The Boat Race what it is, along with our partners and London stakeholders: CHANEL J12, Channel 4, JL Racing, Chapel Down, Fortnum and Mason, Graduate Hotels and the London boroughs of Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond and Hounslow and the rowing clubs along the river. Also thank you to the Oxford and Cambridge Club who stepped in to be the proud host of our trophies after the sad closure of the River & Rowing Museum. You can read more about the Club later in this programme.

Special thanks to Club Presidents, Heidi Long, Tobias Bernard, Gemma King and Noam Mouelle, and to coaches Paddy Ryan, Rob Baker, Allan French and Mark Fangen-Hall. We eagerly anticipate a fantastic Boat Race in the best traditions of this most historic of fixtures.

May the crews have their best races yet! •

Siobhan Cassidy Chair, The Boat Race Company