The CHANEL J12 Boat Race 2026
3 MILLION+
viewers on Channel 4 on Race Day
52.3 MILLION+
online coverage views
100+
media in attendance on Race Day
The CHANEL J12 Boat Race 2026
The CHANEL J12 Boat Race 2026 was an opportunity to create new conversations and dialogues about an iconic London sporting and heritage event.
We delivered a PR campaign that elevated the event beyond sport, using powerful storytelling, strategic media moments and international narratives to broaden its reach while protecting its prestige.
Objective
With the move to Channel 4, The Boat Race needed to adjust to a new perspective from a new broadcast partner, whilst managing its reputation as one of Britain’s most prestigious sporting events.
Our objective was to drive high-quality, high-impact coverage throughout the season – not just on Race Day – while expanding global reach, embedding broadcast messaging, and ensuring the event remained both culturally relevant and true to its heritage.
Strategy
We built the campaign around a clear belief: the athletes are the story.
By shifting focus from the race itself to the people behind it, we created a more emotionally engaging and media-friendly narrative. Human interest stories from Olympic medallists to student athletes balancing elite performance with demanding academic lives became the engine of the campaign.
We were able to capitalise on significant international interest in the race – including French leadership across both men’s crews and German sisters racing against each other, meaning coverage was secured far beyond the UK.
The season includes a series of key moments. Each milestone – from Trial VIIIs to the Crew Announcement and Race Day – provides us with an opportunity to engage media, allowing us to build sustained momentum rather than a single spike.
Execution
We delivered a fully integrated PR programme that combined proactive storytelling, strategic media engagement and live event delivery.
Throughout the season, we placed athlete-led features across national and international media, carefully shaping narratives that would resonate beyond traditional sports coverage. At the same time, we led partnership announcements spanning broadcast and commercial sponsors, reinforcing the event’s evolution and relevance. We secured high-profile TV and radio opportunities in the lead-up to Race Day, ensuring consistent messaging around where and how to watch, while tapping into new and broader audiences.
On race day, the campaign scaled significantly. We managed over 100 attending media across multiple locations, delivering a seamless press operation from start to finish. Alongside this, we facilitated interviews, supported live broadcast moments and generated standout editorial content to ensure the story of the race extended well beyond the water.
The results
365
pieces of coverage secured across print and online
47.4 MILLION+
views from print circulation
14.4 BILLION+
total monthly reach across media placements
2x increase
in race weekend coverage vs The CHANEL J12 Boat Race 2025
+ UPLIFT
in top-tier broadcast coverage (including ITV’s James Martin’s Saturday Morning, Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and talkSPORT)