JeanRichard has become the "Official timepiece” of the famous rowing race, which takes place tomorrow, Easter Sunday, on the River Thames. This partnership is rooted in common values, like team spirit, endurance, passion, and in particular the art of life.

The Oxford Cambridge Boat Race was founded in 1829 by two friends and students at the respective universities. It has risen to become one of the oldest sports events in the world – and one of the most revered traditions in Great Britain. It has been held annually since 1856, with an exception during the two World Wars. Nowadays it attracts over 250,000 spectators on site and is watched by about 7.5 million BBC television viewers. And that does not include the international viewership from the broadcasting in over 200 countries throughout the world.

The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race – known as The BNY Mellon Boat Race after its main sponsor – is played out on a 6.8-kilometre stretch on the Thames River between Putney and Mortlake to the west of the centre of London. It requires outstanding athletic form and great commitment from the participants. The crews are selected from students at the two universities. They train intensely for over six months, while at the same time pursuing their studies full time. Tradition has it that the loser of the previous year’s event has to go to the winner to throw down the gauntlet.

“What convinced JeanRichard to become the watchmaking partner of The Oxford Cambridge Boat Race was the combination of sports, fair play and dynamism, which reflects perfectly the brand’s “philosophy of life” – a world open to discovery, to journeying, to surpassing oneself” says Bruno Grande, COO of JeanRichard. This association, which is scheduled to last for three years, will begin with the next event – the 159th – which will be held on Sunday 31 March 2013, at 4.30 p.m. in London. The Swiss brand will be ensuring the quality and precision of the timing. This partnership, placed under the aegis of the Aquascope collection, will also generate an exclusive timepiece bearing the colours of the Race.

The brand JeanRichard, the legacy of a famous late-17th-century watchmaker, is set on a new course today, with collections dedicated to explorers of everyday life and sophisticated globetrotters. Its partnership with The Oxford Cambrige Boat Race aims at enhancing its fame while making its “philosophy of life” known to a wider public.

Source: JeanRichard