The Boat Race Company Limited, the organisers of the Boat Race 2021, announced yesterday (09/03) that Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian, will be its principal partner for this year’s race on the Great Ouse at Ely. As a result, the race, taking place on 4th April, will be officially entitled The Gemini Boat Race.

This news follows the recent announcement that the participants in the Blues boats will now be able to train in person and on the water, according to a ruling by British Rowing on elite athletes.

Gemini provides a simple and secure way to buy, sell, store, and earn on crypto. Founded in 2014, Gemini launched in the UK last year, having been granted an Electronic Money Institution licence by the Financial Conduct Authority. Its founders, identical twins Cameron and Tylor Winklevoss, both graduated from Harvard and attended the Saïd Business School in Oxford.

Having both represented the USA in rowing at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the twins also rowed for Oxford in the 2010 Boat Race. In Beijing, they ended up in sixth place in the coxless pairs, seven places above the British pair. In 2010, they lost to Cambridge by 1.33 lengths.

The partnership between Gemini and the Boat Race will contribute to the development of rowing by widening access to the sport through The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme. The £75,000 bursary will provide rowing instruction and education to students through the Fulham Reach Boat Club, a registered charity that seeks to remove the financial barriers that often restrict access to rowing.

Cameron Winklevoss, President at Gemini said: “our experience in rowing taught us that whether you are building yourself as an athlete or building a start-up, the power of big dreams together with conviction and perseverance cannot be underestimated. We are excited to support this historic event to go ahead safely and widen access to the sport through The Gemini Boat Race Bursary Scheme. Our hope for the Bursary Scheme is to enable more young people to explore the skills that rowing develops in and outside of the boat, including focus, confidence and teamwork.”

Robert Gillespie, Boat Race Company Chairman added: “we are delighted to welcome Gemini as the Principal Partner of the Boat Race. The fact that a global and innovative FinTech company is joining as a Boat Race partner at this time demonstrates a high level of trust and confidence in the careful planning and work that BRCL and local stakeholders have put in over the past few months to stage an event that is fully compliant with COVID safety regulations and therefore closed to the public.”

Gemini’s Head of UK, Blair Halliday, furthered: “As we continue to expand our presence in the UK, we’re thrilled to bring Gemini’s retail and institutional cryptocurrency services to new audiences as the Principal Partner of The Boat Race.”

The BRCL has reiterated its encouragement for fans to stay at home and follow the race on the BBC. The Company has continued to work with East Cambridgeshire District Council to successfully deliver the Boat Race within COVID guidelines set out by the government.