Yesterday afternoon (12/11), The Boat Race Company Ltd. (BRCL) announced a two-year partnership with clothing supplier Rival Kit.

As part of the agreement, Rival Kit will provide training and Race Day kit to both the men’s and women’s crews at Oxford University Boat Club, Oxford University Women’s Boat Club, and Cambridge University Boat Club, as well as staff kit for the Clubs and BRCL.

Rival Kit’s high-quality sportswear will also help the athletes with preparation and performance at all key Races throughout the season, including the Trial Eights in December, the club fixtures in February and March, and finally at the upcoming Boat Race next year.

BRCL and Rival Kit will additionally collaborate on developing a line of retail products that will be available to the public for purchase on BRCL’s online store, opening for pre-orders before Christmas with delivery in the New Year.

The Edinburgh-based sports clothing company started out back in 2017, seeking to transform the custom sportswear market by delivering upon request rather than at set points in the season. Over the last four years, Rival Kit has become the provider for over 100 different rowing organisations, including a number of Cambridge University’s college boat clubs, as well as various cycling and rugby teams.

BRCL Chair, Tim Senior, celebrated the announcement of the partnership: “We are delighted to welcome Rival Kit as our kit partner for the next two years and to work with an organisation whose roots began in rowing”. He continued: “Rival Kit knows very well the importance of having comfortable and technically advanced rowing clothing, which contributes to the best possible equipment for our high-performance athletes to train and compete with”.

Rival Kit co-founders Ryan Morrison and Jenny Stevenson also commented on the deal: “Our brand has grown through the support of the British rowing community, so this partnership with The Boat Race means that little bit more to us”. They added: “It is an exciting opportunity to showcase our kit and demonstrate the power of our revolutionary production technology”.

Both the 76th Women’s and 167th Men’s Boat Race will return to its iconic Championship Course on Sunday 3rd April 2022, after taking place on the River Great Ouse in Ely back in April for the first time since 1944.