Presidents’ Challenge Launches 2025 Boat Race Season
The 2025 Boat Race season is officially underway following the annual Presidents’ Challenge, held this year at London’s iconic Somerset House. Marking the renewal of the legendary rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge, the event featured the formal challenge ceremony and introduced a season of exciting milestones, including CHANEL’s debut as the new title sponsor. With an increasingly diverse roster of athletes, including Olympians and rowers from 18 nationalities, the stage is set for the 79th Women’s and 170th Men’s Boat Races on April 13, 2025.
The Ultimate Rowing Holiday Gift Guide 2024
Find the perfect gifts for every rower in your life with our Ultimate Rowing Gift Guide. Whether they’re powering through winter training, relaxing off the water, or just beginning their rowing journey, this gift guide has something for everyone. From cold weather essentials to splurge-worthy gear, each section features curated picks tailored to rowers' unique needs and lifestyles. Shop our top must-haves to make gift-giving simple, and ensure your gifts are as thoughtful and dynamic as the rowers who’ll receive them.
Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Him and Her
Find the perfect gift for every rower with our curated gifts for him and her! From performance shirts to cozy base layers and our latest must-haves, each product is hand-picked, so you can find a gift they’ll truly appreciate. Whether you’re shopping for the athlete who loves a classic unisuit or someone looking for a versatile vest, this guide offers top picks that combine performance, comfort, and style. Explore this list of rowing essentials and customer favorites to make holiday shopping easy and thoughtful!
Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts Under $30
Looking for the perfect gift without breaking the bank? This gift guide is packed with budget-friendly finds for every rower on your list! From tees that celebrate their love for the sport to cozy beanies, caps, and fun stickers, these small-but-mighty gifts are ideal for stocking stuffers, secret Santa swaps, or simply showing a rower you’re thinking of them. Thoughtful, affordable, and full of rowing spirit—these picks are proof that great gifts can come at any price point!
Athlete Spotlight: Isabella Pearson
Meet Isabella, a sophomore and student-athlete at Purdue, who balances a busy academic schedule with her love for rowing, dance, and soccer. Growing up as a competitive gymnast, she never anticipated rowing to become such an integral part of her life. In fact, she was initially reluctant to trade her sparkly leotards for the waters of an estuary, but rowing quickly won her over with its technical demands and the strong sense of teamwork she found on the water. Isabella sat down with JL to share her journey into rowing, her tips for novice rowers, race day rituals, and the role models who inspire her both on and off the water.
CHANEL and The Boat Race Announce Long-Term Partnership
CHANEL and The Boat Race Company Ltd have announced the signing of a long-term partnership with CHANEL as Title Sponsor and official Timekeeping Partner. The 2025 event will become The CHANEL J12 Boat Race. The historic race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities was established nearly 200 years ago in 1829. It is the oldest major sporting event in the UK, with the dark and light ‘Blues’ crews of eight rowers pitted against each other on the River Thames every year in the Spring.
Team Spotlight: The Arctic Challenge 2025
Team JL Ambassadors, Hannah and John Huppi, along with their two teammates, Jimmy Graham and Andrew Tropp, will be taking on the challenge of rowing the Arctic Ocean in 2025. Along with aiming for multiple performenace goals, the team is on a mission to inspire young minds, and challenge the next generation to defy their limiting beliefs and chart their own course toward extraordinary achievements. The Arctic Challenge is also proud to support two non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting New Orleans youth. We sat down with the Arctic Challenge Team to learn more about the challenge, their goals, and what is motivating them.
Survivor Rowing Network Racing at HOCR 2024
The Survivor Rowing Network will be floating 11 boats this year at Head of the Charles, marking its second year racing at this prestigious event in Boston. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the inaugural Survivor Row at HOCR, we had the opportunity to speak with four of the athletes who will be racing in Boston this year. The Survivor Row will take place on Saturday, October 19th at 3:28pm.
The Boat Race Signs JL Racing as Official Kit Supplier
JL Racing has been appointed the official performance wear sponsor by The Boat Race Company. The partnership will see Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club outfitted with JL Racing’s custom performance rowing apparel for training and racing.
Team JL 2025 Ambassador Program
Are you passionate about rowing and eager to share your love for the sport with a wider audience? Do you want to join forces with JL and help elevate our brand while building connections within the rowing community? If you enjoy creating engaging content and making an impact, we’re excited to announce that applications for the 2025 Team JL Ambassador Program are open from September 17 to September 26.
Team Spotlight: Allies With Oars
Since 2022, Steady State Network has raced as Allies with Oars to promote inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity. They pull together competitive lineups for major regattas. The current Allies with Oars team is training for Race Around the Rock, an 88k coastal relay race on August 25th around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. The team will be taking over the JL Racing Instagram story for the weekend of the race. Be sure to tune in to follow along!
Stylish Start: Rowers’ Must-Haves for the New Semester
Fall season is nearly upon us! It’s an exciting period of reuniting with teammates, making new friends and lots and lots of meters. As you add the “student” back into life as a student-athlete, preparation is vital. Whether you’re beginning a new journey or planning to make the most of your senior year, starting the season with the right gear is one way you can set yourself up for success.