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English fizz beats Champagne to become official Boat Race partner

Published:  03 January, 2017

Leading English winery Chapel Down has become an official partner of the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, replacing Champagne Bollinger.

The partnership is another coup for English wine, as the quintessentially English event partners with the Kent-based winery.

The four-year agreement announced today, will see the victorious crew drinking Chapel Down instead of Bollinger Champagne at the Mortlake finish line on April 2.

Frazer Thompson, CEO of Chapel Down, compared the competition between French Champagne and English fizz to the rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge universities, referred to by both teams as 'the other place'.

"We are thrilled to be partnering The Boat Race, an iconic moment in the British sporting calendar. This great rivalry inspires mutual respect but an iron will to outperform. This is a sentiment that I relate to as we compete with sparkling wines from 'the other place'," he said.

David Searle, executive director of The Boat Race Company Limited, added that the partnership reflects the company's desire to evolve as a "thoroughly modern British event".

He said: "We are delighted to welcome Chapel Down as an official partner of The Boat Races. Chapel Down will be joining a host of other great British brands partnering The Boat Races and it will be fantastic to see the iconic celebration moment after the Race being feted with English sparkling wine."

The 163rd Boat Race and The 72nd Women's Boat Race will take place on Sunday, April 2.

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