The Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race is an event which, apart from during the First and Second World Wars, has been held annually since 1846. It has become synonymous with champagne, the colour blue, and Putney, West London.

Yet its recent partnership with Cancer Research UK might add another association to this list.

Newton Investment Management and BNY Mellon, the former a subsidiary of the latter, originally held the title sponsorship. However, now known as the Cancer Research UK Boat Race, the UK’s leading cancer charity has surpassed its status as event charity partner to be gifted its title sponsorship.

In a world first, the charitable arm of Newton Investment Management and BNY Mellon have also agreed to support the fundraising initiatives of Cancer Research UK in the lead up to the race. So great is the honour that the iconic logo of the Boat Race will also be changed, incorporating the Cancer Research UK brand colours of magenta and blue into the light and dark blues of Cambridge and Oxford respectively.

Sir Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, says, “We are enormously grateful to BNY Mellon and Newton Investment Management for their generous donation. The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races are a truly iconic British sporting event, watched the world over. Cancer Research UK’s work has fuelled the progress that has seen cancer survival rates double in the last 40 years.”

Executive director of The Boat Race Company Ltd, David Searle, says, “In BNY Mellon and Newton Investment Management we knew we had sponsors who would do something out of the ordinary. After making history with the introduction of The Women's Boat Race to the Tideway in 2015, this amazing gesture is breaking new ground in sponsorship.”

“We are very grateful to BNY Mellon and Newton Investment Management for this move and for their commitment to support their gesture by helping to raise significant sums of money for Cancer Research UK through the various events they are developing with us and the team at CRUK.”

The Cancer Research UK Boat Races take place on Sunday, 27 March, with the women’s race starting at 15:10, followed by the men’s at 16:10.