Parmigiani introduces their Spirit Award for Rowing.

Apr 23, 2014,14:34 PM
 


[James Cook (left) and Parmigiani CEO Jean-Marc Jacot (second from left), and Denis Oswald, FISA President (far right) presenting the Parmigiani Spirit Award}

It was a surprise to be invited. Parmigiani had kept it under wraps and quiet. But there should have been more fanfare; more made of the fact that this was something worth publicizing, worth talking about. All too often in this day and age sponsorship equates to finding a sporting star and pinning your brand name to theirs. But this was something different. Here was an award that was dedicated to rowing, that was dedicated to individuals within the sport who had used their enthusiasm for something more than just their own glory, and where the selfless behaviour on the part of the individual was a benefit to the club for whom they rowed as well as the sport itself. There are different similar awards out there: the Rolex Spirit Awards come to mind. But the other awards are notably given to individuals who have already established a track record. Not to a young person who has time to show how the idea will develop.


[James Cook is presented with the Spirit Award 2013]

We gathered at the University of London Boat House in Chiswick. From the years I spent at such places, being the member of a crew, such boathouses are never very salubrious in décor. The walls tend to be filled with photos of crews who traditionally had deserved merit in winning somewhere, some regatta. At times, such as winning a cup at the Henley Royal Regatta, a crew wins an oar. The oar is one taken from the boat, in the boat club colours, with the names of the crew, cox, and coach inscribed on the blade. They litter the boathouse walls as reminders of when a crew was more than the sum of its parts.


[James Cook presents the blade to Filippi boat builders]

There is a saying in rowing, particularly in eights, that you are as weak as your weakest man or woman. Timing is absolutely critical. Timing is everything to an eight. If one crew member is out of time, by only the smallest of margins, the eight will be that much slower because of it. Every action and reaction is felt by the crew on the water. Too fast or slow to the catch (where the oar is placed in the water), to fast or slow on the slide (moving seat), too much or too little pressure on the blade during the stroke. The water transmits it all the rest of the crew and to the speed of the boat. To be successful at rowing a crew has to be as one. And that is an ideal worth fostering; that the team should have the same technique, the same spirit, and move with the same purpose. Hence, the Parmigiani Spirit Award is aimed at individuals who display such traits and more. Who are not only actively rowing, but have used their sport, their position, to demonstrate that one person can make a difference. And in this instance, for the first recipient of the Spirit Award, a young engineering student (at Imperial College London) from the University of London Rowing Club (ULRC) won the award.


[The Parmigiani Spirit Award boat is taken out of the boat house for the first time]

To instigate the award, Parmigiani partnered with FISA to administer and organize the award. FISA, “Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron” in French, or the English equivalent International Federation of Rowing Associations is the governing body of the sport of rowing. It is represents 142 member National Rowing Federations, the National Olympic Committees and the International Olympic Committee to govern the sport of rowing. The call for submissions for the Spirit Award was sent out by FISA in 2012. From the rowing clubs across the globe, who had submitted nominations, (the appropriately named) James Cook from ULRC won. He award prize was a Parmigiani 1950 Tonda and a new Eights boat for his club (bespoke manufactured by Filippi: www.filippiboats.it /).




[James Cook and Jean-Marc Jacot christen the Parmigiani Spirit boat with champagne at the launch]

Understandably James kept the watch! It will serve him well and last him a lifetime. A reminder of a time when he won the rowing club the race! Albeit a different race: a race for life. You see, James won the award because of the charity work he has been involved in that it also involves his chosen sport of rowing. In keeping with the altruistic nature of winner, James declined the Filippi eights boat for his own crew, and instead gave it to the Ladies First Crew for the University of London Rowing Club. Bespoke boats are designed to take into account both the weight and height of the rowers in the crew. It makes a difference. The timing issues that were mentioned earlier are made easier if the boat is designed for the type of crew that will row in it. The Ladies crew did not have a dedicated or bespoke boat for their use, for their height/weight combination, and in ceding the prize boat to the Ladies crew James showed that his altruistic nature was not just confined to his charity.


[The LURC Ladies Eight go out on the water]

As a former rower I naturally have a great deal of sympathy for this award, and wish it well. This is just the first year but all indications are that the award will be around in the future. Plans are already afoot to row the Zambezi River on behalf of the charity Clean Water (that is also supported by FISA). In 2011 an expedition rowed the Zambezi and the intentions are to repeat the row for the same charity once again (http://www.rowzambezi.com/). The Spirit Award has provided much needed funding to the current intended Row Zambezi expedition. This is one of the times that a luxury watch brand truly does give back: that highlights a good cause and provides much needed impetus and funding. My congratulations’ to all at Parmigiani for the instigation of this award; long may it provide acknowledgement to worthy causes and individuals within the rowing world.

Andrew H This message has been edited by 219 on 2014-04-23 14:35:26

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As an ex-crewbie

 
 By: SethRL : April 24th, 2014-07:26
(having coxed and still coxing, including hours on the water pictured) I'm so very impressed. The idea of the "spirit" as being not for a single rowing achievement, but rather for a young person showing selflessness and dedication to others is fantastic. ... 

Noble idea

 
 By: Le Monde Edmond : April 25th, 2014-01:21
Parmigiani is a brand that continues to grow on me everyday. The quality is very high, the brand certainly only for connoisseurs. I had the chance to visit their boutique in Gstaad this winter. Impressive indeed. Thank you for the story, fits the brand. b...