By Nick Butler

Parmigiani Award winner Franz Gravenhorst in between 2013 recipient James Cook (left) and Parmigiani chief executive Jean-Marc Jacot ©FISAGermany's student rowing star Franz Gravenhorst has received the second Parmigiani Spirit Award at a ceremony in Zurich.


Gravenhorst, a doctorate student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in the city, has combined sporting and academic pursuits to good effect, donating "countless hours to improving and developing the sport and encouraging university rowing".

As well as acting as coach, organiser and promoter for the university rowing team, he will soon complete his dual doctorate thesis on the use of electrical sensors both to improve rowing technique and applied to improve health care for individuals suffering from mental disorders. 

The German was presented with a Parmigiani Fleurier "Tondo 1950" watch by Parmigiani chief executive Jean-Marc Jacot at the Widder Hotel.

His university rowing club will also receive a custom-built top-of-the-range Filippi racing eight built in Italy.

"Usually if I do something, I try to make it not about me," said the winner afterwards.

"My first thought with this award is how it will be beneficial for the others, my whole team will benefit from it,

"I am not used to receiving awards, but it is a great honour for me."

Franz Gravenhorst is the second winner of the annual event, which embraces rowing's status as a popular university sport ©Michael Calabro/FISAFranz Gravenhorst is the second winner of the annual event, which embraces rowing's status as a popular university sport ©Michael Calabro/FISA



The award, a collaboration between World Rowing and luxury watchmaking giants Parmigiani Fleurier, rewards university rowers worldwide who demonstrate the "core values of rowing in his/her social, academic and sporting life and, through those values, also enabled or inspired exceptional success in other people's lives".

These five core values are "teamwork, fairness, natural, inclusive and enduring".

It was first won last year by British rower and student James Cook, who combined an international rowing career with studies and charity work.

Also present this time around was was FISA President and France's Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist Jean-Christophe Rolland, Germany's 2003 world champion Lenka Wech, and New Zealand's London 2012 single sculls champion Mahe Drysdale.

The trio teamed up with Jacot to form a jury panel to select the winner.

"We decided to create this award to celebrate a rower who has achieved something very special in his or her life," said the Parmigiani official afterwards.

"This award is very important to thank these young people who have worked so hard.

"Franz is a person who gives so much to the sport and at the same time is achieving so much for society and the health of society.

"He is a worthy winner of the second Parmigiani Spirit Award."

Rolland added: "We had many excellent and worthy candidates this year, it was quite difficult to choose.

"But the winner, Franz, demonstrated the core values of rowing and thus fits the criteria of the award perfectly.

"The sport of rowing demands tremendous dedication, it is essential that we recognise these fantastic individuals who dedicate their lives not only to academics and to rowing, but also to helping others."

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