Olympic Champion Drysdale to Judge Parmigiani Spirit Award

Drysdale, who has also won five world titles and Olympic bronze in Beijing during his outstanding career, is delighted to support FISA's new initiative for university rowers.

"It's great to be involved in such a fantastic opportunity for university rowing clubs," says Drysdale. "I took up rowing at the University of Auckland so I know from personal experience how important university rowing is to the sport. This is a great chance to acknowledge a student rower and for a university rowing club to win a new eight."

"Mahé was introduced to rowing by his university club," says Denis Oswald, President of FISA. "Throughout his career he has been a magnificent ambassador for the core values of rowing. He is the ideal judge for the Parmigiani Spirit Award."

The Parmigiani Spirit Award is open to current university students worldwide who study full time and row regularly for a university rowing club. The winner of the Award will receive a hand-crafted Parmigiani Fleurier watch and the winner's club will be presented with a new racing eight boat.

The Parmigiani Spirit Award will be made to a university rower who has demonstrated the core values of rowing in his/her social, academic and sporting life, and, through these values, also enabled or inspired exceptional success in other people's lives – for example in education, business, sports or charity.

University rowers have until 30 June 2013 to submit nominations at www.worldrowing.com/parmigiani-awards. The judging panel will also include Denis Oswald, President of FISA and Jean-Marc Jacot, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier SA.

Parmigiani Fleurier is a Swiss watchmaker of unique, hand-crafted timepieces. A common philosophy lies at the basis of the partnership between World Rowing and Parmigiani Fleurier which was forged in 2012. Precision, coordination and elegance are similar qualities that are needed both in the sport of rowing and in the craftsmanship of unique precision timepieces.