Time to nominate for the 2017 Filippi Spirit Award

For immediate release
Lausanne, 14 September 2017

The World Rowing Federation, FISA, is pleased to announce that the nomination process for the 2017 Filippi Spirit Award is now open.

The Filippi Spirit Award is open to university students who, through the core values of rowing, have inspired exceptional success in other people’s lives in education, business, sport or charity. To recognise the merits of this student, a new Filippi racing eight will be awarded to the winner’s university rowing club.

“For the 2016 award we had a record number of nominations and World Rowing is always grateful to learn about the amazing rowers who show the values that we hold deeply,” says FISA President Jean-Christophe Rolland. “World Rowing is proud to recognise these rowers through this Award.”

The Filippi 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 be presented with a custom-made new Filippi racing eight boat for their rowing club. Filippi boats are made in Italy and used by medal-winning crews throughout the world.

Filippi Boats is one of the world’s leading rowing racing boat manufacturers based in Donorotico, Italy. Since 1980 Filippi has produced top Olympic-class rowing boats. They are renowned for design, top-quality materials and state-of-the-art technology combined with passion and core values that underpin their work.

For rowers in some countries (such as the United States where NCAA regulations apply), the awards will be adjusted to conform with national eligibility regulations. Each nomination must be made by two of the nominated rower’s teammates, supported by the rowing club and endorsed by the university. Only one member may be nominated by each club.

Full details and the nomination form are now available here. University rowing clubs have until 1 November 2017 to submit nominations.

Previous winners:
2016 Nils Jakob Hoff
Olympic rower and medical student at the University of Bergen, Norway.

2015 Kirsten Van Fossen
American PhD student studying engineering at the University of Cambridge, Great Britain.

2014 Franz Gravenhorst
German national team rower and PhD student at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland.

2013 James Cook
British student-athlete studying mechanical engineering at the University College of London, Great Britain.