Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

A few years ago, you might not have seen this: Jaguar as the official car of the Federazione Italiana Canottaggio (Italian Rowing Federation).
   That was when Jaguar was so stuck with its idea of Britishness, almost to the point of parody. Since Ian Callum headed Jaguar design, the company has been more internationally minded: it may still be British, but it’s an international, forward-looking Britain that the Jaguar brand now represents. And this tie-up signals to the Italian specialist makers that Jag can even get them on their home turf.
   The Jaguar Excellence Academy is a programme which will see two athletes from the FIC get a scholarship to either undertake a public speaking course, or a Master in Sport Management or Self-Management, and an English course, and 30 days in the UK with the British Council.
   Twenty rowers have been selected initially, with the field narrowing to five with the help of Facebook users who vote at the FIC page, and with the evaluations of the Federazione and Jaguar Italia.
   Seven of the twenty are already qualified for the Olympic Games, and six are women. Many are world champions in their categories and two are coastal rowing world champions.

Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

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