By Nick Jones at Lake Barrington International Rowing Course
Susannah Lutze (Banks Rowing Club) is back on track after a disrupted start to her season and racing with purpose at the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships (#ARC25).
The Victorian para-rower made a confident return in Tuesday’s race-for-lanes in the PR3 Women’s Single Sculls, laying the groundwork for what she hopes will be a standout final come Thursday morning.
“It was really good to be racing for the first time this season actually,” Lutze said.
“I’ve been dealing with some injuries, so coming in and being able to put down a performance like that is really a nice booster for Thursday’s final.”
Lutze and her interstate rival Isobel Egan (Radford College) showed serious speed on the Lake Barrington course. It was faster than either had expected.
With a favourable tailwind, the two produced times that surprised even themselves with Egan clocking an 8:13.29s and Lutze finishing 2.69s soon after.
“I think we were both a bit shocked at the times,” Lutze said.
“There’s obviously a tail this afternoon which helped… It’s nice that we were both able to come away with a quick time that we weren’t expecting.
"I guess that was shared on the water between us.”
While Lutze is targeting the national title in the PR3 Single, the race also doubles as a selection opportunity ahead of the 2025 international season.
With limited sculling opportunities overseas in the PR3 category, most racing takes place in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four.
Lutze sees these solo efforts as essential building blocks.
“For me the Scull’s a huge priority. It’s really important,” Lutze said.
“As I haven’t done a lot of racing, I really want to put some good times down and test the waters before we go into small boats for trials.”
After time away from competitive racing due to injury, Lutze has found solace and joy in training with clubmates, building her fitness and confidence back through Quads, Doubles, and big-boat sessions on Melbourne’s Yarra River.
“I just really love rowing,” Lutze said.
“I wasn’t in a competitive capacity for a while… but just taking the time to find the water again, navigate the Yarra [River], and enjoy the process. It’s taken the stress away and reminded me why I do this [sport].”
Her return to the national stage has been buoyed by a strong training camp and a tight-knit para-squad.
Lutze praised the culture and excitement generated by a new generation of para-athletes coming through.
“It’s really exciting to see some younger para talent coming through so we can get some really close, fast racing on the track,” Lutze said.
“I think Thursday [morning] is going to be really interesting.”
With 48 hours between the race-for-lanes and the final, Lutze is focused on recovery and rhythm, looking to build on today’s positive signs.
“For me, it was all about just finding some rhythm at [high] rate. Really getting the rate up and hands spinning.
“It was a nice tester… I think Thursday will be another good step forward.”
In other para-racing the hunt for the new top PR3 Men’s sculler was previewed today with Flynn Wilkinson (Sydney Rowing Club) dominating his heat.
Winning the heat by a comfortable 24.31s in front of Rowsella Mac Russell (UQBC), Wilkinson is also showing great promise for Thursday’s final.
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