Susannah Lutze PLY

VIC | Banks Rowing Club

Susannah Lutze is a proud PR3 para-rower representing Victoria and Australia on the world stage. Born in Scotland in 2004, Susannah was diagnosed at birth with unilateral Talipes Equinovarus, commonly known as clubfoot. From just three weeks old, she underwent years of treatment, including braces and casting, which ultimately resulted in complete immobility of her left ankle and muscle atrophy in her left leg. Despite these early challenges, she never let her condition define her.

After moving with her family to Australia in 2008, Susannah explored a range of sports throughout her childhood, including tennis, hockey, dance, netball, and swimming. Frequent ankle and knee injuries eventually limited her participation in high-impact sports. But in 2020, after moving schools, she discovered rowing, and it quickly became a passion that would shape her athletic future.

Susannah’s breakthrough came in 2023 when she was selected for the Australian Para Rowing Team. Competing internationally for the first time, she helped her crew to two Gold medals before going on to represent Australia at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, where the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four finished fourth, qualifying the boat for the Paris Paralympic Games.

In 2024, Susannah made her Paralympic debut at the Paris Games, once again racing in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four. After a strong repechage win, the crew ultimately placed fifth in the A-Final, marking an impressive Paralympic debut for the then 19-year-old. She also competed in World Rowing Cup III, gaining further international experience in the lead-up to Paris.

Off the water, Susannah studies a Bachelor of Health Science at the University of South Australia and works part-time in retail and marketing management. She is affiliated with Banks Rowing Club and is known by teammates for her warmth, humour, and habit of baking and colouring in to unwind.

Susannah is also a vocal advocate for accessibility and awareness in para sport. She speaks openly about her impairment and encourages others with less-visible disabilities to explore para-rowing.

With clear goals to develop her sculling, go faster, and keep having fun with the team, Susannah Lutze PLY is a rising leader within the Australian para-rowing squad and an inspiration to young athletes who are still discovering what’s possible.

Susannah is currently a member of the Australian PR3 Women's Single Sculls. 

Last updated May 20, 2025.