It has been a great honour for our ‘The Regatta Shop’ founder and co-owner Susie Palfreyman to have an eight named after her at MLC on August 26 2017 during a boat naming ceremony at Richmond RC boat shed. It was fantastic to see MLC acknowledge Susie, who started and nurtured the very successful rowing programme at MLC back in the early 1980s.It was also a great opportunity for Susie and the girls she used to row with and coached to come together for the occasion. So many of the girls coached, now have daughters rowing at MLC, have kept rowing, are coaching or have an organising role in the world of rowing, demonstrating that rowing is a sport for life.
“While there's only enough seats in this boat for nine girls at a time, truthfully it carries the dreams, hard work, inspiration, friendship and girl power of so, so many sports women, past and future,” Susie's daughter Cathy Palfreyman fittingly said about the christened boat.
The Palfreyman family, The Regatta Shop's founders, owners and soul, were all at the boat christening, celebrating Susie's big day. They've all been an integral part of Susie’s rowing life, rowed themselves and have always been involved with rowing in some way or other.
And in Susie’s own words about the day (including excerpt from her MLC speech):
“Words don't do justice to how honoured I feel to have an MLC 8+ shell named after me. My time at MLC was a labour of love. I am so very proud of how far the club has come and the values it holds. Thanks to the many friends who came to support me, and to the current MLC rowing community for your warm welcome.
Being part of MLC is one of my fondest achievements. To see girls take to the sport with passion and develop newfound confidence when they mastered the skill is a wonderful thing to behold. Girls with no former sporting prowess have excelled – and in the process have not only learned a complex physical skill, but also trust, respect, tolerance and reliability. The friendships made can endure for a lifetime. Many of our girls have gone on to represent the state or country, many have come back and coached and now we see the second generation coming along. I hope that everyone who embraced the opportunity to be part of this club has found the experience extraordinary.
I am trilled to have the honour of having this boat named after me. When you row in it reflect on the years that came before you and how a labour of love from many have made the club what it is today. Be proud that this school and club have continued to nurture such a wonderful legacy.”
Find out more about Susie's achievement's for girl's rowing in Victoria & Australia in this World Rowing article here: http://www.worldrowing.com/news/rowing-and-education-australia-head-the-schoolgirls