Evelyn (Ev) Sommer, Black Mountain Rowing Club (BMRC) life member, and Australian Representative Rower Number 211 passed away peacefully on Saturday 28 February surrounded by family.

Ev's, pioneering women's rowing achievements were significant and unique. Apart from her determination as a competitor she was colourful, loud and extroverted.

Ev took up rowing aged 15 at Sydney Womens Rowing Club (now Abbotsford RC).

In 1967, aged 17, in year 11 at Burwood Girls High School, Ev won the first of her eight Interstate Rowing Championships in the bow seat of the NSW four. Ev was frequently the stroke in subsequent Interstate successes. Indeed, in 1971, aged 21, Evelyn stroked the women’s interstate lightweight (Victoria Cup) and open (ULVA trophy) races to victory on the same day - an unusual achievement shared with fellow crew member Judy Perry who was in the same boats.

Ev’s rowing prowess was such that she had the distinction of winning all of the then Interstate events over her career: lightweight and open sweep crews and the Nell Slatter Trophy for Interstate single sculls Championship. This was an analogous achievement to that of Peter Antonie in men’s events .

Ev represented Australia at World Rowing Championships in 1974 and 1978 as well as several Trans Tasman events. In 1974, the pair of Ev and Lydia Miladinovic raced in the first World Rowing Championships that included women’s races .

Ev moved to Canberra in 1985 and joined BMRC. She won many local events and several Masters Regatta Championships in BMRC colours, with her last being the Australian Masters Rowing Championships in 2013 on Lake Burley Griffin.

Ev rowed in multiple crews at the Head of the Yarra (HoY), and despite her gloried past achievements was still announcing that she wanted to win the HoY. When the club named its lighter weight 8 the "Evelyn Sommer" she was still dreaming of being a part of a winning BMRC crew notwithstanding her declining health.

Evelyn had a successful career as a nurse and midwife, and with partner David Bagnall, raised two wonderful children, Sophie and Chris. Sophie's two boys Lachlan and Henry talked to Grandma Ev on the phone and will remember Ev who was overjoyed to have grandchildren.

Ev was also famous for the various dogs that she had in her life starting with Trigger, who lost a leg when attacking a bus, Sixpence (the Sao eating Champion of Sydney Rowing Club), Penny (another three legged dog she adopted after it lost a leg in a rabbit trap) , Phoebe, and finally Charlie who is currently 15 years old and famously survived a near drowning experience with a two metre tall grey Kangaroo in Weston Park in 2014.

Ev and her dogs have always been a team. Their adventures and interactions with Ev's friends are legendary

We will all miss Evelyn and her exuberance and joie de vivre,