When Penny Chuter, who has died aged 82, began to mess about in a rowing dinghy as a toddler and with water sports as a teenager, rowing clubs were for men only.
The world championships and the Olympics offer equal numbers of open events for women and men (as does the Henley Royal Regatta), and the headcount of women who row has grown enormously in schools, universities, clubs, competitions and worldwide.
She joined Laleham Skiff and Punting Club and won the first of her 27 punting championships aged 15 in 1957, and the first of 21 skiff championships in the following year, in singles, doubles and mixed categories.
Much of this transformation is because of Penny; she became a tough sculler, an inventive coach and an effective trainer for British Rowing (as the ARA is now called) and World Rowing’s development programme.
Penny Chuter obituary Silver medallist at the European Rowing Championships in 1962 who became an inspiring coach and influential administrator.
