Summerside champion rower Emily Cameron honoured by Rowing P.E.I.

Emily Cameron's career with the national Canadian rowing team was celebrated Saturday night at the Charlottetown Yacht Club.

The Summerside rower, who has won silver medals for Canada at the World Championships and World Cup, even had a boat named after her.

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"It's an honour. It's a little surreal," she said.

"I certainly have days where I don't feel worthy to he honest. I think we forget sometimes when we get into our own little world in rowing and in sport, just how much it means to others especially when we come from such a small place like P.E.I."

Cameron, 33, is retiring from the team and moving to England to attend Oxford University.

She had hoped to be part of Team Canada for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

But Rowing Canada decided against qualifying a heavyweight women's foursome in sculling.

Instead, Cameron will spend the summer helping young Island rowers train for the Canada Games in 2017.

Lea Bryden of Rowing P.E.I., which hosted Saturday night's celebration, is thrilled to have her on board.

"Being so committed to supporting the kids that are coming up behind her, amidst all of her disappointment in not being at Rio but being able to turn that back to the kids, it is emotional,"  she said.

Proceeds from Saturday night's celebration will go toward Rowing P.E.I.'s new racing boat — the Emily Cameron.

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