ROWING: School rowers readjust to a full Lake Wendouree

CROWDS gathered along the spit at Lake Wendouree, calling war cries and cheering on victors, has fast become Boat Race legend.There is a whole generation of Ballarat school rowers to never even have rowed on the lake until this season.Ballarat Associated Schools' Head of the Lake regatta ? and the fanfare at the spit ? is at least another year away from a much-heralded return to Lake Wendouree, but crews have gradually been able to venture back on home waters for training.The result has been a boom in program numbers, an influx of volunteers, an ease on training logistics, and more chance to focus on rowing technique.BAS' rowing directors are unanimously excited, and relieved, to be back on water in Ballarat.For Loreto College, preparing for a fifth year back in Boat Race, rowing director Matt Carroll said the change has been a massive boost for the school's developing program."Being back on the lake for training has made a big difference on our numbers, increasing our program by about five or six crews, which is very encouraging," Carroll said."Already we've been able to get motorboats out more and look at technique ... basically getting it all together, better."Loreto is based out of the Wendouree-Ballarat Rowing Club, which has supported the school since its program re-launch.Carroll said training at the lake had made the sport more accessible for students with part-time jobs or other sport commitments.No longer are there the constant mad-dashes for after-school road trips or full-Saturday outings to Melbourne and Geelong for training.Staying in Ballarat has forced schools to rethink their whole approach to rowing.Ballarat Clarendon College rowing director Ross Henderson said access to Lake Wendouree seemed to happen so suddenly and crews adapted quickly.College has restructured its entire program to fit back on the lake and make the most of a renovated shed.But Henderson said training was far more enjoyable."Our whole program is based on the lake now," Henderson said."We can actually build a bit more on the foundations we had set up already and you can really notice the change in the lower ranks."... Not only have our crews had to adjust but most of our coaches have to know what to do on the lake and how it all works."Ballarat Grammar rowing director Luke Pougnault likened the Lake Wendouree homecoming to a "learning and transition phase".Pougnault said the challenge had been in re-teaching how to work directly out of the sheds.Grammar's base on the lake's north side was restricted by weeds but interest in rowing was still growing."The novelty is starting to wear off but it's still fantastic to be back," Pougnault said."Transport costs have eased and there is a completely different dynamic."...We're on track as much as we can be. There's a lot of positives and plenty of excitement."Grammar, like other BAS programs, has taken junior crews to regattas in Geelong, which Pougnault said was purely for race exposure.Senior crews have scheduled camps on the Barwon River to build on-water endurance.Ballarat High School rowers have also trekked to Geelong for distance training.High School rowing director Dean Collishaw still tries to get his crews, especially juniors, on Lake Wendouree whenever he can."We focus on technique on the lake and for a bit more repetition will go to Nagambie and Geelong," Collishaw said."But it definitely is a lot easier to get coaches being on the lake and not as much pressure for our rowers and their parents to get to training," he said.St Pats rowing director Jamie Lynn agreed the added time to develop rowing technique was invaluable.St Pats has held the BAS boys' rowing premiership the past six years.The firsts will vie for a fifth consecutive Head of the Lake title this season.Lynn said training on Lake Wendouree, though slightly limited, was still much easier but camps remained an important part of the program."The boys still enjoy the road-trip away, a chance to go away and compete," Lynn said."They learn something every time they go away, like how to prepare for an event."... The boys are enjoying training on the lake and it's great to see rowing back in Ballarat."Crews have seen little of each other in action so far this season but regattas start to pick up again across the state later next month.The ultimate gauge of how much access to Lake Wendouree has improved training will be on March 6 ? the BAS Head of the Lake showdown.