BALLARAT Associated Schools executive officer Sharyn Canny has said there was little choice in moving BAS’ premier rowing regatta to a Friday.
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Head of the Lake will swap to the weekday scheduling on February 28 next year to lead into Rowing Victoria’s state championships, a two-day event.
Canny said the fixture was not ideal but there was little room to change dates in an already tight, established RV calendar each season.
But BAS has been forced to make way on its usual first weekend of March for the championships.
This will be an ongoing scenario with Ballarat locked into hosting the state championships every second year on Lake Wendouree.
Next year, the Head of the Lake and state championships also fall the week before the long weekend, then competition moves into school and national championships.
“We do realise it’s not ideal, being a school day and with parents at work. We really didn’t have that much choice,” Canny said.
“Obviously, Sunday’s our preference ... (schools) are happy to work with it.
“They’re not prepared to have students missing classes to watch the rowing, unless maybe a sibling is rowing.
“Schools will probably take a supporters’ group but that is still something each school is working out.”
BAS last held a Head of the Lake on a Friday in 2006 in Nagambie.
A mid-week twilight fixture was also trialled when the regatta was held on Geelong’s Barwon River. Head of the Lake returned to Lake Wendouree for its centenary regatta in 2012 after nine years on the road in Nagambie, then Geelong, due to drought.
Ballarat Grammar will be the defending boys’ and girls’ champion, vying for a fourth-straight boys’ title and three consecutive in the girls.
melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
