BALLARAT High School desperately wants to climb back to the top of girls rowing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The senior boys last year claimed the Head of the Lake title for the first time since 2000 and the school’s head of rowing, Robert Simmonds, says it’s the girls’ turn.
A new boat, the shift of last year’s senior boys cox Milli Bilson to the girls’ crew and now some inspiration from the last group to complete the feat is hoped to aid in the quest.
The 1991 Head of the Lake-winning crew of Jac Delaland, Mardi Featherston, Caitlin McConachy, Michelle McIntosh and Sandra Rucins was in Ballarat on Saturday to speak to current members Emma Webster, Tamaysha Bishop, Kristie Hunt, Amity Musgrove and Bilson.
Simmonds said the 1991 champions spent a couple of hours with the young rowers, speaking about a range of things and also jumping in a boat for a paddle down the final stages of the Lake Wendouree course.
“The difference between their training session on Saturday morning before they met the (1991) girls compared to the Sunday morning training session was fantastic,” Simmonds said.
“It might have been a light bulb moment for them. The girls have now realised they are not rowing for themselves, they are rowing for the club, the association and want to take that baton and want to be the last girls to win the Head of the Lake and not the ‘91 girls.”
Simmonds said it was important that after the boys’ breakthrough triumph in February last year, that didn’t become the major focus for the school.
“It’s all about every crew and the girls are just as important as the boys are,” he said.
Head of the Lake will return to a Sunday fixture again this year, with the meeting scheduled for March 1.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
