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Ballarat’s rowing schools filed onto the Lake Wendouree foreshore in a cacophony of drums, chants and even bagpipes on Sunday.
St Patrick’s College spit crew captains Joshua Harrington and Nick Stuhldreier said boat race was all about school spirit and brotherhood.
"We've had the same spit tops for 20 years and we only change them when we win and add in the year on the back," Joshua said.
"You go to school with people and you don’t really know them as friends but today's the day we're all friends," Nick said.
Loreto College spit crew captain Miranda Roscoe said they had a "freedom" theme this year.
"We're super proud of our girls," Miranda said, accurately forecasting their historic maiden victory in the girl’s main event.
Damascus College spit crew captains Phoebe Bentley and Freya Maude said their school spirit was very high today.
"We're just trying to get everyone involved,” Phoebe said. "Everyone's really enthusiastic - it's pretty exciting."
Freya also predicted their girls first crew were “in with a fighting chance” just before they finished second in their first appearance in the race.
Phoenix College might have had fewer spit crew numbers than the other schools but they made up for it in originality.
"One of our chants is to ‘We Will Rock You’," spit crew captain Natasha Dontje said.
Fellow captain Jacob Dodd said they had made up all their own chants to be “unique”.
Ballarat High School captain Aidan Kuzmich said they had a "blue, green and loud theme."
They were also wearing army colours for courage. Aidan said they had been rehearsing their chants a couple of days a week for the past few weeks.
"It's really good being on the spit crew. It might look a bit silly from a distance but it's a lot of fun when you're in it,"Aidan said.
Joint Ballarat Grammar spit crew captains Will Keech and Will Macinnes said they held a year 12 vote to come up with their Vikings theme with students bringing bins, pots and pans from home to make as much noise as possible.
Ballarat Clarendon College spit crew captain Xander Chester said they were going with a traditional red and black theme with a parent coming along with her bagpipes and the school marching band enlisted for a highland theme.
EARLIER UPDATES OF THE CONTROVERSY
UPDATE, 2.15pm: The 2017 boys’ Head of the Lake race will be re-rowed on Wednesday at 9am.
Ballarat Associated Schools executive officer Sharyn Canny said it was deemed there was an anomaly in the weighing system of the coxes, with some weighed Friday night – including St Patrick’s College cox Jackson Long – and others Sunday morning.
Ms Canny said a meeting of the competing schools’ principals determined it was not in the best educational interests of the rowers to disqualify them but rather hold a re-row.
All five schools will be involved in the re-race, with logistics to be worked out in the next few days.
“The principals would like to stress it has been a fantastic day and there’s been some fantastic racing,” Ms Canny said.
“The principals have made the decision in the best interest of the students.”
She said there would be strict processes in place for weighing the coxes, with all weighed on Wednesday morning.
She also stressed it was an anomaly in BAS processes, not those of Rowing Victoria, with some coxes not available at the nominated weigh-in time.
“It’s just part of the processes of a school regatta.”
UPDATE, 1.50pm: The Courier understands a decision has been made, however it has not yet been made public.
We expect the schools will be told first before it is announced.
UPDATE, 1.25pm: There has still been no decision made.
The headmasters are having a break and conferring with their rowing directors.
They are expected to resume meeting again shortly.
UPDATE, 1pm: A decision has not yet been made, but the St Patrick’s College captain of boats has leapt to the defence of his school.
Upon accepting the trophy for the overall premiership, he made a strong statement to the crowd at presentation.
“We were probably at our lowest, but we know we were the strongest crew on the lake today and we will always know we were the strongest crew in 2017,” he said.
The Courier will let you know the results as soon as they come to hand.
UPDATE, 12.25pm: There is a massive drama under way in the boys Head of the Lake and St Patrick’s College could be disqualified.
The cox of St Patrick's has weighed in under the minimum weight of 55kg, coming in at 53kg.
The referees have made the recommendation that St Pat's be disqualified.
It's now in the hands of the five school headmasters involved in the race to decide what happens.
The decision is expected to be announced at the presentation ceremony at Loreto College.
If they are disqualified, Ballarat Grammar will be crowned champion.
More to come.
12pm: St Patrick’s College and Loreto College have triumphed in the Head of the Lake!
It’s St Patrick’s’ first win since 2010 and Loreto’s maiden victory.
11am: Watch this video of all the spit crews in full voice – you’ll feel like you’re there!
10.30am: St. Patrick’s College spit crew captains Joshua Harrington and Nick Stuhldreier said boat race was all about school spirit and brotherhood.
"We've had the same spirit tops for 20 years and we only change them when we win and add in the year in the back," Joshua said.
With St Pat’s tipped to win the boys head of the lake the pair said they would hold a whole school celebration with any old rowers who wanted to join in.
"You go to school with people and you know them as friends but today's the day we're all friends," Nick said.
10am: Loreto College spit crew captain Miranda Roscoe said they had a "freedom" theme this year.
"We're super proud of our girls," Miranda said.
With Loreto hot favourite in the girls main event, Miranda said they would "probably lift the girls up" if they won.
Damascus College spit crew captains Phoebe Bentley and Freya Maude said their school spirit was very high today.
"We're just trying to get everyone involved,” Phoebe said.
"Everyone's really enthusiastic - it's pretty exciting."
Freya also predicted a Damascus boil over in the girls Head of the Lake.
"We're in with a fighting chance,” she said.
9.35am: Be sure to follow us on Snapchat to get all the colour and excitement! Follow ‘ballaratcourier’.
9.30am: Phoenix College might have fewer spit crew numbers than the other schools but they make up for it in originality.
"One of our chants is to ‘we will rock you’," spit crew captain Natasha Dontje said.
"We're just trying to support our girls."
Fellow captain Jacob Dodd said they had made all this chants up.
"We try to be unique each year," Jacob said.
9.15am: Ballarat High School captain Aidan Kuzmich said they have a "blue, green and loud theme."
They are also wearing army colours for courage. Aidan said they had been rehearsing their chants a couple of days a week for the past few weeks.
"It's really good being on the spit crew. It might look a bit silly from a distance but it's a lot fun when you're in it,"Aidan said.
Joint Ballarat Grammar spit crew captains Will Keech and Will Macinnes said they held a year 12 vote to come up with their Vikings theme with students bringing bins, pots and pans from home to make as much noise as possible.
Ballarat Clarendon College spit crew captain Xander Chester said they were going with a traditional red and black theme with a parent coming along with her bagpipes and the school marching band enlisted for a highland theme.
9am: St Patrick’s, Loreto, Phoenix and Damascus have taken their positions on the other side of the finish line.
8.45am: The spit crews are arriving at Lake Wendouree in a fanfare of noise and colour.
Ballarat Clarendon College has blaring bagpipes and highland drums while Ballarat Grammar is in fine chanting voice.