Unfavourable conditions are forecast for Sunday morning, meaning competitors will not only have to battle their opponents, but Mother Nature at the same time on Lake Wendouree.

A forecast top of 19 degrees is expected, with cool winds from the south-wester that will most likely work against crews.

The result: a battle of attrition that will put all competitors to the ultimate test.

In the two big races for the day - the girls' and boys' Head of the Lake - it is hard to distinguish a clear favourite between the four crews in each.

Ballarat High School completed a fairytale story last year and is obviously the hunted this time around, while Ballarat Grammar School and Ballarat Clarendon College are said to be in with genuine chances of taking out the title.

Be careful not to write off St Patrick's College, however, which is more than happy to assume the title of underdog.

In the girls, Ballarat Clarendon College established itself as the school to beat last year, winning all open races to prove itself a cut above the rest.

One gets the sense they will not have it as easy this time, however.

Loreto College continues to develop its rowing program and its maiden Head of the Lake title cannot be too far away, Ballarat Grammar is a traditional girls powerhouse and Ballarat High School showed in the boys last year that anybody can win on their day.

But it is not just the biggest race of the day that matters.

Damascus College will this year enter nine crews (seven girls and two boys), while Phoenix College will enter a crew in the year 10 division 3 race.

The first race starts at 9am, with the two Head of the Lake races to start from 11.45am.

CREWS ENTERED

GIRLS

Ballarat Clarendon College 18

Ballarat Grammar School 12

Ballarat High School 15

Loreto College 19

Damascus College 7

Phoenix Community P-12 College 1

Total 71

BOYS

Ballarat Clarendon College 11

Ballarat Grammar School 13

Ballarat High School 10

St Patrick's College 14

Damascus College 2

Total 50

HEAD OF THE LAKE DIVISION 1 CREWS

OPEN GIRLS 

LORETO COLLEGE

Lane 3

Ella Catterson (stroke)

Roisin Fradd (three)

Eva Gillett (two)

Laura Fay (bow)

Elise Karslake (cox)

BALLARAT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Lane 4

Amy Rix (stroke)

Conor Delahunty (three)

Isobel Fay (two)

Mimi Ingram, captain (bow)

Clare Stewart (cox)

BALLARAT CLARENDON COLLEGE

Lane 5

Georgie Jackson (stroke)

Lucy Joyce, captain (three)

Julia Kittelty (two)

Alice Coltman (bow)

Eliza Millen (cox)

BALLARAT HIGH SCHOOL

Lane 6

Amity Musgrove (stroke)

Kristie Hunt (three)

Tamaysha Bishop (two)

Emma Webster (bow)

Milli Bilson (cox)

OPEN BOYS

BALLARAT HIGH SCHOOL

Lane 3

Lachlan Simpson, captain (stroke)

Cody McDonald (three)

Kyle Tabbitt (two)

Oskar Oliver (bow)

Paris Bedggood (cox)

BALLARAT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Lane 4

Nic Williams, captain (stroke)

Ted Hunt (three)

Lloyd Meek (two)

Ben Trotter (bow)

Thom Leadbetter (cox)

BALLARAT CLARENDON COLLEGE

Lane 5

Cody Grant (stroke)

Robert Corden-McKinley (three)

Henry Woodward (two)

Samuel Hayden, captain (bow)

Ben Dowling (cox)

ST PATRICK'S COLLEGE

Lane 6

Ollie Nash (stroke)

David O'Doherty (three)

Dallas Martin (two)

Ambrose Gillett, captain (bow)

Callum Holland (cox)

TIMETABLE

9am: girls' year 9, divisions 5, 6

9.05: girls' year 9, division 4

9.10: boys' year 9, divisions 4, 5

9.15: girls' year 9, division 3

9.20: boys' year 9, division 3

9.25: girls' year 9, division 2

9.30: boys' year 9, division 2

9.35: girls' year 9, division 1

9.40: boys' year 9, division 1

9.50: girls' year 10, divisions 5, 6

9.55: girls' year 10 division 4

10.00: boys' year 10, division 4

10.05: girls' year 10, division 3

10.10: boys' year 10, division 3

10.15: girls' year 10, division 2

10.20: boys' year 10, division 2

10.25: girls' year 10, division 1

10.30: boys' year 10, division 1

10.40: girls' open, divisions 6, 7

10.45: girls' open, division 5

10.50: boys' open, division 4

10.55: girls' open, division 4

11.05: boys' open, division 3

11.15: girls' open, division 3

11.25: boys' open, division 2

11.35: girls' open, division 2

11.45: boys' open division 1 - Head of the Lake

11.55: girls' open division 1 - Head of the Lake

HEAD OF THE LAKE HONOUR ROLLS

BOYS

2005- Ballarat Grammar School

2006- Ballarat Grammar School

2007- St Patrick's College

2008- St Patrick's College

2009- St Patrick's College

2010- St Patrick's College

2011- Ballarat Grammar School

2012- Ballarat Grammar School

2013- Ballarat Grammar School

2014- Ballarat High School

GIRLS

2005- Ballarat Clarendon College

2006- Ballarat Grammar School

2007- Ballarat Grammar School

2008- Ballarat Clarendon College

2009- Ballarat Grammar School

2010- Ballarat Clarendon College

2011- Ballarat Clarendon College

2012- Ballarat Grammar School

2013- Ballarat Grammar School

2014- Ballarat Clarendon College

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