As previously reported, strong winds led to Sunday’s races being abandoned, with all races to be re-run without spit crew cheer squads.

Instead, according to Ballarat Associated Schools Inc chair Judith Potter, the focus will be on the rowers, who will be allowed to stay and cheer for their schools.

“When one has to reschedule, there’s parts that can’t be replicated exactly as it was,” she said.

“The focus was on the rowers, and their dedication and commitment - (the rescheduling) is ensuring the rowers get that opportunity to compete.”

She said students could still send messages of support to their peers before the races, and parents were invited to attend.

“It’s a combination of a number of circumstances why it’s ended up at 9am Wednesday,” she said.

“The principals considered a number of options - the principals were trying to be as fair as possible.

“Ballarat should be proud all the principals got together and tried to make it as fair as possible for the rowers.”

But for many, the spit crews at the finish line are what made the event fun, and parents and students are worried there’ll be a lack of atmosphere.

Carolyn McMickan’s youngest daughter will be rowing in the Ballarat High School open crew, and said her husband will not be able to attend, because he took Monday off to be with the family for Sunday's race.

“It’s all they’ve worked for - they’ll get to Nationals but this is what they want to win,” she said, adding her daughter was “gutted”.

“It breaks my heart, especially when my son five years ago had the best day.

“As soon as they heard the noise from the spit crew, that’s what inspired them to get cracking.”

One student, who asked to remain anonymous, said it was about the schools joining together despite their rivalries.

“It’s not about the schools winning, it’s about wanting to experience it,” they said.

“This is a year 12 tradition, we’ve spent so much money on equipment like loudspeakers and the spit crew shirts.”

A student from a second school said this was the last chance for the year 12s to be involved.

“We were all so excited, our spit crew was smaller so we were just happy to be part of it,” they said.

“It’s one of the first years our boys in division one had a good chance - it’s something we all want to be there to celebrate with them."

An online petition was also set up on Monday night, drawing almost 1500 signatures by 9.30am on Tuesday.

A coach, who asked to remain anonymous, said many coaches were volunteers, and would be unable to get time off work to help their crews after so much work to get them to that point.

“The one day of the year that these rowers have trained so hard for over the past nine months has been completely ruined by the conscious decision by the BAS principals to remove all the atmosphere that makes the Head of the Lake so special,” they said.

“A total contradiction of many of the participating schools' ethos of putting students first.”

Many suggested running the race after school, as crews will be attending the state championships at the weekend.

The City of Ballarat confirmed Wendouree Parade will be closed between Hamilton Avenue and Morrison Street for the Head of the Lake from 6am to 2pm on Wednesday, and a boating activity exclusion zone begins at 6am.

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