The decision to restrict crowds from attending Sunday's Head of the Lake has bitterly disappointed one of Ballarat's rowing legends.
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John Irwin will turn 96 in April. The former stroke of Ballarat College's 1943 champion first crew and race-winning coach for both Ballarat High and College has made it a point of his life to attend the boat races, even as age has wearied him.
But not this year. In what his daughter says is a bitter disappointment to him, John will be forced to view the event online.
"He never misses it," Julia Irwin says.
"So he is really disappointed. He was willing to come up on Friday despite the forecast heat. There is nothing he loves more than sitting in chair at the lake with his binoculars, watching each heat. He always expects College to win."
Mr Irwin has maintained his outlook this year, saying College should win, "because they are the best crew to do it, if they get a good start."
Asked about his views on the spectator ban, the World War II navy veteran was typically forthright.
"I think it's crazy. How will they stop them?" Mr Irwin said.
After stroking College's crew to a win in 1943, Mr Irwin immediately joined the RAN to be part of a much greater, more important victory over the Japanese Imperial Army, seeing action in New Guinea.
John Irwin and fellow College oarsman Frank Ritchie coached the successful Ballarat High School crews in 1956 and 1957, then did the same single-handedly in 1958. The pair returned to Ballarat College to coach winning Head of the Lake crews in 1971, 72 and 73.
Mr Irwin's son and three grandchildren have also rowed in the College Firsts. This year he is particularly interested in the Thirds because his son, Jon, coaches the College crew and has predicted a win.
"He just has a passion for it," says Julia.
"I think his only disappointment is not being presented with an oar after the 1943 win, because the war intervened."
The decision to attempt to restrict crowds at this year's races is a controversial one, with other events such as the Ballarat Beer Festival and the A-League soccer match going ahead with crowds.
Event organisers across the state have blamed the reams of paperwork and documentation required to obtain approvals for the confusion about whether to go ahead with public sporting fixtures and other functions.
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