The championships had been set for Perth's Champion Lakes but, due to Western Australia's ongoing border closures, Rowing Australia has shifted the event to Lake Wendouree with dates unchanged, May 19-22.

This is the first time Ballarat's Lake Wendouree has hosted the Australian masters rowing since 2012. The city did play host to the World Rowing Masters Regatta in 2014.

Lake Wendouree rowing put Ballarat on the map as one of three Australian Olympic cities, having hosted the 1956 Olympic regatta for the Melbourne Games. The lake has also played host to many state and Australian regattas.

Rowing Australia chief executive officer Ian Robson said rowing was fortunate to have an alternative location.

His counterpart for Rowing Victoria, Ian Jickell, said it was exciting to bring the Australian masters back to Ballarat and the Victorian masters rowing community.

"I would like to thank the City of Ballarat and Rowing Australia for their support of this event, and we look forward to making this event an outstanding success with their assistance. We know that the Victorian Masters rowers will welcome the wider community with open arms," Mr Jickell said.

"We acknowledge the effort and thank Rowing WA for their work on the event to date. We will work to make this the best possible event that we can for the Australian Masters rowing community. We look forward to seeing you in Ballarat."

IN OTHER NEWS

The masters news comes as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday morning confirmed the state's bid to step in as 2026 Commonwealth Games host would be based "predominantly in regional Victoria".

While there has been no rowing in the Commonwealth Games since the 1986 Edinburgh Games in Scotland, City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney has not ruled out the sport as a "wildcard" entry for Ballarat, should there be enough interest in reviving it in the program.

Meanwhile preparations are underway for Ballarat Associated Schools Head of the Lake regatta on February 27. School leaders are set to decide later this week whether traditional spit crews would be allowed under COVID-19 restrictions.

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