Ballarat Associated Schools' Head of the Lake regatta puts school pride to the ultimate test on the water and along the spit.
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Boat Race is fast approaching on February 25 with close competition expected for the marquee boys and girls' titles on Lake Wendouree.
The Courier is taking a close look at each crew to see who is most ready to row.
DAMASCUS COLLEGE
REGATTAS on Geelong's Barwon River and on home water at Lake Wendouree have offered Damascus' girls a chance to fine-tune their race.
They have been monitoring data from their efforts in a bid to best improve their race any way they can. Now they are feeling more confident and primed to put on a good performance.
Damascus has elected to only enter the girls' edition of the headline races with its top boys' crew instead to test its game in the seconds.
The senior girls have a mix of experience, including year 10 Meg Mason in stroke seat, from a squad of 10.
Damascus rowing head coach Paul Blanchfield said they had a great pre-season, hitting the weights and erg to build strength.
"These five girls have proven themselves through selections to be our strongest four rowers, and our strongest cox, for this season and we're really looking forward to their performance this coming Head of the Lake," Blanchfield said.
Competition for the Girls' Head of the Lake is yet to have a clear race favourite but Blanchfield said his crew was focused on their own race to be ready for anything.
"We're just trying to get the basics right in our crew and make sure that the girls are as prepared as possible," Blanchfield said.
"As far as the other competition, [we] don't really look at them too much. We just do what we can do to be as strong as we can be."
GIRLS' FIRSTS
- Head of the Lake 2023: fourth
- Best Head of the Lake finish: runner-up, 2017-18
- Girls' Captain of Boats: Charley Gartlan
- Girls' firsts crew coach: Brad Beutal
MEET THE CREW
MEG MASON
- year 10, stroke
"I'm looking forward to racing with this amazing group of girls."
LAURA BYLSMA
- year 11, three-seat
"I'm excited to see how we go on the day and how all the hard work pays off."
CHARLEY GARTLAN
- year 12, two-seat
"The end - my favourite part is finishing up in front of the atmosphere of the spit crew. I'm really proud of the girls this season."
SAM CRILLY
- year 11, bow
"I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do on the day and make ourselves proud of the performance. I'm also looking forward to the atmosphere."
PARIS GOVAN
- year 12, coxswain
"Just seeing what the girls produce on the day is what I'm looking forward to most because we've worked really hard through the season."
BOYS
HUNTER BENNETT
- year 12, Boys' Captain of Boats
"We just want to be giving it our best go. We're looking pretty strong at the moment and are really keen to compete."
