Lake a stage for masterful strokes

BALLARAT is hosting the 2022 Australian Masters Rowing Championships this week, with top athletes from across the country competing on Lake Wendouree from today.

The four-day regatta features the nation’s best rowers over the age of 27 and is being run by Rowing Victoria.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney, also a passionate junior rowing coach, said the comp is another ideal opportunity to strengthen Lake Wendouree’s proud elite rowing history.

“To host the 2022 Australian Masters Rowing Championships is another major event for our lake,” he said.

“It’s such an exciting time for sport in Ballarat and we are quickly becoming a hub for all kinds of state, national and international high-level sporting events.

“The masters rowing is also a wonderful way to showcase our world class rowing facilities as we continue to advocate and plan for the Commonwealth Games in 2026.”

Due to the developing COVID-19 situation, a decision was made in February to move the national comp from its initial venue of Champion Lakes, Perth to Ballarat’s two-kilometre course, where the World Rowing Masters Regatta was held in 2014, and the Melbourne Olympic Games’ rowing events were staged in 1956.

The 2022 Australian Masters regatta has kept its original dates of Thursday, 19 to Sunday, 22 May.

Only registered competitors, support crews, and officials will be allowed on the water throughout, and car parks on the lake side of Wendouree Parade between the Olympic precinct and to St Patrick’s Point will be closed off.

Visit rowingaustralia.com.au for more information about the regatta program.