Major regattas returning to the lake

THE Ballarat Rowing Association will host a full season of competitive events this summer, reminiscent of pre-pandemic times.

Five major regattas are set to return to Lake Wendouree; the State Championships, the JG King Wendouree-Ballarat Regatta, the Ballarat Regatta, the Ballarat Associated Schools’ Head of the Lake, and the Head of Schoolboys Regatta.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney, also a year 10 rowing coach at Ballarat High School, said many of the sport’s annual or biennial events have been missed since early last year, but they’ll be back in a big way in 2022.

“The huge one will be the State Championships, which we get every two years and share with Nagambie,” he said.

“Some of the smaller regattas attract 500 or 600 competitors, but they can get up to 2000 for the State Championships. That regatta has a significant economic impact for us.”

Rowing Victoria CEO Ian Jickell said race days are expected to return to normal.

“We’ve all endured a significant challenging number of months, but now with the COVID-19 vaccination status as it is, community sport is back to its finest to provide opportunities for our participants, supportive volunteers, and the cities who do host our events, and Ballarat is one of those significant cities,” he said.

“The State Championships will attract people from across Victoria, including many Olympians returning to compete, and ideally this year, we’ll have an uninterrupted Head of the Lake with more spectators than the rowers have ever seen before.

“There’s an exciting range of events for every age group; young people, our elite, and also our masters competitors.”

Ballarat Rowing Association president Eric Waller said local regattas are true community events.

Approximately 50 volunteers make them happen, from start line boat-holders to marshals, and local school rowing clubs offer the use of their motorboats.

“A regatta is a team effort of everybody… and people look forward to coming to them,” Mr Waller said.

Cr Moloney said the “next stage of the evolution” of rowing in Ballarat will be to secure more two-day events which will encourage overnight visitation, supporting local accommodation and hospitality businesses in the process.