Geelong to host the Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta
Big season of rowing on the Barwon River to culminate with the Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta next weekend.
It’s been a big season of schoolgirl rowing on the Barwon River and next week it culminates with Geelong hosting the Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March. The regatta will attract over 2200 schoolgirls from 45 schools across the state competing in 51 events over the three-day regatta.
Rowing Geelong President Sam Elliott said he was pleased to see numbers up from last year and is looking forward to having a full crowd back along the banks of the Barwon River.
"Whilst numbers have been down across the board for rowing as a sport throughout and post COVID, we’ve enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence here in Geelong. All our regatta’s this season have attracted more competitors than last. If you ask anyone around rowing, they’ll tell you they love coming down to Geelong to compete on the Barwon River. We have a safe and fair course and spectators love being able to view the racing the length of the course from both banks”.
The regatta has been held on the Barwon River since 1987 and injects around $2.5 million into the local economy each year.
“We couldn’t host the regatta without our partners the City of Greater Geelong, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Rowing Victoria”, Mr Elliott went on to say. “We thank the Head of the Schoolgirls Committee for making the commitment to hold their regatta in Geelong until 2024”.
In the main races the Female School Eight Open Division 1 will be hotly contested between Melbourne schools’ St Catherine’s School, Melbourne Girls Grammar School and Wesley College. Local school Kardinia International College look to be in with a good chance in the Female School Quad Scull Open Division 1 whilst local Geelong College rower Issy Batrouney is a favourite to take out the Female School Single Open Division 1.
Racing will commence at 8am on Friday and conclude with the final of the Female School Eight Open Division 1 at around 4pm on Sunday.
For further information contact Rowing Geelong at info@rowinggeelong.asn.au.
The Barwon River is jointly managed by the City of Greater Geelong and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. It is the only venue for rowing in the region.
As our home of rowing, the Barwon River provides an excellent rowing resource with a 7.5km wind protected stretch of water and boutique 1500m four lane regatta course. It is estimated over 1000 local rowing participants utilise the Barwon River, of which 65% are female. The river also hosts around ten Melbourne-based school rowing camps each season and regular school regattas bringing rowers and spectators from all over Victoria to Geelong.