Oarsome display of rowing

Oarsome display of schoolgirl rowing at the 2023 Head of the Schoolgirls regatta.

Perfect rowing conditions greeted rowers on the final day of the 2023 Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta held on the Barwon River in Geelong.

Rowing Geelong President Sam Elliott said despite the hot and windy conditions on Saturday, the regatta was still to be able to be run at its entirety and on time.

“I think Geelong and the Barwon River have lived up to their reputation as having the safest and fairest rowing course in the State. The wonderful volunteer boat race officials were able to keep the regatta on schedule without losing a race despite the conditions on Saturday. Every single crew was able to have their full complement of races across the three days of the regatta.”

The regatta has been held in Geelong on the Barwon River since 1987 and injects around $2.5 million into the local economy each year.

“We look forward to working closely with the Head of the Schoolgirls Committee, the Regatta Host- Rowing Victoria and our partners the City of Greater Geelong and the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority to making sure the regatta stays in Geelong, on the Barwon River well beyond 2024”, Mr Elliott went on to say.

In the main races the Senior Division 1 Eight was won by Loreto Toorak by over a length to Melbourne Girls Grammar School.

Zara Kfouri from SEDA College took out the Senior Division 1 Scull in a very dominant display over Sophie Miller from Toorak College.

The crew from Ballarat & Clarendon College had a very strong win in the Senior Division 1 Four for the third year running.

Ruyton Girls’ School had a back-to-back win the Senior Division 1 Quad Scull.

In the Senior Division 1 Double Scull the local crew from Kardinia International College were narrowly defeated by Albert Park College.

All the action heads up to Nagambie Lakes from next weekend with the APS Head of the River on Saturday followed by the National Championships in Perth from Monday 27th March.