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Race shift adds to drama

When it comes to the Head of the River, the show must go on.

Organisers of the Independent Girls’ Schools’ Sports Association regatta have been forced to scramble to move tomorrow’s prestigious event from Champion Lakes to the Canning Bridge rowing course at late notice after water quality issues emerged at the State’s premier regatta centre.

VenuesWest advised IGSSA on Wednesday afternoon that samples taken from Champion Lakes on Monday had shown increased levels of thermotolerant coliforms, E Coli and enterococci, forcing the closure of the lake for secondary use according to the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines.

The Public Schools Association had to cancel one of its lead-up regattas at the centre earlier in the year when a similar issue emerged.

A spokeswoman for VenuesWest said they were working to overcome the problems and have assisted IGSSA, along with Rowing WA and the City of Melville, in moving the regatta.

All eyes will be on the first eight race just after noon.

Presbyterian Ladies’ College go in as hot favourites to claim their third win in four years. But they will have the memory of being pipped at the line by Methodist Ladies’ College last year fresh in their minds.

MLC, St Hilda’s and Perth College each finished second to PLC in the lead-up regattas.

PLC head of rowing Annette Pearce said they respected all their rival crews but weren’t thinking about 2014.

“That’s last year, this is a new year,” she said. “Rowing is a very unique sport in that anything can happen on the day.”