CBL-3: Coast Dominators end Tropical Titans’ winning spree at Thazhathangadi race
Kottayam / October 7, 2023
Kottayam, Oct 7: Tropical Titans suffered their first setback in Champions Boat League Season-3 (CBL-3) when close rivals Coast Dominators pushed the reigning champions to second rank in the final of the fifth race today, promising a tough competition in the remaining seven legs of the IPL-model water festival.
Coast Dominators (owned by UBC Kainakary Club, rowing Nadubhagom Chundan) gave thrilling moments to the cheering crowd at Thazhathangadi near this town by finishing atop the list with a timing of 3:17.85 minutes in a photo-finish. Tropical Titans (rowing the Veeyapuram snake-boat owned by Pallathuruthy Boat Club) came a close second at 3:19.25. At the third were Raging Rowers (Police Boat Club on Mahadevikadu Kattil Thekethil), timing 3:20.06.
CBL-3, with 12 legs for nine snake-boats, is being organized by Kerala Tourism.
This evening’s result forced a break on the victory run by Tropical Titans in CBL-3, after the previous race at Piravom in Ernakulam district on September 30 saw them sharing the top honours with Coast Dominators with an identical timing of 4:16.05.
At the Meenachil river here, Coast Dominators served great dramatics in the final by starting leisurely in the first 100 metres and, then after midway, surging with immense power to put up a splendid show in the final 500 metres that upset the reigning champions. Tropical Titans, however, continue to lead the current ranking table with 48 points, followed by Coast Dominator (46). The third slot is being shared by Raging Rowers and Mighty Oars (NCDC Boat Club on Niranam Chundan) with 39 points each.
At fourth today came Mighty Oars, followed by Backwater Warriors (Kumarakom Town Boat Club on Champakulam Chundan). Ripple Breakers (Punnamada Boat Club on Karichal) finished sixth. At the seventh were Backwater Kings (Niranam Boat Club on St Pius Tenth), who had finished last at Piravom last weekend. Pride Chasers (Vembanad Boat Club on Ayaparambu Pandi) came eighth here, while Thunder Oars (KBC & FBC on Payipadan Chundan) finished ninth.
The Thazhathangadi races were inaugurated by Minister for Cooperation and Registration Shri V.N. Vasavan. Shri Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, MLA, presided over the function that was attended by Shri Jose K. Mani, MP; District Panchayat President Smt K.V. Bindu and District Collector Smt V. Vigneshwari, among others.
The next (sixth) race of CBL-3 will be held on October 14 at Pulinkunnu in Alappuzha district. The subsequent races will be on October 21 (Kainakary, Alappuzha), October 28 (Karuvatta, Alappuzha), November 18 (Kayamkulam, Alappuzha), November 25 (Kallada, Kollam), December 2 (Pandanad, near Chengannur in Alappuzha) and the final on December 9 (at Kollam, along with the President’s Trophy).
CBL Season-3 began on August 12 at Alappuzha, with the famed Nehru Trophy Boat Race. Tropical Titans, who had won that inaugural race at Alappuzha, and went on to repeat their stellar show at Kochi on September 16 and Kottappuram near Kodungallur (Thrissur district) besides Piravom (where they shared top honours with Coast Dominators).
