Tropical Titans regain CBL supremacy; push Coast Dominators to 2nd at Kainakary
Alleppey / October 21, 2023
Alappuzha, Oct 21: Tropical Titans rowed back to dominance at the seventh race of Champions Boat League Season-3 (CBL-3) today, pushing Coast Dominators into second position at Kainakary in the 12-leg water festival modelled on IPL cricket.
Clocking 4:00.63, Tropical Titans (rowing the Veeyapuram snake-boat owned by Pallathuruthy Boat Club) stopped their closest rivals (Coast Dominators, owned by UBC Kainakary Club, rowing Nadubhagom Chundan) from a fourth consecutive win. Coast Dominators, who had scored a hat-trick at the previous race in Pulinkunnu last weekend, finished second (4:01.62) this evening, followed by Raging Rowers (Police Boat Club on Mahadevikadu Kattil Thekethil) at 4:09.95.
Mighty Oars, who had come third at Pulinkunnu on October 14, ended fourth among the nine snake-boats at the Kanakary races of CBL-3, which is being organized by Kerala Tourism.
In the finals, Tropical Titans and Coast Dominators served a neck-and-neck performance till the last 25 metres, from where the reigning champions edged out their opponents. With Tropical Titans coming back to reckoning, the remaining five legs in CBL-3 hold high suspense for the boat-race buffs.
To finish fifth today were Ripple Breakers (Punnamada Boat Club on Karichal), followed by Backwater Kings (Niranam Boat Club on St Pius Tenth). Pride Chasers (Vembanad Boat Club on Ayaparambu Pandi) came seventh, while Backwater Warriors (Kumarakom Town Boat Club on Champakulam Chundan) finished eighth. To finish last were Thunder Oars (KBC & FBC on Payipadan Chundan).
Overall, Tropical Titans lead with 67 points, two digits ahead of Coast Dominators. Mighty Oars are third in the rankings with 50 points.
Culture and Fisheries Minister Shri Saji Cherian gave away the prizes at the ceremony, which was presided over by Alappuzha District Panchayat President Smt K.G. Rajeswari. Others at the function included District Collector Shri John Samuel, civic body councillors and Kerala Tourism officials besides top functionaries of CBL-3.
The next (eighth) race will be held on October 28 at Karuvatta (Alappuzha district). The subsequent races will be on November 18 (Kayamkulam, Alappuzha), November 25 (Kallada, Kollam) and December 2 (Pandanad, near Chengannur in Alappuzha) before the final on December 9 (at Kollam, along with the President’s Trophy).
Tropical Titans have been CBL champions in both the previous editions (2019 and ’22). CBL Season-3 began on August 12 at Alappuzha, with the famed Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
