CBL-5: Pride Chasers continue stellar performance, winning at Thazhathangadi
Kottayam / September 27, 2025
Kottayam, Sep 27: Pride Chasers sustained their winning spree by emerging successful at the second race of the 5th edition of the Champions Boat League (CBL-5), overpowering Coast Dominators in a cliff-hanger at the IPL-style league tournament at Thazhthangadi today.
Representing Veeyapuram Village Boat Club (Kainakary), rowers on the Pride Chasers snake-boat crossed the finishing line in 3:18.080 minutes, thus clinching a narrow victory of 20 microseconds over Coast Dominators (Pallathuruthy Boat Club on Melpadam Chundan 3:18.280). Third came Ripple Breakers (3:19.673 minutes) of Punnamada Boat Club, rowing Nadubhagam Chundan.
The three-month-long competition, being organized by the Kerala Tourism department, features 14 races and 14 snake boats. The overall prize money is Rs 5.63 crore. Last weekend, Pride Chasers had won the inaugural race of CBL-5 at their home-ground in Kainakary, beating Tropical Titans.
At Thazhthangadi today, Pride Chases rowed in ways that made clear that they knew equally well the new turf: the Meenachil river and its flow. Unlike at Kainakary, where they were slow at the start, Pride Chasers today were energetic right from the start of the finals, putting up a memorable performance in front of the cheering crowd.
In the final standings at Thazhathangadi, (Super Oars on Niranam Boat Club’s Niranam Chundan) came fourth, followed by Chundan Warriors (Emmanuel Boat Club). Sixth was Backwaters Warriors of Kumarakom Town Boat Club and seventh was Thunder Oars of Karichal Chundan. Backwater Sharks (Thekkekkara Boat Club) came eighth, while Wave Gliders of Changanassery Boat Club finished last.
Devaswom, Cooperation and Ports Minister Shri V.N. Vasavan inaugurated the competitions. Present on the occasion were: Shri Francis George MP, MLAs Shri Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Shri Chandy Oommen, besides District Collector Shri Chetan Kumar Meena, Tourism Joint Director and CBL nodal officer Abhilash Kumar T G, Tourism Deputy Director and CBL State Coordinator Dr Anzar KAS; Kottayam Deputy Director Ruby Jacob, Tourism Information Officer Gireesh P S, and Tourism Department officials, CBL Technical Committee members and three-tier Panchayat representatives.
The next CBL race will be at Dharmadam in Kannur on October 2, following which the CBL races are at Piravom (October 4), Beypore (Kozhikode, October 12), Marine Drive (Ernakulam, October 17), Cheruvathur (Kasaragod, October 19), Kottappuram (Thrissur, October 25), Pulinkunnu (November 1), Karuvatta (November 8), Pandanad (November 15), Kayamkulam (November 22, Alappuzha), Kallada (Kollam, November 29) and concluding at Kollam (December 6, coinciding with President’s Trophy).
The club that wins first place will receive Rs 25 lakh, the runner-up will receive Rs 15 lakh. The team at the third place will receive Rs 10 lakh. The winners of each competition will receive Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 1 lakh for the second and third place winners respectively. Each team will also receive a bonus of Rs 4 lakh.
ENDS
