As rowers gear up for the prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the Olympics of the backwaters, they are also readying themselves for another new challenge — the Champions Boat League (CBL).
Roughly modelled on the Indian Premier League, the CBL is a Kerala Government initiative to give the traditional boat race a makeover. Beginning with the Nehru Trophy, the League will see nine snake boats battling for top honours in 13 designated races along the State’s backwaters, stretching a little over two months.
Director of Tourism P Bala Kiran explains the structure of CBL and the stakes involved, “Nine snake boats that emerge with the best timings at this year’s Nehru Trophy will qualify for the 12 races of the inaugural edition of CBL. The winner will get a purse of ₹25 lakh. The title race will be held at Kollam as part of the President’s Trophy on November 1.”
- Nine boats will battle for top honours in 13 races from the season beginning August to November.
- The league races begin on August 11, at Punnamada and conclude on November 1 at Kollam.
- In each venue, there will be three heats, a final, and a loser’s final involving the teams that come in the fourth, fifth and sixth places.
- The CBL winners will be selected on the basis of the cumulative points.
- The other dates are Pulinkunnu (August 18), Karuvatta (August 28), Kottapuram (September 1), Thazhathangadi (September 8), Poothotta (September 15), Piravom (September 22), Kainakari (September 29), Kavanattinkara (October 6), Mavelikara (October 13), Kayamkulam (October 20), Kallada (October 27).
A boat race, in Kerala, is an emotion. The normally-placid backwaters of the State turn into electrifying arenas, where huge crowds gather to cheer their home team. Sadly, some of these boat races have been discontinued, thanks to a lack of funding. Most of these races depend heavily on local patrons for funds. The boat clubs have often urged the Government to step in and save the sport and give the oarsmen incentives to continue. CBL hopes to do just this.
“For nearly three months, tourists will get a chance to witness the grand snake boat races. It will provide an impetus to our backwater tourism. The CBL is an attempt to keep this rich tradition alive and provide security to the people involved in the sport,” says Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran.
However, the CBL is not welcomed by many who are less than enthusiastic about it. They fear it will sound the ‘death-knell’ of the culture of their vallamkali (boat race).
To this, TG Abhilash, Deputy Director, Tourism, says, “This concern is quite natural. We would like to assure all those involved that the traditions and culture will in no way be hit. The franchisees will not be owners.”
KA Pramod, Joint Secretary of United Boat Club (UBC) Kainakari, the oldest club in Kuttanad, feels the CBL will change the nature of the boat races this year. “For us, it is not just preparing for the Nehru Trophy. Apart from winning the event, we need to do well in the league. We, like the other clubs, are ready. UBC has a team of 101 members; all of them are from our State. We have not enlisted the services of migrant oarsmen, though the CBL does permit a certain percentage.” According to Pramod, the CBL could change the fortunes of many and give boat racing a fresh lease of life. “It cannot get better. A team that wins the CBL will be richer by ₹1.5 crore, apart from the franchisee money. This will help at least 2,000 people of the nine clubs financially.”
As if on cue, the oarsmen of UBC surge forward, rowing to the rhythm of the vanchipaattu (boat songs). For UBC, the team that has a record of winning the Nehru Trophy the most number of times, there is another goal waiting — winning the inaugural CBL.
