The Champions Boat League also known as CBL is an IPL style[1] professional snake boat regatta held in Kerala, India.
Teams participate in a series of 12 established traditional boat races[2] to compete for the top spots. The first season of CBL was held in 2019, inaugurated by Sachin Tendulkar.[3] It started with the Nehru Trophy on 10 August and ended with the President's Trophy on 1November.[1] Around 1.8 crore people watched the first edition on eight television channels in India and abroad, and 22 lakh people watched the races online.[4] The first season was originally planned for 2018 but it was postponed owing to the floods in the state. The boat league was also cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [1]
The event is an attempt to promote traditional festivals in Kerala,[2] so the Government allocates funds for holding the event.[5]
Teams
The first event saw nine clubs participating, rising to twelve clubs in 2022.[1]
Current teams
| Boat Club | Team Name |
|---|---|
| Pallathuruthi Boat Club, Alappuzha | Tropical Titans |
| Police Boat Club | Raging Rowers |
| United Boat Club, Kuttamangalam, Kainakary | Coast Dominators |
| NCDC/Kumarakom | Mighty Oars |
| Village Boat Club Edathua | Backwater Knights |
| KBC/SFBC, Kumarakom | Thunder Oars |
| Vembanad Boat Club, Kumarakom | Pride Chasers |
| Town Boat Club, Kumarakom | Backwater Warriors |
| Brothers Boat Club, Edathua | Backwater Ninjas |
Schedule for 2022
| No. | Venue with District | Date | Winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Alappuzha | 4th September 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 2 | Karuvatta, Alappuzha | 17th September 2022 | Mighty Oars
(NCDC Boat Club) |
| 3 | Pulinkunnu, Alappuzha | 24th September 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 4 | Piravam, Ernakulam | 1st October 2022 | Mighty Oars
(NCDC Boat Club) |
| 5 | Marine Drive, Ernakulam | 8th October 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 6 | Kottappuram, Thrissur | 15th October 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 7 | Kainakkari, Alappuzha | 22nd October 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 8 | Thazhathangaadi, Kottayam | 29th October 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 9 | Pandanadu, Chengannur, Alappuzha | 5th November 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 10 | Kayamkulam, Alappuzha | 12th November 2022 | Mighty Oars
(NCDC Boat Club) |
| 11 | Kallada, Kollam | 19th November 2022 | Tropical Titans
(Pallathuruthi Boat Club) |
| 12 | Presidents Trophy Boat Race, Kollam | 26th November 2022 | Mighty Oars
(NCDC Boat Club) |
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Kerala gearing up for boat race extravaganza". Deccan Herald. 2019-07-27. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- 1 2 "Champions Boat League | Boat Races". Kerala Tourism. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
- ↑ "'Kerala overcame challenges because of people's spirit': Sachin at Champions Boat League". The News Minute. 2019-09-01. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
- ↑ "Roar of oars likely to be back at Kerala's Punnamada in November". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
- ↑ Bureau, The Hindu (2022-03-11). "Kerala budget 2022 highlights". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-10-12.