Might Oars push Tropical Titans to 2nd position at 4th race of CBL-2

• Raging Rowers emerge a surprise 3rd at Piravom river; Ripple Breakers finish 4th

Kochi / October 1, 2022

Kochi, Oct 1: Returning to reckoning with a cliffhanger win over the reigning champions, Mighty Oars clinched another victory at Champions Boat League (CBL-2) by pushing Tropical Titans to second place in the fourth round of the water races today in Piravom, 30 km east of the city.

Upsetting Tropical Titans (locally Pallathuruthy Boat Club, rowing Mahadevikad Kattil Thekkethil) a fortnight after winning the second round at Karuvatta, Mighty Oars (NCDC, Nadubhagam) finished a loudly-cheered race by 30 microseconds at the Muvattupuzha river in a timing of 4:14.48 minutes as against 4:14.78 by the reigning champions, who had won the inaugural and third rounds of the snake-boat event being organized by Kerala Tourism.

Raging Rowers (Kerala Police Boat Club, Champakulam) conjured up a surprise by finishing third (4:16.56) along the 1,000-metre track. In the process, the team edged out Ripple Breakers (Punnamada Boat Club, Veeyapuram), who were the second runners-up at Pulinkunnu’s Pampa river in neighbouring Alappuzha district last weekend.

A rising competitive spirit, which now promises an exciting course for the IPL-style boat race slated to hold eight more rounds up to November 26, showed its positivity this evening with Tropical Titans and Might Oars greeting each other with gusto after the finals.

At the heats earlier in the day, Tropical Titans emerged the topper, three-and-a-half seconds ahead of what Mighty Oars timed. Raging Rowers came third in the heats timings, pushing Ripple Breakers to vie for the loser’s final.

At the final, though, Tropical Titans found Mighty Oars rowing with vivacity, making it a memorable CBL race for an impressive crowd. However, the reigning champions continue to retain the top slot by scoring a total of 38 points, one digit above that of Mighty Oars (37). Ripple Breakers (32), too, retain their third rank.

The next round CBL-2 is slated at Marine Drive in Ernakulam city on October 8.

In the tally now, after Ripple Breakers, are Raging Rowers (Kerala Police Boat Club, Champakulam – 28 points) at fourth place, while Pride Chasers (Vembanad Boat Club, Payippad) and Coast Dominators (UBC Kainakary, Karichal) share the fifth place with 22 points each. Backwater Warriors (Town Boat Club, St Pious Tenth) come seventh with 15 points. Backwater Knights (Village Boat Club, Devas – 12 points) and Thunder Oars (KBC-SFBC, Ayaparambu Pandi - 10 points) occupy the eighth and ninth positions respectively.

Each participating team will get Rs 4 lakh. The CBL-2 winners will get an additional Rs 5 lakh, followed by Rs 3 lakh for the runner-up and Rs 1 lakh for the second runner-up.

Finance Minister Shri K.N. Balagopal inaugurated today’s races of CBL-2. Piravom MLA Shri Anoop Jacob presided over the ceremony, which was attended by Municipal Chairperson Smt Eliamma Philip and former legislator Shri Gopi Kottamurikkal, besides film personalities Lalu Alex and Renji Panicker. Kottayam MP Shri Thomas Chazhikadan gave away the prizes.

Next Saturday’s CBL races will be at Marine Drive in Kochi city on October 8. The venues to follow will be Kottappuram near Kodungallur (October 15), Kainakary in Alappuzha (October 22), Thazhathangadi near Kottayam (October 29), Pandanad near Chengannur (November 5), Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district (November 12) and Kallada in Kollam district (November 19) before the finals at President’s Trophy in Kollam (November 26).

The inaugurals of the league in Alappuzha on September 4 (also inaugurated by Minister Shri Balagopal) saw Tropical Titans winning the race as part of the 68th edition of the famed Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the sprawling Punnamada Lake, out-rowing Might Oars in a photo-finish.