CBL-2: Tropical Titans Weather Scare from Mighty Oars to Finish First at Kallada

KOLLAM:
Overcoming tough competition from arch-rivals Mighty Oars, reigning champions Tropical Titans won the eleventh and penultimate round of IPL-style Champions Boat League (CBL-2) in a photo-finish today, with Raging Rowers coming a distant third.

At Kallada in this district, Tropical Titans (Pallathuruthy Boat Club, on Mahadevikad Kattil Thekkethil) ensured they would not repeat the mistakes that enabled Mighty Oars last weekend to emerge victorious at the Kayamkulam races. This evening, too, Mighty Oars (traditionally NCDC, rowing the Nadubhagam snake-boat) gave the reigning champions immense scare, but eventually Tropical Titans surged ahead in the last 20 metres, timing 3:55.91 minutes. Mighty Oars (4:00.84) had to be contended as runners-up, followed by Raging Rowers (Kerala Police Boat Club, Champakulam) at (4:02:80)

The rowers for Tropical Titans succeeded in conserving their energy in the final so as to make its best use towards the last lap, by when the men on Mighty Oars apparently tired out despite loud cheers from the crowd at the water festival being organised by Kerala Tourism.

Backwater Knights (Village Boat Club, Devas) performed well at Kallada, finishing fifth behind Pride Chasers (Vembanad Boat Club, Payippad) who came fourth with a splendid show unlike at the previous races, where they had come last. Inversely, local favourites Coast Dominators (UBC Kainakary) slipped to the bottom of the ranks today. The final races of CBL-2 will be held at the Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam next Saturday (November 26), coinciding with President’s Trophy.

Coming sixth at Kallada today were Ripple Breakers (Punnamada Boat Club, Veeyapuram), while Backwater Warriors (Town Boat Club, St Pious Tenth) came seventh. Thunder Oars (KBC-SFBC, Ayaparambu Pandi) finished eighth, ahead of favourites Coast Dominators.

With today’s Kallada races, Tropical Titans continue to remain atop — with 107 points. Standing second are Mighty Oars (97), followed by Raging Rowers (84) and Ripple Breakers (69). At the fifth position are Pride Chasers (64). Coast Dominators stand sixth with 55 points, followed by Backwater Knights (42). Backwater Warriors stand eighth with 39 points, while Thunder Oars are at the bottom with 37 points.

CBL-2 Kallada races were inaugurated by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopalan. Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, distributed the prizes. Present at the function were legislators Kovur Kunjimon and C.R. Mahesh, besides District Collector Afsana Parveen and members of local civic bodies.

Each participating team will get Rs 4 lakh in every league match. Besides, the winner 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.

The inaugural of CBL-2 was in Alappuzha on September 4.