Champions Boat League to Begin on Sep 19, Span Three Months

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

The prestigious Champions Boat League (CBL) is set to row out from next week, as its 2025 edition will feature 14 races in as many places over three months of the water festival organised by Kerala Tourism.

The inaugural race of CBL Season-5 will be at the Pampa river in Kainakary in Alappuzha district on September 19, while the finals on December 6 will typically coincide with the illustrious President’s Trophy at the Ashtamudi in Kollam.

While a chunk of the races will be characteristically in south Kerala, CBL-5 will have three races in the Malabar region, besides three in central Kerala. After the opening race, the league venue will shift to Dharmadom near Thalassery of Kannur district. The third race will be at Kottayam, along the Meenachil river along Thazhathangadi on September 27.

Cheruvathur in upstate Kasaragod will be the fourth venue (October 2) of the races, followed by two around Kochi consecutively: Piravom (Muvattupuzha river, October 4) and Marine Drive (Ernakulam, October 11).

Beypore, off Kozhikode, will the last Malabar venue (October 19) for CBL-5. The eighth race (October 25) will the sole one in Thrissur district — at Kottappuram near Kodungallur.

The subsequent four venues are in Alappuzha district: Pulinkunnu (November 1), Karuvatta (November 8), Pandanad (November 15) and Kayamkulam (November 22). The race at Kallada (Kollam district) on November 29 will be the penultimate venue.

Reigning CBL champion is Pallathuruthy Boat Club (PBC), who retained the title for the fourth consecutive time. The team details and the prize money will be announced shortly.

A state level organising committee will be constituted at a meeting to be chaired by the Tourism Minister Shri PA Mohamed Riyas in Trivandrum on 15 September.

A Transaction Advisor, Glitchtricks, has been appointed to facilitate sponsorships for the conduct of the Champions Boat League, and can be contacted on 9633757515.