The United Boat Club (UBC) was founded in 1960 at Kainakari in Alappuzha district. During 1963-2014, the legendary club won the Nehru Trophy a record-making 12 times. The club secured their first Nehru Trophy win on their debut in 1963. In 1964, the club won the trophy again. The very next year, UBC completed their hat-trick victory.

The club lost the title in 1966 and 67 but returned to victory in 1968. UBC won the Nehru Trophy in 1970, 1976 and 1977. The club registered another hat-trick victory in the championship during 1989-91 and scored their 11th title in 1993. UBC had to wait for 11 long years before scoring their 12th Nehru Trophy win.

Other Boat Clubs

Alappuzha Town Boat Club

The Alappuzha Town Boat Club (ATBC) was founded in 1991 by the residents of the Nehru Trophy ward in Alappuzha city. The islet on the Punnamada backwaters plays a crucial role in hosting the internationally acclaimed Nehru Trophy snake boat race. ATBC won their first Nehru Trophy championship in 1995.ATBC reached the Nehru Trophy finals 11 times and competed several times in the losers' finals. They have won other competitions including the Rajiv Gandhi Trophy and Niranam boat race and Champakulam boat race.

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Jesus Boat Club

The Jesus Boat Club, founded in 2006 at Kollam district's Padappakkara, was the first to break the dominance of Kuttanad and Kottayam based clubs in the snake boat race circuit. The club introduced a revolutionary rowing technique and registered historic wins at the Nehru Trophy championship in 2008, 2009 and 2011. This was the first club from Kollam to win the Nehru Trophy. The club has the record of the fastest finish in 2006's Nehru Trophy championship. Composed of members experienced in rowing in the sea and backwaters, the club's 'kadalkkuthu' style combined strength and speed.

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Village Boat Club

The Village Boat Club (VBC) was founded in 1986 by the then youth of Kainakari village in Alappuzha district. The club won that year's Nehru Trophy snake boat race. They emerged victorious in the event again in 1987, but lost the opportunity to score a hat-trick after losing to Pallathuruthy Boat Club (PBC) by a very narrow margin. After decades-long hiatus, VBC returned to the backwater battlefield in 2022. The club made it into the Nehru Trophy finals in 2024 and lost to PBC by a fraction of a second.

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Kumarakom Boat Club

The Kumarakom Boat Club (KBC), was the first club of its kind to be established in Kumarakom, Kottayam. They dominated the backwater arena in the 70s and 80s and became Nehru Trophy champions seven times, which includes two hat-trick wins. After 1984, KBC failed to nail victories for almost two decades. In 2002, KBC entered the Nehru Trophy Golden Jubilee finals and won the cup again. The club went on to win many other competitions except for the Nehru Trophy.

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