Season 3 of the Champions Boat League in 2023 once again brought Kerala's backwaters to life with thrilling races, vibrant celebrations, and fierce rivalries among the state's most accomplished boat clubs. Modelled after the Indian Premier League (IPL), CBL 3 began on August 12th at Punnamada Backwaters in Alappuzha, coinciding with the 69th edition of the famed Nehru Trophy Boat Race. Among the 72 boats vying for glory that day, the Pallathuruthy Boat Club (PBC), rowing the snake boat named ‘Veeyapuram Chundan', clinched the trophy in an impressive 4 minutes and 18 seconds.
Following the grand opener in Alappuzha, CBL 3 unfolded across 13 different venues in Kerala, spotlighting iconic locations such as Beypore (Kozhikode), Anjarakandi (Kannur), Kottappuram (Thrissur), Marine Drive (Ernakulam), Piravom (Ernakulam), Thazhathangadi (Kottayam), Kainakari (Alappuzha), Pandanad (Chengannur, Alappuzha), Karuvatta (Alappuzha), Kayamkulam (Alappuzha), Pulinkunnu (Alappuzha), President’s Trophy (Kollam) and Kallada (Kollam). Each weekend, the participating snake boats-commonly referred to as snake boat Chundan Vallam - raced amid festive cheer, cultural programs, traditional music, and enthusiastic crowds lining the banks to witness the nail-biting finishes.
One of the season's biggest storylines centred on the Tropical Titans (traditionally PBC), who aimed to defend their title after winning the first and second editions of CBL in 2019 and 2022. By the tenth race at Kallada, the Titans had secured another victory by edging out the Coast Dominators (UBC Kainakari Club, rowing Nadubhagam snake boat) by a little over a second. Raging Rowers (Police Boat Club, Mahadevikkadu Kattil Thekkethil) claimed third place. Heading into the penultimate race on December 2 at Pandanad, the Tropical Titans led the points table with 96, followed closely by Coast Dominators at 93, and Raging Rowers with 72.
The final showdown on December 9th in Kollam, paired with the esteemed President's Trophy, concluded CBL-3 on a high note. Apart from the prestige of clinching the season title, the league served as a grand spectacle for both tourists and locals, celebrating Kerala's centuries-old boat racing tradition.
The inaugural season of the Champions Boat League (CBL) marked a groundbreaking initiative to revitalize Kerala's traditional backwater boat races under a unified, professional format.
The second edition of the Champions Boat League (CBL) built upon Kerala's iconic snake boat racing tradition, running from September 4th to November 26th, 2022 across 12 venues in five districts.
The fourth edition of the Champions Boat League, organized by Kerala Tourism, brought a renewed wave of excitement to Kerala's legendary backwaters. Spanning six weeks from November 16th to December 21st, 2024, it showcased the state's iconic snake boat races across six picturesque venues.
