(Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas launching the microsite and promotional video of the Champions Boat League 2025 (CBL 2025) in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday)
*CBL to start on Sep 19; Rs 5.63 crore total prize money
TTT NEWS NETWORK
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM | 15 SEPTEMBER 2025
Tourism Minister of Kerala, P A Mohamed Riyas today launched the microsite and promotional video of the Champions Boat League 2025 (CBL 2025), scheduled to get under way on September 19 at Kainakary in Alappuzha district.
The CBL Season 5 will feature 14 races in as many places over three months of the water festival organised by Kerala Tourism.
“CBL has become an event that celebrates the passion and heritage of boat race culture in Kerala,” said Shri Riyas during the launch.
“By adding more venues for the competition, especially in the Malabar region, CBL will now have a larger audience and will attract more tourists to the event,” he added.
The microsite (https://www.keralatourism.org/champions-boat-league/) will carry all updates of CBL including the points table, venue details, competition results. It also features the history and cultural relevance of boat racing in Kerala and also contains the information and profiles of competing teams and rowers.
“The microsite can be further developed in the future facilitating online tour packages in connection with CBL for domestic and international tourists,” noted Shri Riyas.
Additional Secretary- Tourism, Shri D Jagadees and Additional Director (General), Tourism Department, SmtSreedhanya Suresh were also present on the occasion.
The site also has a photo and video gallery for a comprehensive coverage of the CBL 2025.
The promotional video encapsulates the passion and the cultural vibrancy of Kerala’s water sporting tradition epitomised by snake-boat races, along with the celebratory mood of CBL which has earned a wide applause, besides attracting sports enthusiasts, tourists and a big local fan-following.
Earlier, a state level organising committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of Tourism Secretary Shri K Biju.
Members of Legislative Assembly Shri Anoop Jacob, Shri M Rajagopal, Shri M Mukesh, Shri P PChitharanjan, Shri P M A Salam, District Collectors, district police chiefs, and other top officials of concerned departments attended the meeting.
Nine boats and respective teams, which finished in that order in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, have been selected for competing in the CBL. They are Punnamada Boat Club, Niranam Boat Club, Pallathuruthi Boat Club, Village Boat Club, Changanassery Boat Club, KarichalChundan Boat Club, Immanuel Boat Club, Town Boat Club, Kumarakom and Thekkakara Boat Club.
The title winner of the championship will receive a prize money of Rs 25 lakh and the runner-up and the second runner-up Rs 15 and Rs 10 lakh respectively.
Also, the topper in each venue will receive Rs 5 lakh and those finishing in the second and third positions Rs 3 lakh and Rupees one lakh each.
An amount of Rs 4 lakh each has been earmarked as bonus for the participating teams.
In the category of smaller boats, the topper will get Rs 3 lakh and the teams finishing in second and third positions Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 50, 000 respectively.
An amount of Rs 1 lakh has been earmarked as bonus in this category for participating teams.
The inaugural race of CBL Season-5 will be in Pampa river at Kainakary in Alappuzha district on September 19, while the finals on December 6 will coincide with the President’s Trophy at the Ashtamudi in Kollam.
While most of the races will be concentrated in south Kerala, CBL-5 will have three races in the Malabar region, including the one at Dharmadom in Kannur districts besides three in central Kerala.
After the opening race, the league will resume in Meenachil river at Thazhathangadi in Kottayam on September 27.
Cheruvathur in upstate Kasaragod will host the competition on October 2, followed by two around Kochi consecutively: Piravom (Muvattupuzha river, October 4) and Marine Drive (Ernakulam, October 11). Beypore, off Kozhikode, will be 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 Tourism Directorate will make the facilitate the infrastructure and publicity for the CBL.
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