Kochi: Melpadom Chundan (Tropical Titans), rowed by Pallathuruthi Boat Club (PBC), continued its winning ways by clinching victory in the sixth leg of the Champions Boat League (CBL) Season 6 held at Piravom on Saturday.
Melpadom Chundan achieved its fourth straight victory in the 11-round IPL-style tournament organised by the tourism department, by clocking a winning time of 3 minutes and 26.26 seconds on the Muvattupuzha River, known for having one of the strongest currents on the CBL calendar. Aroma Boat Club, this year’s Nehru Trophy champions and winners of the first two CBL legs, had to settle for second place with a time of 3:26.32 minutes. Vayyapuram Chundan finished third in 3:28.08 minutes. Melpadom leads the overall points table with 55 points, followed closely by Aroma with 54 points and Vayyapuram with 47 points. The remaining league matches include Thazhathangady (Oct 24), Pulinkunnu (Oct 31), Kainakary (Nov 7), and Kayamkulam (Nov 14). The season will conclude with the President’s Trophy Boat Race in Kollam on Nov 21. Leg winners receive Rs 5 lakh for first place, Rs 3 lakh for second, and Rs 1 lakh for third, alongside a Rs 4 lakh bonus for each team. The overall championship rewards the winner with Rs 25 lakh, the runner-up with Rs 15 lakh, and the third-place team with Rs 10 lakh.
However, Aroma and Melpadom launched a fierce comeback in the second half. Based on the best heat times, Melpadom Chundan, Aroma Boat Club’s Aroma Chundan, and UBC Kainakary’s Vayyapuram Chundan advanced to the final. Replicating the dramatic action from the fifth leg at Kochi Marine Drive, UBC Kainakary started strong, leading by half a boat’s length at the halfway mark. Trailing just 50m from the finish line, Melpadom Chundan pulled off a historic final surge, crossing the finish line just six microseconds ahead of Aroma. Local boat races featuring Iruttukuthi and Vepu boats were also held alongside the main event.