Champions Boat League

Every year, the great backwaters of Kerala bear witness to one of the most incredible sights - the Champions Boat League. It's truly a visual treat to watch the magnificent snake boats (Chundan Vallom) course through the emerald backwaters creating an aura of zest and zeal. The event is conducted over 12 different venues across the state. The main objective of this annual sporting event is to make Kerala popular among travellers across the world and to aggrandize Kerala's traditional festivals. Come, soak in the thrill and enthusiasm of this glorious water carnival. A spectacle of passion, celebration and strength in Kerala, the legendary snake boat races are much more than just a competitive sport. It reflects the very pulse of the land. For years now elegant snake boats (Chundan Vallom) have been used for the world-renowned snake boat races that are conducted annually on the backwaters of Kerala as part of both rituals and festivities. Kerala Tourism is launching the Champions Boat League to protect and promote the tradition of the land. The league will be conducted at 12 different venues across Kerala. The main objectives of this are conservation and promotion of Kerala’s traditional festivals, to create an annual event to be marketed as a Tourism product and to showcase Kerala Backwaters to the world. The race is conducted at Punnamada Lake, Karuvatta, Pulinkunnu, Kainakiri, Pandanadu, Chengannur and Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district; Piravam and Marine Drive in Ernakulam district; Kottappuram in Thrissur district, Thazhathangaadi in Kottayam district and Kallada and Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam district. The events start from 4th September 2022 to 26th November 2022.

The inaugural race is supposed to be held at the famous Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha and will be concluded with the President’s Trophy in Kollam. The second edition of the IPL modelled Champions Boat League (CBL) will be held across five districts along with an allied round that features a competition of small boats at the Chaliyar River in Kozhikode. Though CBL was launched in 2019, it missed its 2020 and ’21 editions due to the covid pandemic and is said to be held grandly this year.

Boat races are among the grandest traditions still alive and thriving in Kerala. People go to these events in large numbers to watch the snake-shaped beauties go head to head in rhythm to the old boat songs sung in full volume. These snake boats or Chundan Vallam' are up to 100 feet long and bring the serene backwaters to life. There are many important races that occur during these events and is a spectacle that needs to be experienced in person to know their true beauty.