The fifth season of the Kochi leg of the Champions Boat League (CBL) was conducted successfully, but only after a significant last-minute change to the race venue. Persistent concerns over the shallowness of the traditional race course at Marine Drive forced organizers to relocate the event to a different stretch of the waterfront.
A Race Against Time and Tide
Unlike previous editions, no dredging work was undertaken for Season 5. The technical committee of the Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) made a crucial decision to move the race to the northern end of Marine Drive. The new course started near the Goshree Bridge and finished close to the Water Metro High Court terminal, abandoning the usual central portion that had become too shallow.
Ernakulam DTPC secretary Lijo Joseph explained that the earlier course, which ran from the High Court terminal to the Ernakulam Boat Jetty, was found to be inadequate. A technical team had inspected the depth beforehand to prevent a repeat of past issues. The primary challenge on race day was the threat of a late evening low tide, which would further reduce water depth. Organizers rushed the schedule, insisting the final race conclude by 5 pm to beat the tide.
Learning from Past Mistakes
The urgency stemmed from a problematic incident in 2023, where a snake boat got stuck in silt deposits along the course. Boat clubs had also complained about external factors affecting the race. This year, a meeting with all stakeholders ensured cooperation for the tight schedule. Thankfully, the entire competition, including the Mass Drill, Heats, and final, was wrapped up before the low tide could impact it," Lijo Joseph added.
Experts Call for Permanent Fix
Despite the successful execution, the need for a permanent solution was highlighted by experts and stakeholders dissatisfied with the lack of dredging. M K Sadasivan, a two-time former MLA who helped design the CBL's IPL-style model, expressed his unhappiness with Kochi's racing conditions. He stated that the current course "lacks a proper racing course" where luck plays too big a role due to non-uniform depth.
Sadasivan revealed that the original design standards recommended a minimum depth of 3 metres and a width of 50 metres for races involving three snake boats. The existing course at Marine Drive fails to meet this standard. The event's conduct this year, while timely, underscores the pressing need for infrastructural improvements to ensure the sport's competitive integrity and long-term future in Kochi.
