Nehru Trophy Boat Race: All eyes are on Punnamada

ALAPPUZHA: The stage is set for the 64th  edition of Nehru Trophy Boat Race at  Punnamada lake here on Saturday with the enthusiasts expecting a thrilling battle among the top-rated teams, including last year’s winner Vembanad Boat Club's  Karichal; Sree Ganesh, which lost the hat trick in 2014 against Champakulam rowed by the United Boat Club;  Kainakari,  and  Payippadan.

For Karichal, which has lifted the trophy 14  times, it is a prestige battle.   The others include  Gabriel Puthan chudan,  Jawahar,  Anari, Cheruthana, Vellamkulangara, Devas, Mahadevan and Karuvatta.  History-maker Nadubhagom returns to the fray after a decade and Kattilthai chundan is prepared for a debut battle.

The  chundans which have won their debut battles are  rare.  Pulinkunnu Chundan  won in 1966 and  continued its reign the next year as well but was beaten by UBC Kainakari  in its hat-trick attempt.  After four years, Kalluparamban won its debut battle and  it completed a hat-trick  winning in 1970, ‘71, and ‘72.   Punnamada had to wait for 43 years to see a pulsating hat-trick battle as Sree Ganesh was ticked away by Champakulam rowed by UBC in a photo finish in 2014.  All eyes are on  Punnamada to see whether  Nadubhagom or Kattithekke Chundan will make it this time.