Nehru Trophy boat race, the pride of Alappuzha, is going places. The event will take place at Ras al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also from next year onwards.
A trial race was held at the UAE emirate this year which proved to be a big success. Arif al Harangi, head of the Marine Sport Club at Ras al Khaimah which had organized the event, visited Alappuzha recently, said Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in a Facebook post. The visit was in connection with the preparations for next year’s event.
The event in UAE would take place from 3 pm on the same day that the Nehru Trophy boat race is organized in Alappuzha. For the event in Ras al Khaimah, dragon boats would be modified in the shape of Kerala’s traditional snake boats. The oarsmen in UAE would be Keralites.
Arif, during a meeting with Isaac, said that there was a plan to hold the boat race in all the emirates of UAE. The Minister said that he would consider the request to send a couple of snake boats and the oarsmen to the UAE for a display race. “A decision would be taken depending on financial situation,” said the Minister.
Arif also informed the Minister that a proposal would be placed before the Olympic Committee during its next meeting to include snake boat race as an event in the Olympics.
