ALAPPUZHA: To augment the spirit of snake boat race of the Nehru Trophy Boat race, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race Society executive committee meeting has decided to restructure the competition of snake boat race.
A major decision is to include the snake boat which will be finished in heats with better time for the final round. The meeting of the executive committee headed by Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac approved the recommendation of the seven-member expert committee appointed for the revamping of the structure of the competition.
Only four snake boats that finish in better time will be included for the finals. Till last year, the first place winners of the heats were included for the final round. The finishing time was not considered. Till this year, time will be a parameter to select the boats for final.
The four snake boats which finished with lowest time in heats will be included for final. The boats for the losers, second losers and third losers’ competitions will also be selected based on time.
The length of the race course will be reduced to 1,175 metre from 1,200 metre. The existing finishing point will be shifted to 25 metre north side.
The number of race course will be four and its width will continue as 10 meters. Earlier, a decision was evolved to increase the number of tracks to five from four, but in some of the areas, the width of the lake is below 60 meters. So the expert committee recommended only four tracks.
Digital system will be implemented for the counting of time. A siren and signal will be fixed on the finishing point to communicate with the starting time of the race for judges who will be sitting on the finishing point.
The bonus amount to the boats to be reduced to the boats clubs which will abstain from the mass drill as part of the beginning of the race.
The registration of boats begins and the last date will be July 27. Around 20 boats were registered for the race on Sunday. The track and heats selection will be held on July 28.