From Vallam kali to ‘Tug of Oars’: Red Bull Vallam Vali Puts a Fresh Spin on Keralam’s Boat Racing Tradition

Gothuruth, Keralam, INDIA, Monday 7 September 2026

In brief

• What: Season 2 of Red Bull Vallam Vali, a day-long invitational event combining Keralam’s traditional Vallam kali (boat race) and Vadam Vali (tug-of-war)
• Where: Gothuruth, North Paravur, Keralam, India, on the Periyar River, home of one of the oldest traditional boat races in Ernakulam district
• Categories: Two, contested on two different types of traditional boat: the Chundan Vallam Row Off and the Iruttukuthy Vallam Row Off
• Teams: Four – Ashtamadi Acers, Kuttanad Knights, Vembanad Vikings and Punnamada Panthers
• Finalists: Punnamada Panthers and Vembanad Vikings reached the final in both categories
• Winner: Punnamada Panthers, winners of both titles
• Format: Round-robin, every team playing three matches, with the top two progressing to the final; a win is worth 2 points
• Match length: 120 seconds, after which the team whose Vallam sat farthest from the Centre Line at the STOP announcement was declared the winner if neither Vallam had been pulled across the finish marker
• Boat sizes: Chundan Vallam, a 100-foot (30-metre) snake boat rowed by 85 men per crew; Iruttukuthy Vallam, a sport boat carrying two teams of 27 rowers
• Beyond the water: Chenda Melam drum performances and breakdance on the banks of the Periyar
• Why it matters: The Gothuruth Vallamkali was first conducted in 1938 and is held annually in September on the Periyar River. This year, the same venue hosted a tug of war between boats at Red Bull Vallam Vali
• Partners: Keralam State Government, Keralam Tourism Department, Sports Exotica (Sports Event Partner), Jack & Jones and Blinkit

What Red Bull Vallam Vali is

Red Bull Vallam Vali is a unique celebration of Keralam’s traditional boat racing culture, coupled with a competitive, and high-energy twist. Conducted as a day-long invitational event featuring Keralam’s rich sporting culture, Season 2 of Red Bull Vallam Vali combined the traditional spirit of Keralam’s Vallam kali (boat race) and Vadam Vali (tug-of-war), at the scenic and historic Gothuruth in North Paravur.

Punnamada Panthers win both titles

Red Bull Vallam Vali features two disciplines, the Chundan Vallam Row Off and the Churulan Vallam. In both the categories Punnamada Panthers and Vembanad Vikings reached the finals, with Punnamada Panthers eventually winning both titles.

The two disciplines: Chundan Vallam Row Off and Iruttukuthy Vallam Row Off

Red Bull Vallam Vali 2026 was contested across two categories, on two different types of traditional boats:

1. Chundan Vallam Row Off – a tug-of-war on water between two 85-man snake boats, bow to bow, each crew rowing in the opposite direction.
2. Iruttukuthy Vallam Row Off – two teams of 27 rowers on the same boat, rowing against each other in opposite directions.

The boats: Chundan Vallam and Iruttukuthy Vallam

• Chundan Vallam is a 100-foot (30-metre) snake boat used for the most famous boat races conducted on Keralam’s backwaters during the festival of Onam.
• Iruttukuthy Vallam is a type of sport boat used in competition and mostly known for its incredible speed on still water.

How the scoring and format worked

• Round-robin: Both the categories were conducted on a round-robin basis, wherein every team played three matches, before the top two made it to the final.
• Points and the 120-second rule: The winner walked away with 2 points; and if neither Vallam had been pulled across the finish marker after 120 seconds, the team whose Vallam was farthest from the Centre Line at the STOP announcement was declared the winner.
• Tie-breaks: If two or more teams finished the league phase on the same number of points, the team with the lowest aggregate time taken to secure its winning match or matches, ranked higher and qualified. If a tie remained, the Organising Committee decided the applicable tie-break or play-off procedure.

The four teams that competed

At the heart of the action were the participating teams – Ashtamadi Acers, Kuttanad Knights, Vembanad Vikings and Punnamda Panthers.

Quotes

Shri Advocate V. D. Satheesan – Hon’ble Chief Minister of Keralam

“Keralam’s traditional boat races are an integral part of our cultural and sporting identity, bringing together communities through teamwork, rhythm and a shared passion for our waterways. Red Bull Vallam Vali presents this rich tradition in a new and exciting format, while retaining the spirit that makes Vallamkali so special. It is encouraging to see Keralam’s heritage being celebrated in ways that connect with new audiences and showcase the energy, culture and sporting spirit of our state.”

The history of the Gothuruth Vallamkali, first held in 1938

The Gothuruth Vallamkali is one of the oldest traditional boat races in Ernakulam district, Keralam. It is a celebration of sporting competition infused with cultural and religious traditions. It was first conducted in 1938 and is held annually in September on the Periyar River. This year, the same venue hosted a tug of war between boats at Red Bull Vallam Vali.

Chenda Melam and breakdance on the banks of the Periyar

The celebrations at Red Bull Vallam Vali in Gothuruth extended beyond the backwaters of the River Periyar. The banks came alive with captivating Chenda Melam drum performances and the unmatched energy of breakdance, bringing together Keralam’s rich cultural traditions and contemporary energy, where culture was the main course, and the curry was never far behind.

The partners behind Red Bull Vallam Vali 2026

Red Bull Vallam Vali 2026 was made possible through the support of key partners: Keralam State Government, Keralam Tourism Department, Sports Exotica (Sports Event Partner), Jack & Jones and Blinkit.

Fact sheet

The event

• Event name: Red Bull Vallam Vali
• Edition: Season 2
• Format: day-long invitational event
• Concept: Keralam’s Vallam kali (boat race) combined with Vadam Vali (tug-of-war)
• Location: Gothuruth, North Paravur, Ernakulam district, Keralam, India
• Waterway: the Periyar River
• Venue history: the Gothuruth Vallamkali, one of the oldest traditional boat races in Ernakulam district, first conducted in 1938 and held annually in September
• Categories: two – Chundan Vallam Row Off and Iruttukuthy Vallam Row Off
• Culture programme: Chenda Melam drum performances and breakdance on the banks

The boats

• Chundan Vallam: a 100-foot (30-metre) snake boat, used for the most famous races on Keralam’s backwaters during the festival of Onam; raced bow to bow with 85 men per crew
• Iruttukuthy Vallam: a sport boat known for its speed on still water; carries two teams of 27 rowers, rowing against each other in opposite directions

The competition

• Teams: Ashtamadi Acers, Kuttanad Knights, Vembanad Vikings, Punnamada Panthers
• League phase: round-robin, three matches per team, top two into the final
• Points: 2 points for a win
• Time limit: 120 seconds, after which the Vallam farthest from the Centre Line at the STOP announcement takes the win
• Tie-break: lowest aggregate winning-match time ranks higher; any remaining tie decided by the Organising Committee
• Finalists in both categories: Punnamada Panthers and Vembanad Vikings
• Winner in both categories: Punnamada Panthers

The partners

• Keralam State Government
• Keralam Tourism Department
• Sports Exotica (Sports Event Partner)
• Jack & Jones
• Blinkit

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