Mangalore, January 15: Boat race organised at Panambur Beach for the 17th National Youth Festival evoked a poor response on Saturday with only three teams participating in the event.
The race, which was scheduled to start at 10 a.m., commenced at noon. Minister for Environment, Ecology, Ports and Inland Water Transport J. Krishna Palemar, who had arrived to inaugurate the race, had to return at 11 a.m. following the cold response.
Of the three local teams, Bengre A team won the race with their Nanda Deepa boat and Bengre B team emerged runners-up with their Jala Durga boat.
Prabhakara Suvarna led the winning team which included Latish Putran, Satish Bangera, Yogish Putran and Mahesh Putran. homas Roshan led the second-placed team which included Ajay Ameen, Omprakash Suvarna, Shravin Putran and Vijith Karkera.
Speaking to presspersons after the race, Mr. Prabhakar Survana and Mr. Roshan blamed inadequate publicity for the poor response.
They said that the organisers should have communicated fishermen about the race much in advance. They came to know about the race only in the morning, they added.
Initially, the fishermen said, they were told that it was only a demonstration for the delegates of the festival and not a race. Later, they were informed that it was indeed a race.
However, a member of the organising committee attributed the lukewarm response to the fishermen's preoccupation with their daily tasks.
Suresh Kumar Ullal, Deputy Director, Department of Fisheries, Mangalore, told The Hindu that the first prize carried Rs. 10,000 while the runners-up got Rs. 7,500.
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