Few Colleges in India have their boat club. College of Engineering Pune is one of them. COEP Boat Club is located on the bank of the Mula River. The Boat Club was established in 1928 and is the oldest club in the college. COEP Regatta is one of the longest-running fests. COEP boat club’s Regatta has recorded the longest-running college fest in Limca Book of Records. This year, the COEP Regatta is in its 94th edition.
The novel coronavirus affected everyone living on the planet. There were many barriers, but we were able to hold Regatta last year because we were “Resilient together.”This year too, there were many difficulties that students faced. The universities were supposed to reopen two years later, but due to the third wave of Covid 19, the universities closed again. But this year, the students showed a strong will and enthusiasm for the offline Regatta.
COEP students take a Vow of Valiance and ignite their hearts to prepare for the offline Regatta. As we had less time, students practised hard day and night. The theme of this year’s Regatta, “Vows of Valiance,” was born.
The COEP Regatta mainly consists of five shows. Arrow formation, kayak ballet, shell game, Tele-matches, and punt formation. Every show has a variety of traditional boats with unique identities. The organizer of each show mentors the participants in every possible way they have. There are more than 300 participants that participate in the Regatta each year.
- Arrow Formation: The COEP heritage of the 15 most rare boats is indicated by a shaped arrow. The arrow’s tip is one of the three wooden lighters of Asia. This symbolizes the ambition and integrity as the purpose of the Regatta.
- Kayak Ballet: Kayaks glide over the water with elegance, speed, and agility. They glide through the murky rivers ablaze. It’s the relentless toughness of the kayak ballet parade.
- Shell Games: Shell games require a lot of core power. The strength of the shell gamers breaches through life and pain.
- Tele-Matches: It is a show which requires lots of courage and determination. The calm waters and the roaring fire collectively create a marvellous sight referred to as Tele-Matches.
- Punt Formation: It is a show which requires lots of coordination and understanding. The formation of many shapes with the punts (boats) in the dark waters portrays the glory of lights.
The will and passion of COEP students are very noteworthy, as it was almost impossible to practice in less than a month. And COEP students did it! Because of this dedication and willpower, the 94th Regatta will finally happen offline this year with the “Vows of Valiance” theme on 3rd April 2022.
