INS Viraat wins its last regatta

MUMBAI: Aircraft-carrier INS Viraat today won the coveted 'Cock Trophy' during the Western Fleet Whaler Pulling Regatta, making it the last time the warship participated in the event before she is decommissioned.

INS Viraat was declared overall winner team and awarded the Cock Trophy. In the keenly contested competition aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya emerged as runner-up.

The winning ship will be called the 'Cock Ship' till the next regatta.

Vice Admiral S P S Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding-in- Chief of Mumbai-based Western Naval Command, presided over the finals as the Chief Guest and also gave away the prizes to the winners.

In his address on completion of the annual event, Cheema complimented the teams for tremendous display of sportsman spirit, technique and 'josh', and reminded them that pulling together is ingrained in the ethos of Navy.

The whaler is a 27-foot-long boat that is rowed by five men called 'pullers' using 15 to 17 feet long oars who cover a distance of 1.3 km.

The teams practice hard for several months prior to the regatta.

INS Viraat, which is expected to be decommissioned some time next year, had first served the British Navy for over 30 years before being bought by India. It was inducted into the Indian Navy in 1987 after undergoing extensive refits.