Happy New Year!
On Facebook over the past week, I’ve been posting some of my personal favourite moments from 2013; I’ve collected them here. It was a fantastic, and fascinating, year for Canadian roller derby, and these are just a few of the amazing highlights.
CN Power Surges
Killamazoo, ranked one spot ahead of CN Power, was hoping to avenge two previous losses. (Photo by Kevin Konnyu)
What a year for Canadian derby! One of the great stories was the rise of CN Power in the WFTDA rankings culminating in an impressive run in the playoffs! And 2013 all started with a win over Killamazoo Derby Darlins.
CN Power ended the season ranked 29th in the WFTDA; easily their highest ranking ever.
Read the recap from the doubleheader here.
4th Annual Quad City Chaos
Ohio’s Smacktivist and CN Power’s Nasher the Smasher were both exceptional on the track. (Photo by Neil Gunner)
This year, Toronto Roller Derby hosted the 4th annual QCC featuring CN Power and the Bay Street Bruisers hosting teams from Queen City Roller Girls, Ohio Roller Girls, and Rideau Valley Roller Girls. It was a fantastic tournament that featured one of the great upsets in Canadian roller derby history.
Not surprisingly, Ohio went undefeated to take top spot.
The 2013 Beast of the East
Montreal Roller Derby’s Beast of the East is always my favourite time of the year, and this year’s was especially awesome. Not only did it fall on the ten-year anniversary of Texas Rollergirls’ historic first public bout, it also featured some of the best derby the tournament has ever seen, a testament to the strength of the sport in eastern Canada. And Rideau Valley’s Slaughter Daughters became the first team to win the tournament twice!
Dollmination
The Betties join the Dolls (with the Boot) for a post game photo. (Photo by Greg Russell)
Death Track Dolls capped a dominant year in Toronto Roller Derby by winning their first ever championship, topping the Smoke City Betties in the 2013 Battle for the Boot.
It was the first championship final for the Dolls, and the first for the Betties since 2009. Despite two shots at the Boot, the Betties now are the only home team not to raise it.
Read about the Year of the Doll!
The 2013 Clam Slam
Circle City’s Trudy Bauchery (skating for the Diggers) battles Montreal’s Nameless Whorror and ToRD’s Nasher the Smasher. (Photo by Greg Russell)
Toronto Roller Derby teamed up with GTA Rollergirls – GTAR to put on the fifth annual Clam Slam! A double header for the first time, the second game was truly an all star game featuring skaters from ToRD, GTAR, Montreal Roller Derby, Naptown Roller Girls, DC Rollergirls, Tri-City Roller Girls, and more! And it showed on the track in a phenomenal game!
Canadian teams take over the WFTDA Playoffs
Gotham won its fourth WFTDA title, but their opponents stole the show.
From Tri-City Thunder’s oh-so-close (not to mention incredibly controversial) loss in the D2 playoffs, to Montreal’s highest-ever ranking, to Vancouver and Toronto’s scene stealing turns in their respective divisional playoffs, it was a banner year for Canadian roller derby on the highest stage to sport has to offer.
Topping it all off, of course, was one of the most surprising and thrilling WFTDA Championship tournaments ever, and certainly the most competitive since 2010 when, first, the B.A.D Girls took Gotham to the limit in the semis and then Texas continued to push the champs to a new level in the final.
Read the championship tournament recap here.
Read about Toronto’s run in Divisionals here.
Read about Terminal City’s run in Divisionals here.
Read about Montreal’s play in Divisionals here.
So there it is, some of the nerdiest moments of 2013.
Stay tuned over the coming weeks for general and specific previews of 2014!
The Derby Nerd 