Goodbye 2010: Favourite Photos and Off-Track Highlights

Another iconic shot from Fifth Business (Kevin Konnyu).

Mannie Leibowitz (David Artemiw) was the official photographer of the Smoke City Betties.

GOODBYE 2010

It’s hard to believe that it has already been a year since I finally sat down and starting writing about this sport. While it may have come after a long apprenticeship, I had no idea what to expect and have been overwhelmed by the support. I would like to thank the skaters and refs and volunteers at ToRD for their access, trust and support throughout this year. It has been amazing to watch this league thrive and continue to grow in every way possible. To be able to chronicle it so closely is not something I take for granted.

Bagel Hot (Derek Lang) has been shooting Canadian Roller Derby since the beginning.

I would also like to thank all the other leagues that I covered this year: Montreal, where I first learned the sport and where I continue to learn so much; Tri-City for forcing everyone else’s game up another notch; and Hammer City for blazing such a clear trail. Also Rideau Valley Rollergirls, Forest City’s Thames Fatales, GTA Rollergirls, Terminal City and E-Ville thank you all for being amazing examples of what this sport can accomplish.

Joe Mac (Midnight Matinee) brought a new lense to the sport in 2010.

And finally, the photographers whose pictures have illustrated these articles. Kevin Konnyu, Derek Lang, Joe Mac and David Artemiw thanks for always being so quick, so open, and so awesome with your work; they are essential to what I do and wonderful for the sport. Also for their generosity with their images, thank you so much to Laine “Seen It All” White, Chrissie “Fresh Eyes” Wu and Nicolas “The Left Coast Legend” Charest.  I’m indebted to you!

OFF-TRACK HIGHLIGHTS

Slow Derby Sucks ROCKS!

Derby nerds love slow derby! Perhaps the great evolution of flat track roller derby took place in 2009 when Denver (among other Western Region teams) brought the “trap” to the sport. This kick started an era of strategic growth in 2010 that has changed the nature of the game: forcing rules refinement from the officials and a higher level of strategic play from the skaters. It was absolutely amazing to see this evolution play out at the 2010 WFTDA Championships. From ultra-fast defensive packs to dead-slow traps (and everything in between) Uproar on the Lakeshore had it all. But there were, of course, some nostalgia mongers who, afraid of change–or perhaps just their ability to keep up—decided to take it upon themselves to bring a negative attitude to what was a celebratory event. The “Slow Derby Sucks” brigade was in Windy City in full force booing teams who employed…well, strategy, or who did anything other than skate in a circle really fast (maybe they were

Mega Bouche (ToRD) and Lock And Roll (HCRG). (Photo by Lucid Lou)

short track speed skating fans who took a wrong turn because I always thought the point of roller derby was to advance your jammer passed the opposing team’s pack). Along with wearing offensive t-shirts they also handed out misguided and insulting pamphlets that among other things urged people to boycott bouts featuring teams that employed slow-derby strategy: I have nothing but contempt for people who use “boycott” and “roller derby” in the same sentence.

That’s when two Canadian Crusaders stepped in and saved the day. ToRD’s very own Mega Bouche and Hammer City’s Lock And Roll managed to snag a couple of T-shirts (and even one of the signs) and turned them into wonderful pieces of subversive art. Thank you so much Lock and Bouche for creating such a beautiful moment!

Meeting the Original Derby Nerds

My personal off-track highlight of 2010 was getting to interview the original derby nerds, the voices of flat track roller derby, Dumptruck and Val Capone. The interviews were conducted for ToRD.TV at the 2010 WFTDA Championships, where one of my on-the-track highlights took place: Rocky Mountain’s championship victory over Oly, which may have been the best flat track roller derby bout ever played. It was a pleasure to interview these two figures (who have had a big influence on me); they are both extraordinarily gracious and welcoming and of course, monsters of roller derby knowledge.

Here are the interviews in their entirety!

Dumptruck:

Val Capone:

Happy New Year! Till 2011.

(For a little teaser, check out ToRD’s 2011 schedule!)

BACK IN BLACK: BLOOD & THUNDER ALL-STARS RECAP

Mega Bouche of the White Team was one of many ToRD skaters taking part. (Photo by Kevin Konnyu)

Team Black (Mamas) 144 vs. Team White (Trash) 141

For the three days preceding Saturday’s Blood & Thunder All Stars Bout, skaters from all across Canada (and even a few from south of the border) descended on the ToRD Hangar for the first Training Camp the popular magazine has hosted in the city. Mirroring the expedited growth of the sport in Canada, the camp was jammed full of some of the most talented skaters this country has to offer (fittingly, on the eve of the camp, Tri-City was declared Canada’s third full WFTDA member). With such a deep pool of talented athletes, it was no wonder that two impressively skilled lineups were thrown together for Saturday’s bout. And after a rocky first half for the girls in white, the second half brought the level of back-and-forth strategic play that was expected from the two all-star squads, with Black managing to hold on for the nail-biting victory in a bout that came right down to the final contested jam.

FIRST HALF: BLACK’S EARLY DOMINANCE

ToRD's Bambi and Terminal City's Luludemon were both key for their teams. (Photo by Joe Mac)

The key to the kinds of bouts that feature teams of hastily thrown-together talent is how well—and how quickly—the skaters can come together. So while Terminal City’s Luludemon spotted White a quick 4-0 lead, it was clear in the early going that Black was gelling just a little bit quicker. This could have, in large part, been due to the core of five Rideau Valley Roller Girls and four ToRD skaters that shaped the lineup, providing a lot of much-needed familiarity. Nonetheless, there was a lot of line juggling going on as teams figured out who was playing well with whom. The RVRG pack-powerhouse Semi Precious controlled things in the pack early on, while ToRD vet Bambi and Montreal legend Georgia W. Tush took control of things from the jam line; Tush was especially solid early, quickly reeling in Rainbow Fight after the precocious Newfie battled her way through the pack to take the lead (Rainbow Fight and Nickel City’s Low Ride Her were the two least inexperienced skaters on the rosters, both playing for rookie leagues, although neither looked out of place on this night).

Forest City's Tamahawk was a revelation; while RVRG's Soul Rekker was business as usual. (Photo by Joe Mac)

In what was quickly becoming the story of the bout, it was another RVRG skater who would blow the game wide open as Slaughter Daughter/Vixen Soul Rekker put up an impressive 20 points. A subsequent power jam by Dyna Hurtcha capped a run of 56 consecutive points for Black as they opened up a commanding 56-4 lead half way through the first. Things opened up a bit in the later stages of the first half, with White finally finding their footing and way back into the bout. Luludemon and Soul Rekker had some great first half battles, but the story was in the pack; strong positional pairings like Tush and Precious or 8 Mean Wheeler (Terminal City) and Brim Stone (ToRD) complemented by big hitting from Assassinista (RVRG) and Mia Culprit (returning to competitive roller derby after a year-long hiatus) made up the difference in Black’s 83-26 half-time lead.

SECOND HALF: WHITE’S PUSHBACK

With the teams fully comfortable with each other, and the play opening up considerably near the end of the first half, if was no surprise that the second half featured more strategic play, and a big pushback from White. Having watched the first half from behind the benches, E-Ville’s Coach Pauly and Quadzilla (both instructors at the camp) couldn’t help it, and found themselves getting more and more involved over the duration of the second half. Knowing they needed to do something different than what they’d done in the first half to make up the gap, White set the tone for the half with an early star pass between Rainbow and Lulu that worked brilliantly breaking up a long and potentially tiring jam to rack up 17 points for White and getting them back into the bout. There were more RVRG players standing out for the White squad as well, with Surgical Strike doing her part in the pack to help White’s chances. Yet another in a long line of up-and-coming Montreal skaters, Hustle Rose was a huge triple threat for White as well, busting out of traps and picking up points in the early going to keep her team in the game. It was a Hustle power jam that pulled White within striking distance, 113-111, midway through the second.

Hustle Rose (MTLRD) gets some help from RVRG's Surgical Strike. (Photo by Kevin Konnyu)

Another strong contingent in the bout emerged as the bout progressed; the four Forest City skaters on White—Mirambo, Anya Face, Commiekaze and Tamahawk—were all key elements in the White comeback. Mirambo was solid all bout, while Anya helped orchestrate a key 20 point power jam (made possible by a well-executed trap in a 4-1 pack advantage) that had White take the lead for the first time since the opening jam, 121-113. The pairing of Chicks Ahoy/CN Power teammates Mega Bouche and Tara Part was also effective for White, creating solid walls up front, along with Montreal’s Trash N Smash. But the experienced players on Black remained unfazed by the quick loss of their lead; Tush was key in the final jams of the bout, with Bambi confidently taking back the lead with a 14 point jam with under five minutes to go. After trading the lead back and forth, and only two minutes remaining White jammer Luludemon gave her team the lead on a grueling jam, only to find herself sent to the box, leaving Tush with just enough time to lap the pack and pick up a grand slam to pull ahead 142-141. With three seconds left on the clock, White called a time out. But in the final jam, the reliable Bambi, who is coming off of another strong ToRD season that concluded with a championship only weeks ago, took the lead for Black and after a brief, heart-stopping delay, called the jam to give her team the 144-141 victory.

It was, literally, a cross-Canada collection of talent. (Photo by Joe Mac)

CONCLUDING 2010

For most of the skaters in Toronto this weekend, this camp represents the end to a 2010 season that was groundbreaking in many ways for the sport in general, but for the sport in Canada in particular. Montreal broke through the international boundaries to announce Canada’s burgeoning emergence as a potential roller derby power. Their finishing the season with a run at WFTDA’s Eastern Regionals and a 7^th place ranking in the Region are major accomplishments, especially considering how far they have come, and quickly they managed it. ToRD’s early season success at the Quad City Chaos showed that CN Power has the potential to compete at the top level of Canadian derby, but Tri-City’s October victory over their big-city rivals, and

Dyna Hurtcha had a solid night for Black. (Photo by Kevin Konnyu)

their recent earning of full WFTDA status, proved a reminder to ToRD (and all the other top Canadian leagues) that the “top level” is rising quickly. 2011 promises to take it to yet another level, with  Terminal City beginning their WFTDA Apprenticeship, Forest City continuing their forays into the U.S., and the Rideau Valley Vixens poised to be Eastern Canada’s next big breakout team. If 2010 was the year flat track roller derby grew up, then 2011 will be the year it matures.

Check out Layer9’s bout footage at ToRD.TV.

Check here for the full rosters.

Weekend Recap: Gores advance to final; Betties send a message

Bambi and Memphis Kitty jammed to a stalemate on the opening jam of the bout.

Semifinal: #1Gore-Gore Rollergirls 133 vs. #4 Smoke City Betties 45

With Hot Roller and Brim Stone leading the packs for the Smoke City Betties and the Gore-Gore Rollergirls, the Gores’ top statistical jammer Bambi lined up against the Betties’ most experienced jammer Memphis Kitty. When neither jammer could shake the other, forcing a scoreless jam, most in The Hangar thought that the beginning of the inevitable blowout was simply delayed, perhaps stalled by Memphis Kitty’s experience on the track. The Gores followed with another top pack and its most tenacious jammer, Dust Bunny. The Betties’ rookie Tropic Thunder stepped up with the odds stacked firmly against her. What transpired was a jam similar in almost every way to the first. Just under five minutes in and the bout remained scoreless. While the top-ranked Gores did eventually wrestle control of the bout away from the precocious, last-place Betties, the expected lopsided result never materialized. And as the night wore on, it became clearer and clearer that this was not the same, inexperienced, overwhelmed team that had opened the season five months ago: the 2010 Smoke City Betties had finally found themselves.

Molly Boom traded in her stripe for a star in the 2nd half

Bambi was able to eventually break the defensive stranglehold with a double grand slam scored with Platinum Bomb trapped in the Gore’s pack. But not before the rookie Grim Avenger’s massive jammer take out on Lunchbox forced a call and sent a clear message that this Betties’ team had come to play. The Gores followed by putting out championship calibre lineups pivoted by their top pivots Brim Stone, Junkie Jenny and Molly Bloom, and maintaining its vaunted 1-2-3 jammer punch. But the Betties responded in full force to keep the bout close, with only a well-executed (but exhaustively earned) power jam by Lunchbox giving the Gores the comfort of a decent lead. It took almost thirteen full minutes for the Betties to get on the board, but when Sail Her Poon (who was returning to the jam line after earning her stripes in the pack against the Chicks Ahoy!) finally picked up four points, the Betties were still within reach, down only 30-4.

Dust Bunny was a triple threat, putting in some excellent jams as pivot and blocker

Only after the Gores had pulled ahead by 40 did bench boss Reverend Ramirez begin to experiment with his lines. Different pack formations (usually balanced mixes of veterans and rookies) led by either unorthodox pivots (Dust Bunny) or rookie jammers (Santa Muerte) were rotated out with great success. Dust Bunny was exceptionally strong in the bout putting in a triple-threat worthy performance capped off by some extraordinary positional blocking on a potential lead-saving power kill. But the story of the first thirty was summed up in the Betties’ strong end to the period led by a second straight stand-out performance from sophomore-star Lady Scorcher. When the final whistle of the first period blew, the Betties were down by a respectable 67-21.

Santa Muerte was just one of the Gores' rookies getting a chance to jam

The Gores began the second half with the same kind of lineup experimentation that ended the first. With rookie jammers getting valuable experience for the defending champs, and the Betties relying heavily on their rookies for offense as well, the difference in the bout ended up being the pack; it was in the pack where the experience gap between the two teams was the most evident. The Gores skaters have that roller derby instinct that comes with experience, and allows them to respond to whatever situation presents itself, whether it be a power jam or a pack disadvantage, without any communication or hesitation. The Betties aren’t quite there yet. But the signs are certainly in place that they are on the right track.

The story of this bout was definitely the rookies. On both teams, the newest skaters (with a full regular season now under their belts) were huge contributors. The Gores, looking to add to their formidable repertoire of jammers, put the star on a number of rookies, including Chronic, Miss Kitty La Peur, and Pinky Violence; Santa Muerte brought the same focused intensity to jamming that she brings to her pack duties, and Aston Martini took more and more jams as the half progressed. The Betties responded in kind, with Tropic Thunder and Sail Her Poon confirming that they are ready to lead an offense, while Platinum Bomb played her most effective bout of the season, giving the Betties a threesome to build around in the future. Despite the continued spirited play by the Betties (and the support or of an appreciative audience), the underdogs could not make up the ground. Closing out the bout with strong hitting and pack play from Lady Gagya, and strong jams by Molly Boom and Brim Stone, the Gores skated away with a 133-45 victory.

Grim Avenger, like many of the Betties' rookies, has grown into her role on the team

Next up for the Gores is the championship final on November 13, while the Betties get to start preparing for the off season. With roster spots already open, it will be key to assess the team’s needs and draft properly (and this will be an exceptionally strong draft); but it does seem as though the Betties do have everything in place. As the season progressed, the Betties rookies have grown into their roles on the team. With Grim and Sin D pivoting a pack rounded out by the likes of Mouth of the South and P Doddy, and Bomb, Poon and Thunder working the star so confidently, this is a team that has finally come into itself. On Saturday, we got a glimpse of the future of the Betties, and the future looks bright.

Gores and Betties post bout

* You should especially keep an eye on ToRD.TV for the interviews from this bout, as junior correspondents Miss Fit and Biff Break-It made their excellent ToRD.TV debuts.

* The Death Track Dolls and Chicks Ahoy! will face each other on October 23rd for a chance to face the Gores in the finals. You will not want to miss this one. Tickets are already on sale.

STATS HIGHLIGHTS

Team
Gore-Gore Rollergirls	Smoke City Betties
Margin of Victory/Loss: +88  Lead %: 54% Plus/Minus: +32; Major Penalties (Minor): 9 (36)	Margin of Victory/Loss: -88 Lead %: 30% Plus/Minus: -30 Major Penalties (Minor) 6 (40)
Player (minimum 6 jams)
Points: Bambi 40  Lead%: Bambi 83% Plus/Minus: Gamma Rei +61 Jammer Plus/Minus: Bambi +37 Major Penalties (Minor): Pinky Violence, Lunchbox 2 (Junky Jenny 6) JQ: Bambi 45 Dust Bunny 41 Brim Stone 33 Santa Muerte 31 Pinky Violence 30 Lunchbox 29	Points: Sail Her Poon 14  Lead%: Sail Her Poon  57% Plus/Minus: Sail Her Poon -11 Jammer Plus/Minus: Sail Her Poon -7 Major Penalties (Minor): Sail Her Poon 2 (Memphis Kitty 10) JQ: Sail Her Poon 30 Memphis Kitty 22 Tropic Thunder 17 Lady Scorcher 17

Weekend Recap: Vagine Regime Canada Slams the Clam

Vagine Regime Canada 108 vs. Clam Diggers 65

It was a beautiful Friday evening to kick off Pride weekend, and with the early evening sun streaming through the packed Hangar’s massive windows, Toronto’s second annual all-queer roller derby got under way to a raucous cheer from the appreciative audience. With members of ToRD split between the two squads this year, no team had the clear backing of the crowd. Which was fitting in a way, because this bout was more than just another derby bout: It was a celebration of a sport and a community and the importance each is for the other. Despite the quality and the competitive nature of the athletes involved, this celebratory sentiment pervaded the bout and transcended the outcome, a victory by the Vagine Regime over the Clam Diggers.

Mirambo got things off to a physical start with an early jammer take out on Sista Fista

There was a classic matchup at the jam line to kick things off: Former Death Track Dolls teammates Land Shark and Sista Fista (now of Victoria) squared off against each other in the opening jam. From that very opening jam, the Regime’s physical advantage was evident as Mirambo landed a huge jammer take out on Sista to set the tone. The Vagine Regime’s early physical dominance, and some strong jamming led by the Land Shark, saw the team fly out to a 17-0 lead. Not to be intimidated, the Diggers battled back. Despite being outsized by a considerable margin, San Fransisco’s feisty Mexican Jumping Mean showed no fear in engaging Montreal’s Nameless Whorror in the pack. Lady Cuntessa (Victoria) and Perky Set (Hammer City) proved that the Diggers would be willing to match the Regime hit-for hit as they each pounded Lock N Roll on what had to have been one long jam for the former ToRD player. Cuntessa was a huge physical presence all night for the Diggers, and was doing triple duty by the end of it.

Perky Set and Nasher the Smasher lead their packs.

Having chipped away at the lead, the Diggers found themselves with a power jam and a great opportunity to narrow the 24-9 disadvantage. But fantastic pack defense by a trio of ToRD blockers (Brim Stone, Bionichrome and Nasher the Smasher) held Perky Set to only two points and preserved the double-digit lead. Each time the Diggers seemed to make up some ground, the Regime would respond. And despite the fight shown by the girls in red (Bareleigh Legal was matching the Regime’s physicality all half), the physical dominance of players like Bruise Berry Pie and Nameless Whorror proved to be the difference as the Diggers found themselves down 54-22 at the half.

Nameless Whorror and Mexican Jumping Mean battling in the pack

Mexican Jumping Mean continued to play well above her weight in the second half, and produced some great pivot battles with Forest City’s Mirambo, with both skaters scoring early jammer take outs. Having begun to pull away, the Regime took the opportunity to play some unorthodox jammers. All pivots with their hometeams, Rebel Rock-It, Nasher the Smasher and Bionichrome all saw time at the jam line and did well. Despite playing behind the whole the bout, the Diggers refused to concede defeat and deep into the second produced what might have been the jam of the bout. With the Regime jammer in the box, Tri-City’s Anita Martini pivoted a brilliant power jam allowing Getcha Kicks to produce her most effective jam of the night, a double grand slam (and then some) to give the Diggers some late hope. But the Regime would not give up the advantage that easily.

Windy City's Jackie Daniels was a triple threat in the bout (jamming here against Memphis Kitty)

With the Diggers constantly fighting to narrow the gap, Windy City’s fantastic triple-threat, Jackie Daniels, seemed to take over the bout at various stages of the second half. Whether pivoting, jamming or mixing it up in the pack, she was all over the track and was a key component of the victory. It was her extraordinary 13 point jam (pivoted wonderfully by Bruise Berry Pie who was a menace to her Derby Debutantes’ teammate Getcha Kicks on the play) that blew the bout wide open (91-50) and essentially sealed the deal for the Regime. Rebel Rock-It closed out the bout by taking yet another lead jam, but it was Nasher and Nameless’ physical dominance (and one last jammer take out on Memphis Kitty) in that final jam which truly told the tale of this 108-65 Vagine Regime victory.

A Dramatic Story Continues to Unfold in Montreal

In what is shaping up to be the greatest regular season in Montreal’s history, 2008 MTLRD champions La Racaille denied this year’s breakout team, Les Contrabanditas, a second consecutive victory as the girls in green held on for a 106-104 victory. MTLRD was turned on its head with the Ditas upset 104-103 win over defending champs FDR a few weeks back, and it looks as though nothing has been settled yet. Displaying unprecedented league parity, this season will undoubtedly go down to the wire. Come August, and the Montreal championship, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be playing in the bout.

Weekend Recap: Thames tame Debs

Thames Fatales 205 vs. Derby Debutantes 64

GTAR‘s Debutantes hosted cross-province rivals Thames Fatales at Ted Reeve Arena in Toronto on Saturday night. In a scrappy, sometimes contentious bout, Fatales ended up pulling ahead for a 141 point victory over their big city opponents.

There was a tight start to the bout, with both teams jockeying for position and points. Five minutes in and the score was 9-8  for the home team. After the Debutantes pulled ahead a bit more, Thames went on a power jam in what would prove to be a pivotal moment in the first half. Down 17-9, the Thames pack took over the jam, isolating and then trapping a Debutante while Sufferjet flew around the pack, picking up a double grand slam to give the Fatales their first lead of the bout. It was a lead that they would not relinquish.

Killson and Bruise Berry Pie battled all night

Killson proved to be an uncontainable force for the Fatales in the first half, engaging in some great battles with Getcha Kicks and Canadian Psycho (who was solid in the first half for the Debs), and Piepshow stepped up to join the Fatales’ jammer rotation, but the real difference in this bout was in the pack, and the control that Thames was able to wield over it. Mirambo was excellent as pivot all bout, leading the way physically and positionally, getting some big jammer take outs and setting some devastating traps.  Bruise Berry Pie tried to respond for the Debutantes and engaged with Anya Face in some of those great pack battles. By the end of the half it was already clear that Commiekaze is a viable triple threat for the Forest City team and was instrumental in their 105-42 lead at the half.

The Debutantes came out flying to start the second half with Bruise showing a frightening intensity in the pack and going shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip with Mirambo on more than one occasion. Leather Locklear also stepped up with some big hits and capable leadership with the stripe,  Getcha Kicks kept fighting and LeeWay Wreck’em put in her time with the star; Canadian Psycho is emerging as a key player for the Debs. But the storyline played out much the same way in the second half. The Debutantes simply couldn’t contain Killson and her triple grand slam to make it 170-60 sealed the deal for the Thames Fatales.

Mirambo and Anya Face keep a close eye on Getcha Kicks

Bruise exited the defeat in style (with an ejection late in the bout), and while the Debutantes still show signs of great improvement, it was the Thames Fatales who were shining brightest on this night. Only two months on and this team barely resembles the one that went to Montreal for this year’s Beast of the East. The pack control, the strong positional play (and the continued growth of Killson as a top jammer) show that this is a team that can not be taken lightly. Both of these squads are clearly headed in the right direction and their performances speak to the continued development of the sport in Ontario.

The Neon Army: Montreal's New Skids on the Block

And elsewhere in the roller derby community…

It was somewhat of a coming-out party for Montreal‘s New Skids in the Block in Philly this weekend as they and Hammer City‘s Eh! Team headed south for the 2010 East Coast Extravaganza. Despite playing with a roster of only 11 (and missing key players including Georgia W. Tush and Trash N Smash), the Skids tore through the weekend putting up the highest single game score, getting the largest margin of victory(261) and putting in the best defensive performance of the weekend in a thorough dismantling of the Dominion Derby Girls (288-27).  They had a much stiffer test against a much more controlled and experienced Tampa Bay team on Sunday. The bout had all the makings of a low scoring battle in the early going as the Derby Darlins matched Montreal’s pack control and jammer speed. Eventually though the persistence and conditioning of the Skids was the difference and they ended up pulling away for a 197-57 victory. Hammer City didn’t fair quite as well, but undoubtedly gained valuable experience in losses to a very good Dutchland team (132-79) and Suburbia (184-95).

All the action from the ECE was boutcast live and archived here by DNN.

ToRD Takes on Tri-City

Motorhead Molly takes the outside; Dyna Hurtcha looks for the jammer take out.

PSYCHEDELIC MELTDOWN (@ Kitchner, Ontario)

Game One: Chicks Ahoy! (ToRD) 63 vs. Vicious Dishes (TCRG) 121

With injured players Mach Wheels and Marvel S. Maven looking on from the bench, the Chicks got off to a quick start against a nervous looking Dishes team that was playing in front of a sell-out crowd in its new home (the Arena St. Louis-like Activia Sportsplex). 2009 Rookie of the Year Kari-Mia Beere and veteran jammer Candy Crossbones (who scored an early grand slam) led the attack with much strong support from Fireweed, while Nasher the Smasher (whose absence was felt at the BOE) returned to add more power to an already deep pack.

Once settled, The Vicious Dishes soon began to display the improved patience and pack control that had led them to such success in the early part of the season, and a  double grand slam by Lippy Wrongstockings paced the Dishes as they took the lead and pulled ahead.  As has been the story in recent bouts, the Chicks Ahoy! once again found themselves in penalty trouble. In what may have been the turning point of the first half, following a well executed panty pass between the pivot Mega Bouche and an exhausted Fireweed, Bouche got called on an inadvertent cutting major and was sent off, giving the home team a power jam. Motorhead Molly also had some big jams for the Dishes who took nearly a 50 point into half time (77-28). Dyna Hurtcha was a physical, and effective  jammer in the second half for the Chicks, but the continued penalty problems never allowed them to stage any sort of comeback. The Chicks were obviously frustrated over some of the calls being made and let their displeasure be known; it was the penalty problems that kept them from gaining any sort of pack consistency or advantage.

Skate Pastor looks to avoid Mega Bouche.

In a year when derby is seeing the emergence of a more clearly defined management role on the track for the pivot, Jill Standing looks as comfortable as any at the position and she and the other Dishes pivots (including Meg N Plead) led the pack offensively through key power jams as well as they did defensively during pack  disadvantages. Greta Garbage looked good in the pack too and had a key jammer take out early in the first half. Barleigh Legal gave the Chicks’ jammers (particularly Candy Crossbones and G Force) a hard time all night, and whether it was blocking positionally or delivering big hits, she was often a dominant presence on jams.

Speedin Hawking holds the Tramps' jammer as the Dolls clear the inside line for Demolition Dawn.

Game Two: Death Track Dolls (ToRD) 101 vs. Venus Fly Tramps (TCRG) 89

The second bout of the night was a much closer and more exciting match up featuring two teams with nothing to lose, and both came out swinging. The Dolls entered the track with a swagger that was missing at this year’s BOE, and led by the return of Demoliton Dawn as a key jammer got out to an early led. She was also key defensively too, capable of reeling in the opposing jammer and forcing a call on those occasions when she didn’t take the lead. With an injury to star jammer Land Shark, rookies Slam Wow and Nut Meg took a lot of jams with the star on and looked comfortable  even against the more experienced Tramps’ jammers (including Kitty Krasher, Konky and Cell Block Bettie). Betty Bomber continued her rise as a triple-threat contender and  had some key jams to help the Dolls pull out to a 55-35 point lead at the half.

One of Audrey Hellborn's many big hits on the night.

The Tramps came out determined in the second half and slowly chipped away at the lead. Leigh-zzie Borden did double duty in the pack and jamming, and as a whole, the Tramps came together to take advantage of a penalty troubles by the Dolls, even pulling ahead by as much as ten points at one point. The Dolls managed to stay within reach and took a key timeout after a long string of penalties threatened to frustrate the team. Second year stand out Panty Hoser continued her strong play at pivot in the second half, while Monichrome also looked comfortable on the track considering she was playing in her first regulation bout in almost a year. Betty Bomber put in some determined jams including a key power jam with the Tramps clinging to a slim lead and only eight minutes remaining.  But it was the physical play–led by Audrey Hellborn, Seka Destroy and Jubilee–that would be the difference in the end. A string of huge jammer takeouts by a determined Audrey Hellborn late in the bout was key in fending off a final charge by the home team. The Dolls were able to pull away in the final few jams to claim their first victory since the 2009 BOE. (Keep an eye out for the video footage from layer9)

A BUSY DERBY NIGHT IN CANADA

It was a busy night for Eastern Canadian roller derby as five leagues had teams involved in bouts, none more important than the second half of the double header in the Montreal. The 9th ranked New Skids on the Block continued their seemingly inevitable march up the standings in WFTDA‘s Eastern Region, posting their second consecutive lopsided victory (186-65) over a team ranked ahead of them in the standings. The 8th ranked Dutchland All Stars provided a scrappy challenge for the Skids and their physical play and fast packs managed to frustrate Montreal’s potentially stifling pack management, and kept them to within 30 at the half. The win was the Skid’s ninth in a row. The evening in Montreal began with a frighteningly efficient 213-59 victory by the Sexpos over the Dutchland Blitz. Just when you thought there was only one dominant travel team in Montreal to worry about… (Watch the archived boutcasts on Montreal’s ustream channel.)

Forest City’s Thames Fatales also scored a lop-sided victory over an American opponent with an impressive 169-35 road win over Toledo’s Glass City Roller Girls. Hammer City kicked off its 2010 season with the Hamilton Harlots redeeming a first round elimination at a this year’s BOE with a  158-106 victory over BOE quarter finalists the Death Row Dames.

In an attempt to keep track of all the Canadian roller derby results this year, I’ve created a results page. It isn’t fully complete and I would appreciate any additions, corrections, etc.

Beast of the East 2010: Recap

Beast of the East 2010 Trophy

The pack-control evolution that entered the derby mainstream at last year’s WFTDA Nationals has made its way into Canadian roller derby. Starting at the Quad City Chaos in Toronto, it is becoming apparent that the team that controls the pack, controls the bout. It was obvious early on that this adage would hold true at BOE 2010 as well.

DOUBLE ELIMINATION

In terms of results, the opening bouts went as planned. One-sided victories by the three MTLRD teams and impressive performances by Thames Fatales and the Green Mountain Derby Dames were expected.  But the playing field was blown wide open with some unexpected performances. A new-look Death Row Dames, who were barely a presence in 2009, roared out of the gates in 2010 putting up 63 points against the Venus Fly Tramps, while GTA’s Derby Debutantes shocked cross-city rivals and defending ToRD champions Gore-Gore Rollergirls with a back-and-forth bout that the Gores eventually were able to rein in (43-22). And 2008 BOE champs, The Hamilton Harlots, could only put up 6 points against Les Filles du Roi in a surprisingly one-sided loss.

Eventually the Green Mountain Derby Dames and the three Montreal teams won their second bouts and advanced straight through to the quarters. The first major upset in 2010 came in an exciting (and controversial) bout between the Derby Debutantes and 2009 quarter finalists Death Track Dolls that saw the derby girls from GTA gain their first ever BOE victory 38-29.

In the third and final round of the Double Elimination bouts, Thames Fatales eliminated The Venys Fly Tramps, the Death Row Dames continued their impressive run with a 42-34 upset over the Chicks Ahoy which left the Gore-Gore Rollergirls (who eliminated the Harlots) as the sole remaining ToRD team. Tri-City’s Vicious Dishes ended the impressive run by the Derby Debutantes with a 52-14 victory.

QUARTER FINALS

La Racaille and Les Contrabanditas opened the quarter finals with victories to set up one all-Montreal semifinal, while Les Filles du Roi had their hands full against against a scrappy Thames Fatales team, who were the first team to put up a double-digit score against the defending Montreal champions. But the most thrilling bout of the quarter finals saw the Gore-Gore Rollergirls end Green Mountain’s BOE run with a 45-22 victory that seemed even closer than the final score indicated.

SEMIFINALS

La Racaille and Les Contrabanditas kicked off the semifinals with an absolutely amazing bout that featured some of the biggest hits and most controlled packs of the tournament. The traps that both these teams employed with ease early in the tournament were defended beautifully in this bout, with neither pack able to take any clear advantage.  In the end it was a late power jam taken advantage of by the Iron Wench that was the difference as La Racaille pulled away with a 69-46 victory.

The second semi-final pitted the defending champs from Montreal and Toronto (Les Filles du Roi and Gore-Gore Rollergirls respectively) against one another. The Gores’ jammers (Lunchbox, Bambi, and Dust Bunny) were the difference early on as they matched up well against FDR’s jammers, keeping things tight for the first five minutes. But it was the pack control of the Montreal team, led by pivots Jess Bandit and Lady J, that eventually was the difference, frustrating the Gores and leading to pack advantages and power jams for FDR. Les Filles made sure it would be an all Montreal final with a 65-1 victory.

Les Contrabanditas would defeat the Gore-Gore Rollergirls for the second time on the weekend to take third place (91-21).

MTLRD finishes 1,2,3

FINAL

16 teams, 2 days, 27 bouts and it came down to La Racaille and Les Filles du Roi. FDR essentially marched to the final never giving up more than 12 points or winning by less than 64, while La Racaille managed an astonishing shut out in the double elimination round, but did face a considerable challenge against the Ditas in the semifinals.

The final lived up to all expectations. These two extraordinary teams provided a highly fast-paced and hard hitting final. The Iron Wench was key again for La Racaille, even skating back-to-back jams at one point (and pulling off at least one bafflingly amazing strategic move that has to be seen to be believed), though she was admirably aided by Wrath Poutine and Lyn-dah Kicks. Smack Daddy was often used as a physical counter to the Iron Wench and Lil Mama provided some key strategic jams for FDR.

While neither pack could control the bout quite as it had throughout the weekend, pack control was once again the key. For FDR, Jess Bandit and Lady J continued to wear the stripe almost exclusively, and controlled their packs exceptionally well. K-Dawg, Striking Viking and Bone Machine countered for La Racaille, and the battles led by the pivots was extraordinary. In what could have been the turning point in the bout, Lady J led a brilliant pack defense on a power jam being skated by Lyn-dah Kicks, holding off the La Racaille jammer until Smack Daddy could reenter and force the call. After that Smack picked up 4 on a jam in which Wrath Poutine took a penalty. Jess Bandit slow-skated 4 points on the following power jam to strategically take a ton of time off the clock. La Racaille could only  chip away from that point on, with FDR holding on for a 36-20 victory and their first ever Beast of the East championship.

THE NERD’S PICKS

Jess Bandit: BOE 2010 MVP

MVP: Jess Bandit (FDR)

This was a tough call, with the Iron Wench continuing to be one of the best jammers in the game, and Ewan Wotarmy emerging as one of the best two-way players in Canada (though she got a lot of help on the Ditas from her triple-threat teammates Georgia W. Tush and Cheese Grater). But in a tournament all about pack control, FDR’s master pivot Jess Bandit led the way. She ran her pack with precision and ease throughout the weekend, all the while remaining calm and level headed. In the final, it was her ability to contain the Iron Wench that was a key component in holding La Racaille to only twenty points, while her ability to evade or break-up La Racaille’s formidable pack traps allowed her team to stay ahead of things after they established the lead.

Breakout Player: That’s What She Said (FDR)

Again, this one was tough to call. There were so many amazing performances this weekend by players who may not have yet drawn the attention of the derby masses. Killson proved to be an explosive jammer and was a key in Thames Fatales’ run to the quarterfinals, while Gore-Gore Rollergirls’ rookie Santa Muerte was a huge physical presence, and did her best to stymie Les Contrabanditas’ pack traps in their two bouts. K-Dawg was a standout wearing the stripe for La Racaille as well, and Ninja Simone looked comfortable up front for the Ditas. But it all came down to looking at the role  That’s What She Said played on the champion FDR. This rookie was one of the key jammers all weekend and didn’t flinch at being played in key moments against much more experienced jammers in the final against La Racaille. Look out for this jammer in 2010.

Death Row Dames: Breakout team at BOE 2010

Breakout Team: Hammer City’s Death Row Dames

GTA’s Derby Debutantes were the front runners for this early on; Thames Fatales and Green Mountain Derby Dames had amazing performances too, but in the end I thought Hammer City’s Dames were clearly deserving of this designation. After forming in the shadows of the great Hamilton Harlots (and in the wake of the Steel City Tank Girls), the Death Row Dames were completely overwhelmed in their debut at the 2009 Beast of the East. But after an off season shake-up (and picking up former ToRD standout Lock N Roll) the Dames entered this year’s tournament revitalized and refocused, and with a strong core of veteran players (including Bitchslap Barbie, Eduskating Rita, Mean Little Mama, Hozone Slayer, and Ivy Rupted just to name a few) this is a team that looks poised to continue their breakout throughout 2010.

A special thanks once again to MTLRD for putting on another extraordinary tournament (and one that ran completely on time!). All the footage was live boutcasted and has been archived here. For a high-def track-side seat, check out layer 9’s footage.

For a different perspective on the tournament, read Derby Luv’s excellent recap.

Beast of the East Preview (2)

BOE 2010 Poster

This past year has been a particularly important one in flat track roller derby: the sport has continued its evolution at a rapid pace, moving farther and farther away from its bank-track roots. The bouts played at last year’s WFTDA Nationals bore only a superficial resemblance to those first played earlier this past decade. At the 2009 WFTDA Nationals big hits and jammer sprints were, for the first time, overshadowed by pack strategies and positional control. Special-team situations (pack advantages/disadvantages and power jams) are playing a larger and larger role (as evidenced by Montreal’s dominant performance at the recent Quad City Chaos); teams are now better trained and better coached than they were before; raw athletic ability alone is no longer enough to be successful at the top level of  flat track roller derby. The third annual Beast of the East will undoubtedly continue this evolution here in Canada

THE COMPETITION

With fourteen returning teams at this year’s Beast of the East (including defending champion La Racaille), there will be a lot of familiar teams, and a lot of opportunities for revenge. The Riot Squad, the latest team from Rideau Valley, and the lone American team, Green Mountain Derby Dames out of Vermont, represent the newcomers. The RVRG had a fantastic 2009 that began with the Slaughter Daughters’ run to the quarter finals at BOE ’09 and led to the addition of the second home team and a travel team, The Vixens, who played their first bout at The Hangar in February. Green Mountain is not unfamiliar to Canadian derby playing three Canadian teams (including losses to the Slaughter Daughters and MTLRD’s Sexpos and a victory over the Derby Debutantes).

Teams representing ToRD, Montreal Roller Derby, The Tri-City Rollergirls, The Hammer City Roller Girls, and the stand-alone Derby Debutantes (the GTA Rollergirls) and Thames Fatales (Forest City Roller Girls) round out the sixteen team lineup.

OPENING ROUND

Toronto Roller Derby's Smoke City Betties

The only set matches are the opening matches of the first round. The BOE has 20 minute, double-elimination first round bouts, and is then sudden death from the quarter finals on. This year’s opening round bouts offer some fascinating match ups. The rebuilt Smoke City Betties and the Thames Fatales will kick off the tournament early Saturday morning in what could be a very entertaining bout. This year’s edition of The Betties features a very altered line up, and it remains to be seen how quickly this team can come together, but a tournament like the BOE provides a great opportunity to do so. The second bout features two former champions from Montreal and Toronto, the defending BOE champs La Racaille, and the Chicks  Ahoy! These two teams battled in a memorable first-round bout last year, and there is no reason to think that this year’s edition will be any different. The two rookie teams, Green Mountain and The Riot Squad, will have the great opportunity to gain valuable experience against each other. Tri-City’s Venus Fly Tramps and Hammer City’s Death Row Dames should provide even competition.

The second bracket will be a much more challenging one as it includes MTLRD champions, Les Filles du Roi; ToRD champs, Gore-Gore Rollergirls; Tri-City champs, Vicious Dishes; BOE ’08 champs and Hammer City champs, The Harlots; not to mention last year’s finalists Les Contrabanditas and the quarter finalist teams Death Track Dolls and Slaughter Daughters. Whichever teams manage to crawl out of this bracket could be at a disadvantage in the quarter finals.

Forest City's Thames Fatales

THE DERBY NERD PREDICTS

While I do think that there will some extraordinarily tight bouts in the opening round, the closest to an upset will be Thames Fatales’ victory over The Smoke City Betties. I won’t be surprised to see The Betties improving as the tournament goes on, but I think the veteran squad from Forest City will just be too organized: some of these girls have been playing together for a long time, while the Betties will just be beginning to search for their chemistry. The most exciting bouts will be a La Racaille victory over Chicks Ahoy and Les Filles du Roi over The Harlots.

I predict that the quarter finals will feature

(G21)La Racaille vs. The Death Track Dolls (La Racaille will take this rematch from last year’s quarters)

(G22) The Gore-Gore Roller Girls vs. The Chicks Ahoy! (Gores take this all ToRD match up in a tight one)

(G23) The Death Row Dames vs. Les Contrabanditas (Ditas return to the semi-final)

(G24) Les Filles du Roi vs. Thames Fatalles (Les Filles will guarantee that all three MTLRD teams are in the semis)

In what I predict will be the bout of the tournament, La Racaille will take a close one against The Gores in one semi final, while Les Filles will deny Les Ditas a return to the finals in the other. 2009 was almost a perfect year for Montreal’s Filles du Roi, an unbeaten season led to their regaining the league championship, and skaters had stand-out seasons on both of MTLRD’s travel teams; the only blemish on this otherwise perfect record was a BOE semi-final loss to eventual champion, La Racaille. In 2010, Le Filles will have their revenge.

THE DERBY NERD THINKS

The Derby Nerd predicts that Les Filles du Roi will win this year's BOE.

There could be a must-win, double-elimination bout between The Harlots and Les Contrabanditas (G19) that could be an exciting one. I also think that this round will see a tight bout between the evenly matched Slaughter Daughters and The Death Track Dolls.

A dark-horse pick is ToRD’s Gore-Gore Rollergirls. At last year’s BOE, The Gores looked amazing early and were one of the pre-tournament favourites. They managed an extraordinary 103 points in their opening bout before gaining solid victories over the Death Row Dames and Les Contrabanditas. Then a devastating injury to one of their key players would cause them to pull out. It remains to be seen if their depth at jammer can compete against the pack advantage of La Racaille and Les Filles, and if their own pack can stop La Racaille’s equally formidable jammers. But The Gores went on to complete 2009 unbeaten, leaving that one tantalizing “what if?” that could be answered this weekend.

Don’t agree? Look for me track side and convince me otherwise! See you all in Montreal.

Beast of the East 2009: Recap

Beast of the East 2009 (Poster)

The early days of flat track roller derby in Canada were dominated largely by the Hammer City Roller Girls and especially by the Hamilton Harlots. Late in the summer of 2006 the Harlots won the Betties D-Day, the first inter-city flat track derby tournament in Canada, with victories over Montreal and ToRD‘s Smoke City Betties. They would continue to lead the pace in Canadian derby by scoring a lopsided victory over MTLRD‘s La Racaille in the 2008 Beast of the East final. (Derby Luv has archived all of the results from 2008) But there was a definite shift in power during the 2008 season and although the Harlots, based on their previous record, would enter the tournament as favourites, no one was counting out any of the teams from Montreal or Toronto. One thing was certain, BOE 2009 would usher in a new era of competitive roller derby in Canada.

THE EARLY ROUNDS

Aside from an only slightly surprising Death Row Dames victory over Thames Fatales (23-19), the early rounds went mostly as expected. Massive victories by ToRD’s Gore-Gore Rollergirls (103-11 over Capital Carnage), Hammer City’s Harlots (69-6 against the GTAR’s Derby Debutantes), and MTLRD’s Les Filles du Roi (77-6 vs. The Death Track Dolls) and La Racaille (67-10 over the Bay Street Bruisers, in their last appearance as a team) established the early front runners.

ToRD’s Gore-Gore Rollergirls and Ottawa’s Capital Carnage ready to kick off BOE ’09

Despite opening losses, the Death Track Dolls and Rideau Valley’s Slaughter Daughters would battle their way through to the quarter finals with back-to-back must-win victories. One shocker could be the elimination of defending ToRD champs The Chicks Ahoy!, but they faced a tough draw, losing tight bouts to MTLRD champs La Racaille and Hammer City champs, the Harlots.

THE QUARTER-FINALS

One of the most anticipated quarter-final match ups never actually happened. The improved and determined Smoke City Betties were looking to have a big year in ToRD and were fired up for a quarter-final test against the Gore-Gore Rollergirls. Unfortunately, shaken up by the devastating injury to one of their star players, Desmond Deck-Her (check out her 2007 and 2008 jammer stats), the Gores pulled out of the tournament, giving the Betties a clear path to the semis. MTLRD’s Contrabanditas advanced with a hard-fought victory over the surprising Slaughter Daughters while the other bracket would see La Racaille trounce the Dolls and Les Filles Du Roi handle the Harlots in a classic, low scoring bout. The Harlots’ loss ending their bid for consecutive BOE titles.

THE SEMI-FINALS

In only a minor surprise, three of the four semi-finalists were from MTLRD, with ToRD’s Betties being the only exception. They’d put up a great fight against the Ditas, but for the second time during the weekend, the Montreal skaters in black overcame the scrappy Betties squad 33-23. In the other semi, the two finalists from MTLRD’s previous season met for the second time in the tournament. The first round meeting had been an instant classic, a back and forth battle that saw Les Filles pull it out in the end. It would be a different story in the semis as La Racaille pulled ahead early and could not be caught, holding on for a 38-20 victory and setting up an all Montreal final.

THE FINALS

Led by the likes of Trash N Smash, Ewan Wotarmy, and Georgia W. Tush, the Contrabanditas would throw everything they had at their league rivals. La Racaille would answer back with memorable jams from Izzy Skellington, Lyn-dah Kicks and, of course, the Iron Wench, while Wrath Poutine, Bone Machine, and  No Holds Bard held the pack. In the end, La Racaille just had too much fire power and won their first BOE championship 49-34.

THE NERD’S PICKS

Breakout Team: Slaughter Daughters of the Rideau Valley Roller Girls

Despite entering the tournament as relative unknowns, The Daughters would announce their presence in their very first bout pushing the highly favoured  Smoke City Betties to the limit before falling 32-24. They would go on to take their next two bouts with impressive victories over Tri-City’s Venus Fly Tramps (48-14) and Forest City’s Thames Fatales (68-28). Their tournament would end in the quarter finals, but not before Semi Precious, Dee Dee Tee, Sister Disaster, the awesome Soul Rekker, and their teammates made quite an impression.

The Dolls’ Land Shark calls the jam against The Vicious Dishes

Breakout Player: Land Shark (ToRD’s Death Track Dolls)

After a solid rookie campaign in 2008, there were high hopes pinned on Land Shark as she entered ToRD’s 2009 season.  She didn’t disappoint at BOE 2009 and was phenomenal in the Doll’s run to the quarter finals. Particularly, it was her 15 point jam at a critical point in the a tight, must-win bout against the Vicious Dishes that put the game out of reach and sent the Dolls into the next round. Her break-out performance at the BOE would be a springboard for a breakout season in ToRD that would see her nominated for 2009 jammer of the year.

Best Bout: Contrabanditas (28) vs. Slaughter Daughters (25)–quarter-finals.

This was a very tough call. The other nominees were both first rounders: La Racaille and The Chicks Ahoy! battled through the closest bout of the tournament (36-35, La Racaille), while La Racaille and Les Filles had the most skill-filled and exciting bout (43-35, Les Filles). The fact that these were both first-round bouts would be the difference in the end; I picked the Daughters-Ditas bout because no one expected it to be so close (or so exciting), and it took place in the sudden death, quarter-final round. Despite being over-matched, the Daughters refused to bend under the Ditas’ attack, and in the end came within three points of what would have been a monumental upset.

* Full BOE 2009 results are available here. Preview continues on Thursday.

* All photos were taken by Derek Lang; visit bagelhot for more information.

Word on the Track

Cardinal Skate Co.

The Derby Nerd can’t be about stats all the time ( at least not until the regular seasons when there actually are stats all the time…), and even though ToRD’s regular season hasn’t started yet, everyone knows that the roller derby season never really ends.

NEW DERBY RETAIL OUTLET

Toronto finally has its first roller derby retail outlet! Cardinal Skate Co. opened its doors this weekend in Bloor West Village, and it features the physical manifestation of the popular roller derby web shop Rollerbug.com. I popped by the stylish little shop on Friday night and it was amazing to walk into a store and see a wall lined with derby skates. Stop by to show your support! Tell all your friends!

FAN”S CHOICE SCRIMMAGE

ToRD hosted its third preseason scrimmage on Saturday evening. It was another well attended and entertaining affair with only one difference: a closely contested bout between two evenly matched teams. The first 32 fans in attendance were given either a black or a white tee; twenty minutes before the bout was to begin, the fans were instructed to give the tee to the roller girl of their choice. Team Black, made up by a lot of ToRD players, quickly gelled and had doubled up Team White by the end of the first half. In the second half  White, made up of a lot of visiting skaters and ToRD rookies, finally came together and poured it on, eventually winning 101-92.

There were a lot of great showings from members of ToRD’s 2010 rookie class, and some of the skaters from sister leagues continue to put up impressive showings in these scrimmages. Thames Fatale‘s Mirambo looked great playing in only her second scrimmage since returning from a long stay on the injury reserve. Her Forest City leaguemate Killson dominated the second half from the jam line, putting up a lot of White ‘s 70 second-half points. Tri City‘s Barleigh Legal laid down some huge hits for White and was another key in the comeback.

TOURNAMENT UPDATE:

ToRD is still playing coy about its upcoming tournament (March 27-28), but word on the track is that four travel teams will be playing a round robin tournament beginning Saturday afternoon and continuing into Sunday evening. One guarantee is that the derby will be amazing: CN Power will be hosting The Terminal City All Stars (Vancouver), Hammer City‘s Eh! Team (Hamilton), and Montreal‘s New Skids on the Block, arguably, the four best teams in the country. Considering that The New Skids and the Eh! Team are the only two WFTDA ranked teams in Canada, this tournament provides a great opportunity for CN Power to see how it stacks up against some of the best competition on the continent.

Look for a full tournament preview (including possible lineups!) early next week.

PS: SPEAKING OF WFTDA…

Recently, there have been a few major blowouts stateside, including  a ridiculous 409-22 Charm City victory over River City (March 14th), and an amazing 305-31 Rocky Mountain victory over Bellingham. Anyone know what the WFTDA record is for total points / margin of victory?