Weekend Results: Canada’s WFTDA Teams Have Up-and-Down Weekend

It was a busy weekend for Canada’s WFTDA teams, with most of Canada’s top teams spread out across the continent for important regular season matchups.

Both Toronto and Tri-City had busy weekends at Fort Wayne’s Spring Roll

Montreal Roller Derby: New Skids on the Block

Montreal had to have hit the West Coast with high expectations, especially after Vancouver’s Terminal City was able to knock off one of their opponents, the Oly Rollers, last weekend. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Canada’s top team went 0-3 against incredibly tough competition in Rat, Rose and Oly. The losses will affect their WFTDA rankings (although they lost only 3.6 points on Flattrackstats on the weekend), but the loss to lesser ranked Rat and Oly, especially, shows that they still have a lot of work to do before season’s end to finally attain that goal of making Champs.

Montreal (12^th) 124 vs. Rat City (18^th) 202

Montreal 109 vs. Rose City (5^th) 306

Montreal 174 vs. Oly (14^th) 230

Toronto Roller Derby: CN Power

Toronto entered the weekend on a massive 8-game slide, and were looking for some positives heading into a busy summer. Things started off rough on Saturday against a tough Jacksonville team whose incredibly fast and agile jammers ran roughshod over the team. However, Toronto found their form against lesser opponents as the weekend went on, handling a strong Jet City with ease before crushing Cincinnati to close out Spring Roll (it’s hard to believe this Cinci. team beat Toronto a year ago). They were confidence-boosting wins that the team needed as it looks to shore up a favourable playoff spot.

Toronto (23^rd) 116 vs. Jacksonville (16^th) 243

Toronto 235 vs. Jet City (36^th) 86

Toronto 370 vs. Cincinnati (56^th) 83

Tri-City Roller Derby: Tri-City Thunder

The Thunder headed to Spring Roll hoping to improve their tenuous hold on a Division 1 playoff spot; unfortunately, things didn’t necessarily go as planned. Given a favourable draw for the weekend, Tri-City did go 2-2 for the tournament, but the results were not quite as expected. The wins came against a D-2 non-playoff team (Big Easy) and a D-3 team (Glasgow, though due to lack of high-level competition, Glasgow’s ranking is probably far too low), but both wins were within 40 points. The loss to Jet City, despite being ranked below the Everett-based team, was a missed opportunity to knock of a low-ranked D-1 team, and the upset loss to a determined Chicago Outfit team just trying to qualify for the D-2 playoffs had to have hurt.

Tri-City (40^th) 148 vs. Jet City (36^th) 178

Tri-City 190 vs. Glasgow (104^th) 175

Tri-City 176 vs. Big Easy (82^nd) 137

Tri-City 124 vs. Chicago Outfit (65^th) 161

Division 2 and Division 3 Action

The Rideau Valley Vixens headed to the East Coast to take on Maine’s Port Authorities in a very important D-2 showdown between two teams who have made significant jumps early in 2014, and the Vixens came away with the win: another step in securing a D-2 playoff spot.

Rideau Valley (64^th) 192 vs. Maine (72^nd) 160

Closer to home, the GTA Rollergirls G-sTARs hosted Alliston’s Renegade Derby Dames Striking Vikings in WFTDA action. This was the second sanctioned bout for the G-sTARs after a loss to London’s Timber Rollers to kick off the season. It was the first ever sanctioned game for the Striking Vikings. It was an incredibly tight game, especially in the first half (the Vikings had a 12-point lead at the break). Some excellent half-time adjustments for the G-sTARs saw the hosts take a lead early in the second that they were able to hold onto for the remainder of the game. Neither team has yet to be ranked (they must play three sanctioned games for an initial ranking), but both will be looking to make inroads into D-3 before the season is over.

GTA (-) 144 vs. Renegade Derby Dames (-) 112

Word on the Track (Rankings Update Part 1: WFTDA)

WFTDA UPDATE

The first quarter WFTDA rankings have now been released, and already the playoff races are starting to take shape.  While a lot of the top teams in each region are just starting to play, the fight to reach the top 10 is well under way. For complete rankings, visit the WFTDA Rankings.

North Central:

1.  Windy City Rollers (1)

2. Minnesota RollerGirls (2)

3. Naptown Roller Girls (3)

4. Detroit Derby Girls (4)

5. The Chicago Outfit (5)

6. Brewcity Bruisers (7)

7. Ohio Roller Girls (9)

8. Arch Rival Roller Girls (6)

9. Cincinnati Rollergirls (8)

10. Mad Rollin’ Dolls (10)

**15. Toronto Roller Derby (17)

**17. Tri-City Roller Girls (16)

While the teams in the North Central’s Top 10 stay the same, the order has been shaken up. 1-5 remain unchanged with the two Chicago teams sandwiching Minnesota (who are 5-0 on the season including a huge 155 point victory over 9^th ranked Cincinnati), Naptown (5-2, whose only losses this season have come to the two teams ahead of them in the North Central), and Detroit  (yet to play in 2012). After this, things get interesting.

One of the busiest teams in the WFTDA (9-1), Ohio has made the biggest  jump moving from 9^th to 7^th based, especially, on a 53-point victory over Arch Rival (4-1) who has the biggest drop from 6^th to 8^th. For Canadian derby fans, Toronto’s CN Power, on the strength of their 5-0 record, leaps two spots to 15^th just behind Fort Wayne (1-3) despite defeating that team in their season opener. The Tri-City Thunder  (2-1) drop one spot after losing to CN Power at this year’s Quad City Chaos. The playoffs are still in reach for these two teams, but they will both need to pull off major upsets over Ohio this month (May 19^th, and 20^th) and hope for 10^th ranked Mad Rollin Dolls (0-2) to continue their losing streak if either hopes to sneak in.

East:

1. Gotham Girls Roller Derby (1)

2. Philly Roller Girls (2)

3. Charm City Roller Girls (3)

4. Steel City Derby Demons (4)

5. London Rollergirls (5)

6. Montreal Roller Derby (6)

7. Boston Derby Dames (7)

8. Carolina Rollergirls (8)

9. Dutchland Derby Rollers (9)

10. DC Rollergirls (11)

Remarkably, only one change so far in the Eastern Region: DC Rollergirls spent all of last season on the fringe unable to break into the top 10. Determined to do so, they have embarked on an ambitious 2012 schedule so far, travelling coast to coast and compiling a 6-3 record.  But their biggest victory came just last month when they defeated Maine (3-3), the formerly 10^th ranked team in the region, 197-131, as part of their current four game winning streak that has vaulted them into the top 10. For the most part, things are just getting underway in the East with Gotham recently getting rolling (they’ve outscored their opposition 1135-84 in only two games) and Charm City winning a banked track tournament. Montreal has been the busiest of the top 6 teams so far, but has stumbled to a 4-4 record (with those losses coming against stiff competition from Naptown, Minnesota, Kansas City and Philly), and have unable to make up any ground on the teams ahead of them.

South Central:

1. Texas Rollergirls (1)

2. Kansas City Roller Warriors (2)

3. Nashville Rollergirls (3)

4. Houston Roller Derby (5)

5. Atlanta Rollergirls (4)

6. Tampa Roller Derby (8)

7. Omaha Rollergirls (10)

8. No Coast Derby Girls (6)

9. Jacksonville Rollergirls (11)

10. Tallahassee Rollergirls (15)

Things start to get interesting in the South Central with some massive changes from last year’s final quarterly rankings.  Out of the top 10 are Green Country (who had occupied 7^th spot but are 1-6 in 2012 including 5 losses to teams ranked below them) and Gold Coast (9^th with a very similar 1-5 record in 2012) who represent some big swings in placement in this region. Even the top 5 saw a switch up between Atlanta (now 5^th) and Houston (4^th). Houston had been, and still is, one of the hotter teams in the Region and kicked off the year on a 6-0 run including a dominant tournament win at the 2012 Clover Cup. That streak came to an end last week with a 139 point loss to North Central powerhouse Windy City.

This shake up at the bottom of the top 10 has allowed Omaha to jump three spots to 7^th. Omaha has worked hard for the placement, compiling an 8-3 record  that includes a 3^rd place finish at the Clover Cup. Jacksonville at 9^th (from 11^th after a 5^th place finish at the Clover Cup and wins over Green Country and Gold Coast) and Tallahassee 10^th (who makes one of the biggest jumps of the quarter from 15^th) now have a spot to hold for Regionals. Since 2009, Tallahassee has never been ranked higher than 13^th, so this represents a big step for the team.

West:

1. Oly Rollers (1)

2. Rocky Mountain Rollergirls (2)

3. Rose City Rollers (3)

4. Denver Roller Dolls (5)

5. Rat City Rollergirls (4)

6. B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls (6)

7. Sacred City Derby Girls (7)

8. Angel City Derby Girls (9)

9. Jet City Rollergirls (8)

10. Arizona Roller Derby (13)

**16. Terminal City Roller Girls (23)

The West is about to get wild.

Although the first quarterly rankings show very little change, the small changes show hints of things to come. Starting at the top: the Oly Rollers, who have had a firm grip on this Region since 2009, have suffered some major losses to the lineup and with only one game played in 2012 (a victory over the so-far inconsistent Jet City), it remains to be seen the impact that this will have. Rocky Mountain has also suffered a shake up at the core, but looked like they were weathering those losses after winning the Dust Devil 2012 until losing to 6^th ranked B.A.D. Girls last week 160-113. Denver, slipping up to 4^th, also looks to be gearing up for a big 2012 as well, as they kicked off their season with a convincing 235-97 victory over the B.A.D. Girls.

Historic Tucson Roller Derby wasn’t able to hold its spot against another historic team that is surging: Arizona. Arizona’s Tent City Terrors are back in the mix with a new-look lineup featuring game-changing transfers in Joy Collision from Charm City along with Hockey Honey and Atomatrix from Oly.  While Arizona is one of the original WFTDA leagues, it has never had much success, winning only five of its first 18 games between 2005 and 2009. Since 2009, the team has never climbed higher than 12^th in the region. But the team is off to a 3-1 start so far in 2012, with its only loss coming in an 11-point game against Rocky Mountain at the Dust Devil.

For Canadian fans, Terminal City is the talk of the West, leaping an amazing seven places in the standing from 23^rd to 16^th. They have been extremely busy as well, tearing through the Western Region and gong 9-2 in WFTDA action this year already (not to mention another 2-1 record in unsanctioned games). Their only losses were to playoff team Jet City and Santa Cruz, whom they turned around and beat in a rematch ensuring their 16^th place spot. An upcoming showdown with 5th ranked Rat City could have a lot to say about their chances of making the West Region playoffs.

Conquered but not Divided: Gotham Becomes First Two-time WFTDA Champ

You’ve just walked into the 1^st Bank Center on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado. It’s the third game of the 2011 WFTDA Championship and the first thing you hear is the roar of a crowd; then the already ragged voice of an over-excited track-side announcer calling a “grand slam.” You rush along the crowded concourse passing derby vendors and over-priced beer hawkers until finally finding an opening. You rush up a set of stairs and for a brief moment, as you gaze out over the thousands for that first glimpse of big-stadium derby, the track looking impossibly larger and smaller than anything you’ve seen before because of the scope of the game and the grandness of the stage, your breath is taken away. So taken by the sight are you that it takes a moment to gather yourself, to look about for a place to sit. You feel like you’ve somehow stumbled onto an oracle summoning the future of flat track roller derby; until, of course, you manage to sit and gather yourself, take a deep breath and realise: the future is now.

*

For the second year in a row the extraordinarily talented Oly Rollers lost in the WFTDA Championship bout to a team that played a more sophisticated game; a grittier, slower, more nuanced version of the sport, one that has evolved on the flat track and that each year looks a little more different from the banked track game that preceded it. And that could be at the heart of Oly’s inability to hold their position at the top of the heap: in many ways they still play a banked track version of the sport on a flat surface, what has on the digital pages of this site been referred to as “hit and run” roller derby.

Oly and Gotham in the 2011 final.

Oly is, without a doubt, a team of immensely proficient skaters, and one-on-one, a player such as the magnificent Sassy is still able to mesmerize with her timing and instinct, and so good are they—so mind-bogglingly talented are they—that they are still able to dominate pretty much any team on the planet that is playing the game. While last year, it took late-game heroics for Rocky Mountain to foil Oly’s attempt to defend the title, this year in the final they often looked perplexed against Gotham. Stunned at times in the second half of their surprisingly undisciplined 140-97 loss, for here was a team that embraced the tactics emerging organically from playing the game on a flat surface, but here also was a team that could skate. They could hit, they had the footwork, the endurance and raw skill. In the final of the 2011 WFTDA Championship Gotham Girls Roller Derby may have emerged as the first perfect flat track team. Not just a perfect roller derby team, but a perfect flat track one. In a sport as young and as “unfinished” as this one is, we may finally have ourselves a model off which to base the future.

While there was still some resistance to change at this year’s championship, there wasn’t as much of the cynicism that sometimes marred the experience of last year’s tournament (the insulting and narrow-minded “Slow Derby Sucks” movement, for example, that among other things, called for boycotts of particular teams in propaganda-ish flyers). And while boos did reign down when things didn’t get moving at the start line (hopefully for the teams that allowed it to happen and not those who were taking advantage of the teams who didn’t know what to do, or didn’t realize it was to their detriment), there was less meanness behind it, and the signs in the crowd that insulted teams last year were replaced in 2011 by more good-natured, even playful ones like “Occupy The Pivot Line,” or “The Pivot Line Needs Love Too.”

Minnesota All Stars were a much different team from the one that lost in the first round in 2010.

While a lot of the fans have certainly embraced the multi-speed nature of the flat track game (remember, as recently as 2009 fans were still booing trapping tactics on power jams), it seems that all of the top teams have come around as well. The Minnesota Girls All Stars are probably the best example of a league and a team that has finally come to embrace the flat track game. Although one of the oldest leagues in flat track history, only one year ago, at last year’s championship, it looked as though the sport had passed them by. They seemed reluctant to play the slow-game tactics that had come to define flat track, and relied on traditional hit and run strategies. They were destroyed in the opening round by the multi-speed, multi-strategy Charm City Roller Girls 249-118.

What a difference a year makes.

After a thrilling run at the North Central Regionals that came up just short, Minnesota was drawn in the first round against Charm City once again. While it was a similar Charm team to last year’s, Minnesota could not have been more different, or more prepared. They played a slower, more patient game, and the bout was full of nerdy derby as nearly every jam began with what is coming to be called a “rugby” or “scrum” start. Minnesota, looking like a revitalized team, got their revenge, 160-121.

Kansas City, champions in 2007, was the breakout team of the 2011 tournament.

As exciting as it was to see an original WFTDA team buy into the more contemporary version of the sport, as fitting as it seemed that Texas returned (after only one year’s absence) to the final four, and as thrilling as it was to see WFTDA crown its first two-time champion, this was a tournament of breakouts. While Sassy may still be the smartest and best one-on-one blocker in the game, her teammate, Hockey Honey (a Jet City transfer), looks to be a super-blocker in training and needs to add just a bit of control to her game to become considered one of the best there is. And finally, surprising tournament MVP and super-breakout player Kelly Young (along with her big-time blocker teammate Eclipse) led the breakout team of the tournament, Kansas City Roller Warriors, all the way to a surprising birth in the final four (they seemed to run out of steam against Texas in the third place bout leading early on before fading in the end and falling 136-112). Though it should be noted that Kelley Young has had a storied career in the sport, this was the year her name finally lit up the marquee and the larger flat track community took notice. Finally, Gotham, who seemed a top player or two on the depth chart away from competing last year, was pushed over the edge by transfer skaters Sexy Slaydie (a monster in the pack from Nashville) and Wild Cherri (Tampa Bay) who finally gave the team a consistent and formidable three-jammer rotation that was untouchable in the tournament and was a huge factor in their championship victory.

*

As you follow the stream of spent fans exiting 1st Bank Centre, your head humming, the roar of the crowd still echoing, you come to the realization that with each passing WFTDA Championship, that with each passing season, the game continues to find itself; this year it seemed more stable in its identity, more confident in what it has become. Born from a game of speed and agility on a banked surface, it has evolved into its own species: a game of pace and stability on a flat track that looks less and less like the sport that parented it less than a decade ago. And as you pull out of Denver, the sounds of the games still ringing in your ears, the city rising up among the mountains that fall away as your plane ascends, you think to yourself, contentedly, that the sport of flat track roller derby has finally become what it will be.

**For complete game-by-game recaps, visit DNN

Divide and Conquer: A Preview of the 2011 WFTDA Championships

Continental Divide and Conquer: The 2011 WFTDA Championships (Denver, Colorado; November 11-13)

For fans of flat track roller derby there is no more exciting weekend than the annual WFTDA Championships. It represents the pinnacle of the young sport, and each year provides a canvas upon which the newest strategies, the latest skill developments, and the increased athleticism that the sport requires are painted. Due to the young age of the sport and the accelerated pace at which it is growing, it is possible to say that each year, the WFTDA Championships has provided the best flat track roller derby ever played. And this year will undoubtedly prove to be the best yet.

The first WFTDA champs, the Texas Rollergirls, join every other previous champ at this year's tournament.

Since the Texas Rollergirls Texecutioners won the inaugural championship in 2006 and catapulted the young sport into the North American sports and pop culture consciousness, there have been four other champions crowned: Kansas City Roller Warriors (2007), Gotham Girls Roller Derby (2008), Oly Rollers (2009), and Rocky Mountain Rollergirls (2010). They will all be present at the 2011 WFTDA championships. While WFTDA has never crowned a two-time champion, this seems like the best chance for that to happen.

But considering the young age of the sport, this tournament has been more about developing the game than anything. In 2006 when virtually every flat track league on the planet (there were only 20 leagues in 2005, the year that the United Leagues Coalition—soon to be the WFDTA—was formed) converged on Tucson, it was an opportunity for all the leagues from the disparate corners of the United States to get together and share in the development and help nudge along the evolution of the sport.  From those early rules-refining days in 2006/2007 to Duke City and eventually Denver’s isolation and trapping revolution in 2008/2009, every major change and growth in the sport has been disseminated through the championship tournament.

2009 champs Oly Rollers were the first team to appear in back-to-back championship games.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP CURSE??

While the Texacutioners became the first team to make two championship finals (2006 and 2009), last year the Oly Rollers became the first team to qualify for two consecutive finals. Despite the fact that the Oly juggernaut could very easily make it a third straight trip to the final in 2011, traditionally defending champs have not fared well in this tournament. After Texas dominated in 2006 and defeated Tucson 129-96 in the final, it seemed as if the god mothers of the sport would never be beaten, but they did finally lose the following year and ended up getting knocked out in the 2007 semifinals to Rat City. Rat couldn’t parlay that historic victory into a championship though and fell in the first WFTDA champs classic 89-85 to Kansas City. Although Kansas would win their first three in a row in 2008, their streak would come to an emphatic end when Windy City rolled over them 155-39 on the eve of the 2008 championship (where Kansas City would stumble further, finishing out of the top four).

By that 2008 tournament, Gotham had replaced Texas as the dominant force in the sport and after crushing Duke City and Philly in the early rounds would put an end to Windy City’s amazing season with a 134-66 trouncing in the final. Gotham would then cruise through the 2009 season undefeated only to be upset by Philly in the Eastern final by 1 point (ending a remarkable 18 game winning streak). Continuing the trend of defending champs falling hard, they would be eliminated by Oly in the 2009 quarterfinals to finish out of the top four.

By the end of the 2009 tournament, where Oly defeated the historic Texacutioners 178-100, it was clear that the Oly Rollers Cosa Nostra Donnas were the new leaders in flat track. From their entry into the WFTDA in January 2009 to their eventual loss to Rocky Mountain in the western final in October 2010, they put together the greatest run in the sport’s early history, winning 22 straight bouts. But even the mighty Oly suffered the curse of the championship and although they became the first team to return to defend their title, they fell in a one-point heartbreaker (147-146) to Rocky Mountain in last year’s championship.

The defending champion Rocky Mountain Rollergirls have not been as dominant in 2011.

The defending champion Rocky Mountain Rollergirls have continued the dubious trend. Despite starting 2011 strong with big wins over Philly and Rose City, they have faded this season. A tight win against Bay Area in May was followed by the team’s first back-to-back losses since 2009 (to Charm and Oly). In this year’s Western Regionals they were only able to scrape by Rat City in the semis (117-107) before losing to Oly in the West final (143-106). While they remain favourites heading into the tournament, they do not look like the terrifying machine that rolled into the Championships in Chicago last year.

THE PARTICIPANTS

Only two of the teams enter this tournament with undefeated records in 2011 WFTDA play: Gotham (10-0) and Oly (12-0).  At the other end of the spectrum, a number of teams enter the tournament with just over a .500 record: Philly Roller Girls Liberty Belles (11-8), Charm City All Stars (9-7), and Nashville‘s Music City All Stars (7-5). The rest of the teams settle somewhere in the middle. The opening round features the “bottom eight” teams vying for a spot in the quarterfinals with the four regional winners. While Rocky Mountain (2^nd West) should roll over Nashville (3^rd South Central) and Philly (2^nd East) should ring Naptown’s (3^rd North Central) bell, look for a Charm City (3^rd E) minor upset over Minnesota (2^nd NC) and a similar Rose City (3^rd W) upset over Kansas City (2^nd SC). (It should be noted that Rose City and Naptown are the only two teams making their Championships debut). This chain of events would set up for some intriguing quarterfinal matchups, none more so than the potential Gotham vs. Rocky Mountain showdown that could occur Saturday morning.

Gotham Girls Roller Derby looks poised to win their second WFTDA championship.

Gotham has been absolutely dominant this season winning their bouts with an average margin of victory of 185 points (Rose City and Denver were the only teams to give them “trouble”: holding them to 68 and 71 point victories respectively). On top of that, Gotham seemed to improve as the season went on: they beat Steel City in April by 244 points; by the time of the Eastern Regionals (when both teams were peaking) they managed to increase that margin to an astonishing 374 points (the 404-30 semifinal victory was one of, if not the, most dominant performance in tournament history). As good as Rocky Mountain was, their performances this year (particularly that stunning July loss to Charm) has not been as confidence inducing. Call it the championship hangover, but it is highly conceivable that once again, the defending champs will make an early exit and finish out of the top four.

Naptown joins Rose City as they only first timers in the 2011 WFTDA Championship.

If any team can compete with Gotham this season, it is the Oly Rollers. While the two teams do have common opponents this year (Montreal, Denver and Rose City) it is difficult to compare the two records because of the markedly different styles they play. Gotham has seemingly mastered “bispeedual” derby: IE: they can skate with the best of them, but certainly don’t mind mucking it up in a slow, gritty game as well (they’ve embraced all isolation strategies and other evolutions of the sport including the walled and/or slow starts that are the latest trend). All along Oly has maintained their very simple game and are the masters of traditional “hit and run” derby. They are phenomenal skaters with otherworldly endurance and have shown that they can run opposition ragged. So while it is easy to see Oly advancing to their third straight final, it is much more difficult to see them defeating Gotham’s complete-game roller derby. Gotham, who has moved to the top of DNN’s Power Rankings and also the top of flattrackstats.com’s stats-based rankings, seems to be on the verge of reclaiming the Hydra Trophy that they last held in 2008.

As with last year, it could very well be an all East-West final four (Gotham, Oly, Rose and Charm), although Texas (who made up for a mediocre season with an amazing run at the South Central Regionals) seems in the best position to spoil the party given their potential quarterfinal showdown with Charm City (they met in May with Texas squeaking by in a 6 point victory).

So, is this the year that a two-time WFTDA champion is finally crowned? Will the coasts continue their derby dominance? Will the progenitors of flat track, the Texacutioners, return  to their final-four form? Thankfully, we won’t have to wait much longer for the answers.

2011 WFTDA Champs Participants (2011 Records / DNN Power Ranking)

East:

1. Gotham Girls Roller Derby All Stars (10-0 / #1)

2. Philly Roller Girls Liberty Belles (11-8 / #11)

3. Charm City Roller Girls All Stars (9-7 / # 12)

West:

1. Oly Rollers Cosa Nostra Donnas (12-0 / #2)

2. Rocky Mountain Rollergirls 5280 Fight Club (7-2 / #3)

3. Rose City Rollers Wheels of Justice (9-5 / #4)

South Central:

1. Texas Rollergirls Texacutioners (12-8 / #8)

2. Kansas City Roller Warriors All Stars (10-2 / #9)

3. Nashville Rollergirls Music City All Stars (7-5 / #19)

North Central

1. Windy City Rollers All-Stars (13-2 / #10)

2. Minnesota Roller Girls All Stars (9-3 / #13)

3. Naptown Roller Girls Tornado Sirens (12-3 / #14)

The bracket for the 2011 WFTDA Championships in Denver, Colorado (November 11-13). (Click to enlarge)

**** Read DNN’s team-by-team preview here. Tune in to all the action live on WFTDA.com.****

The Nerd’s thoughts on the playoffs so far:

Pondering the Playoffs 1: Eastern Regionals

Pondering the Playoffs 2: Western Regionals

Pondering the Playoffs 3: South Central Regionals

Pondering the Playoffs 4: North Central Regionals

Pondering the Playoffs 2: WFTDA’s Western Regionals

I think we’ve already seen the WFTDA champions in their regional playoff. With all due respect to the South Central and North Central, the performance of Gotham last week coupled with the extraordinarily competitive level of the West Region playoff leads this Nerd to believe that as it was in 2010 the two coasts will dominate come the Championships (last year West was 1-2, East 3-4).

Portland hosted this year's WFTDA Western Regionals.

What is interesting to see emerge through these playoffs are the competitive “groupings” that exist within the regions. In the East (as we will certainly see in North Central and possibly in the South Central as well), there are fairly large disparity gaps in the upper levels. While Gotham has risen to a class of its own, Philly and Charm City are clearly in a distinct group followed by the fairly large competitive group of Steel City, London, Montreal, Carolina and Boston (there is a significant drop off here).  The West is perhaps the “best” because the disparity between the very best teams has lessened over the past year instead of increased. While Oly and Rocky Mountain clearly remain the cream of the West, both faced considerable challenges from teams in the competitive grouping behind them (Rose City and Rat City respectively). Bay Area and Denver round out the incredible top six. From what I could tell the third to sixth spots could have gone any which way, and had the tournament been played again next weekend I wouldn’t be surprised if these placings did switch (though Rose City looked like one madly determined team this weekend). There is a considerable drop off here from seventh to tenth once again.

Defending WFTDA champs Rocky Mountain has proven that it is more than capable of adapting to any style of play.

In terms of strategy, the starts were once again where all eyes were trained.  There is a lot of controversy surrounding the development of these strategies, though I think mostly in regards to the no-start strategy, which, in its inactivity and avoidance of game play, is actually an anti-strategy (and which was sadly in play during the Rocky Mountain-Rat City bout). While this baffles me right now (why don’t they want to play?? Rat City captain Carmen Getsome tries to explain), what I am increasingly becoming a fan of are the gritty starts formed by starting packs walling up at the jam line. There has been a lot of (unfair in my opinion) criticism of this strategy as well; after two weeks of seeing this be developed at the highest level, I think that there is a great opportunity for brilliance here (and we are already seeing counter-strategies emerging). On the final day of Westerns as the level of play rose, these starts were used less or in more opportune moments (again, some of the awkwardness we’ve previously seen from these slow starts is from the fact that one team is so much stronger than the other, or one team is simply unprepared). People’s overreaction to this reminds me of the overreaction people had to the emergence of trapping and isolation strategies in 2009: while it looked absurd and dramatic at first (because teams were just learning it), now trapping has become a fundamental aspect of the flat track and the dramatic backwards packs that were prevalent at all levels in ’09 are a thing of the past at the highest competitive level.  While I think rules for starting jams could be refined (in that they would have to start at some point!), I have a feeling that the slow or walled-start jams will quickly evolve into regularly accepted game play. I don’t like stop-derby, but I sure love slow derby.

One thing that I didn’t like seeing emerge was a level of “diving” that has been slowly creeping into the sport. Rose City especially, seemed quite adept at stretching a back-blocking minor into a major with a well-performed fall, or failing to avoid an outstretched leg that is “sort of” in the way. It’s a touchy situation and subject and one that I think warrants more rules consideration than many of the other refinements people usually so vehemently call for.

2009 champs Oly Rollers look poised for a third consecutive run ot the championships.

While it was really hard not to be disappointed that Denver didn’t at the very least make it to the semi-final showdown with Rocky Mountain, it will be harder in November when the hosts aren’t at the tournament they are hosting. Nonetheless, the West once again sends an extraordinary threesome to the Championship. And they—Oly especially—all seem to have a shot at the top four at least, but I have to wonder if either Oly or Rocky Mountain is capable of challenging Gotham right now. Despite Oly’s win on the weekend, Gotham has still increased their lead over them on flat track stats. Rocky Mountain may be too emotional a team and “loose” right now to be able to compete against the likes of Gotham, while Oly, on the other hand, seems to be the opposite: too rigid, simplistic in their game play. Oly seems set in their fast-skating, keep-it-simple ways (and why not? It’s worked so far), but I have a feeling that if things don’t go their way early on and Gotham is able to establish a physical, gritty, multi-paced and faceted game, Oly will have a hard time keeping up. Then again, maybe Gotham and Oly won’t even meet in the final; the brackets have not been set yet, but it would be a shame if the top West and East seeds were bracketed to meet earlier.

Next up, South Centrals! Where the historic Texas Rollergirls (Champs ’06) look to reclaim top spot from their traditional regional rivals Kansas City Roller Warriors (Champs ’07)

WFTDA CHAMPS PARTICIPANTS (as of 09, 26, 2011):

East:

1. Gotham Girls Roller Derby All Stars

2. Philly Roller Girls Liberty Belles

3. Charm City Roller Girls All Stars

West:

1. Oly Rollers Cosa Nostra Donnas

2. Rocky Mountain Rollergirls 5280 Fight Club

3. Rose City Rollers Wheels of Justice

Nerd Meat Part 10: Playing the Game

Nerd Meat: The Nerd Does Derby

Part 10: Playing the Game

It’s the opening bout of a key tournament and ToRD’s fresh meat team, the D-VAS, is lining up to play Queen City’s Baby Brawlers, the fresh meat team from this venerable Buffalo league; it is a big showdown between the youngest members of two very experienced flat track roller derby leagues. In deference to Queen City’s reputation and history, the D-VAS have tracked a comparatively “veteran” lineup of skaters from ToRD’s second-last fresh meat in-take. But in the midst of these skaters is one, #747 Ames to Kill, who is the freshest of fresh meat. She just completed her minimum skills test a few weeks before after completing the ten week fresh meat program. She looks focused playing in the pack, any fears—those nerves that have got to be there—are well-hidden. She looks like just another D-VAS.

Ames to Kill (#747) makes her debut in the DVAS opening bout of 2 Fresh 2 Furious (blocking with Rennie Rumble and pivot Skinned Knee Crosby). (Photo by Sean Murphy)

The 2 Fresh 2 Furious tournament (hosted by the GTA Rollergirls) is a showcase for new leagues and fresh meat teams of established leagues that has become an annual event in Toronto, and it fills a great need. With well over twenty leagues and counting, Ontario may be one of the fastest growing regions of flat track derby in the world right now. The growth of the sport in Ontario is reflected in the growth of the sport in Toronto, and ToRD is booming: right now the D-VAS have a roster of over 30, all at various stages of development, but all eligible for the 2011 draft that will be held at the end of the year (needless to say, they won’t all be drafted—ToRD has become too big and too competitive for that, but with the advent of the D-VAS, they will still get to play and hone their skills). Over the course of the 2 Fresh tournament, eight of the skaters with whom I’d graduated from the fresh meat program would play (Along with Ames, Slaptrick Swayze, Lexi Con,  BelleFast, General Patten, Smack Mia Round, Purple Pain and Zom-Boney would all get track time). The D-VAS would go on to finish second, losing in the final to the Gold Miners’ Daughters, a talented team from Timmins who came out of nowhere to record the victory.

Hitz Miller pivots for Durham Region against the Gold Miners' Daughters. (Photo by Sean Murphy)

It was hard for me not to become reflective during the course of the tournament. Along with the connection I felt for the D-VAS, my sister was also playing for Durham Region Roller Derby (Hitz Miller) who also had a successful tournament, and were the only team that beat the eventual champs (albeit early in the tournament in a non-elimination bout). But it was also hard not to see, out of this microcosm, the larger picture that it played into. This tournament, for instance, and other freshie bouts and tournaments around the world represent the ever-strengthening foundation of this sport’s revolution. Along with MMA, roller derby truly is the sport of the 21^st century. In terms of participation, its growth far outstrips that of any other sport being played on the planet (in 2003 there were about five active flat track leagues in only one country, eight years later and there are well over 900 in about two dozen countries). And as much as the sport has grown, it has changed continuously as well: the tens of thousands of current participants in the sport are all active members in its evolution. Eight years ago the teams that were playing were all competing at a fairly similar level as well. Now, the game being played at 2 Fresh 2 Furious (as watchable and exciting as it is) is nowhere the level of game being played at the WFTDA Championships.

Timmins' Gold Miners' Daughters won 2 Fresh playing the kind of up-temp derby that the Oly Rollers have mastered. (Photo by Sean Murphy)

While evidence of the beginnings of track strategies and isolation plays could be seen during the tournament, the level of play was at a fairly basic level (for the most part, the most advanced teams strategically, were those that did the best). The Gold Miner’s Daughters won the tournament playing a very basic style of roller derby, what I’ve come to call the “hit and run” game that defined the fast-paced action of banked track roller derby and was the default mode for the early flat trackers as well. It relies on fantastic individual talent (especially the jammers), and strong endurance. While there aren’t really any exclusive hit and run teams left at the highest levels of competitive flat track roller derby, some, including the extraordinarily talented Oly Rollers, still play a fairly simplistic style of derby that is fast and hits hard. There are others too, like Chicago’s Windy City Rollers,  who still play the fast game. The obvious drawback to this strategy is that if you run into a team of players who are better skaters than you, you’re in trouble. This was most evident for me when Philly’s Liberty Belles, who can play the fast game when necessary, took on Oly in the semifinal at the 2010 WFTDA Champs. The fastest bout of the tournament, the score remained close early on as Philly did their best to keep up with the Rollers, but despite how close the score was at half,  52-34 Oly, the game seemed all but over by then: It was clear that in a fast-paced, hit and run bout, Oly wasn’t going to be caught. And they weren’t, with their lead barely changing throughout another fast second half. When Oly was finally taken out by Rocky Mountain in the final, it was by a smart, strategic team that understood the key to victory against Oly was not trying to outduel them in a race: the key was playing a diversified, multi-paced bout that would draw Oly away from its strengths.

ToRD TV caught up with Jerry Seltzer at the 2010 WFTDA Championships.

But this, along with many aspects of derby, is debatable: flat vs. banked; mainstream vs. underground; men vs. women vs. everyone. I believe that when all is said and done, there will be derby for everyone at every level, on whatever surface. But right now with the community—as large as it is—still so interwoven, there are a lot of developmental debates. Jerry Seltzer, one of the founding fathers of the sport (his father, Leo, created the sport in the 1930s), and Commissioner from 1959 to its original demise in 1973, is still a central figure in the debates. While Jerry openly and freely offers invaluable advice and support on his blog and his insights are often inspired (and inspiring), I believe he’s missing the mark on at least two major points: the importance of television in Derby’s perpetuation¹, and the fact that the banked game is better than the flat one.

Eight of the Nerd's fellow fresh meat graduates suited up for the D-VAS at the 2 Fresh tournament. (Photo by Sean Murphy)

I don’t like this valuing of the banked over the flat (or vice versa, for that matter), and I also think that it is a waste of time: they are no longer the same sport.  When historians look back upon flat track history, I believe they will mark the year of the true birth of flat track roller derby as 2009. This is when the players of the sport began to exploit the advantages of playing roller derby on a flat track as opposed to a banked one; this is when the sport of flat track roller derby was no longer interchangeable with its banked-track progenitor.² It’s no secret that I prefer flat track over banked track because of the democratization of it, because of the inherent strategy involved in manipulating the pace at which the game can be played. It is not a perfect sport yet (what sport is?), but WFTDA seems to be on the right track in developing it (currently, they are experimenting with eliminating minors, another necessary step in flat track’s evolution). While I do hope that banked track continues to be played (perhaps with the flat track elements that have crept into it removed), my heart is on the flat track, where it will stay.

Despite completing Fresh Meat, I’m not that interested in playing the sport at any competitive level and am content, right now, to chronicle the growth of the women’s version of it; for me, watching the newest D-VAS in the 2 Fresh tournament was as close as I’ll come to playing on a team. Having spent ten-weeks sweating and struggling on the track with them, from first skate to minimum skills test,  I’ve watched each of those skaters closely; I’ve seen them progress from early jitters and confusion over the game, to the confident skaters on the track they’ve become. On top of that, I also feel that now that I am writing about them playing in a game—having read their names on the backs of their uniforms, seen their focus and balance increase with each jam—I have truly come full circle in my own fresh meat journey; I’ve come through the other side full of the same desire to fulfill the same role I’ve always filled—chronicling the early days of this amazing sport. Now I am just armed with an even greater appreciation for not only  the game itself, but for the larger role it plays in the lives of its participants.

That, as simple an admission as it sounds, has been my greatest achievement in this whole process.

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!)

Word on the Track

WFTDA RANKINGS RELEASED: MONTREAL 6^th IN EASTERN REGION

The final, pre-regionals WFTDA rankings were released this month, and the match ups for each of the regional playoffs have been made. Montreal’s New Skids on the Block qualified in 6^th place in the Eastern Region, getting the final of the six byes into the second round where they will face their cross-border rivals, the Boston Massacre. The skaters on these two teams know each other well and this should be a fantastic bout. Montreal has been reeling in the Eastern Region teams at a remarkable clip all season. After suffering a 100-point blowout to this team in 2009, Montreal managed to cut the deficit in half the last time they met in May (and were actually within 10 points at the half before uncharacteristic penalty troubles allowed Boston to pull away). Despite the amazing development MTLRD has undergone this season, you have to wonder if it will it be enough to get them past Boston and into a potential semifinal showdown with the Philly Rollergirls. To find out, you’ll just have to buy some neon and join the New Skids on the Block’s Neon Army as it heads to White Plains, New York, on September 24^th for the Eastern Regionals.

Montreal plays Boston at Regionals

This year’s WFTDA Regionals will play out over four weekends stretching between September and October. The top seeds have remained the same all season, with Gotham (who were upset in last year’s Eastern final by Philly) holding on to top spot in the East. The defending WFTDA champion Oly Rollers, who are in the midst of a record-setting 20 bout winning streak, remain #1 in a very competitive Western Region, while traditional powers Windy City and Texas (last year’s finalists) stay on top in the North Central and South Central.

DERBY NERD ON HIATUS DURING A BUSY MONTH

Sadly, The Derby Nerd will be on hiatus for the next month, a month that happens to be packed with exciting roller derby action. But you can trust that I will be doing my best to spread the word to the far reaches of the globe.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7

One of the most anticipated roller derby bouts in Montreal’s history will be played on this night. The defending champion Les Filles du Roi will face their original Montreal rivals Les Contrabanditas. When these two teams met during the regular season it was a brutal tug of war that came down to the final jam and a single point. Both of these rosters are loaded with talented skaters at every position. This is going to be one explosive bout.

Across the border into Ontario on the same night, the Rideau Valley Roller Girls will be hosting two of their southern neighbours for a double header. The Riot Squad will face off against the GTAR’s Chrome Mollys (who have won their only two bouts this season), while the Slaugher Daughters will line up against ToRD’s Smoke City Betties. Facing such a strong opponent will be a valuable learning opportunity for the Betties during a critical part of a rebuilding season. With a group of eager rookies short on experience but big on heart, this bout couldn’t have come at a better time. With only one game left of the regular season, this could be an important step toward a strong showing.

ToRD hosts a mid-season travel team double header

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21

August 21^st will see The Hangar’s first double header, and it is a big night for a number of reasons. In what seems to be becoming tradition, the CN Power will host a mid-season neighbour from south of the border. QCRG’s Lake Effect Furies will be the visitors in CN Power’s first bout since ToRD’s acceptance into WFTDA’s apprenticeship (joining the Tri-City Roller Girls as they only other Canadian WFTDA apprentice league—TCRG Thunder will be in Syracuse, NY, on this night to take on Assault City).

Durham Region Roller Derby makes its debut

In another historic moment, two new teams will be making their debut to kick off the double header. Durham Region Roller Derby will be taking part in their first bout as a league. Featuring a small core of former ToRD skaters led by former Doll Bones Brigade, DRRD (playing out of Oshawa) are another exciting addition to an ever-expanding roller derby landscape: They’ve taken their time to get things right and this should be an entertaining debut. Speaking of exciting futures, they will be facing off against the resurrected D-VAS, only this version is a farm team featuring the skaters who will be eligible for ToRD’s 2011 off-season draft. It will be an interesting bout to watch to get a sense of the next generation of skaters.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

And finally, the Death Track Dolls will conclude their season a week later (on August 28^th) against the undefeated Gore-Gore Rollergirls (they actually haven’t lost to a non-Montreal team since the 2008 championship bout against the Chicks Ahoy!). The Dolls’ patience through restructuring seems to be paying off as they are having a statement-making year. They will look to add emphasis to that statement with a strong showing against the defending champs.

The Derby Nerd will return in September.

Word on the Track

ToRD's Chicks Ahoy! take on The Vicious Dishes

ToRD’S PRE-SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE IN  TRI-CITY

ToRD‘s 2010 preseason will end on Saturday May 8th in Kitchener, as The Tri-City Roller Girls host two ToRD teams in the “Psychedelic Melt Down” double header. The Chicks Ahoy! will get a quick chance at redemption after falling in the opening round of the Beast of the East for the second straight season, but they’ll be in tough against the Vicious Dishes who went 2-2 at the BOE and bowed out in a scrappy performance against La Racaille in the quarterfinals. The Dishes also looked good in their 157-53 season opening victory against The Venus Fly Tramps. The Tramps had a relatively successful BOE, which included a big victory of Rideau Valley’s Riot Squad and a tough loss to the Thames Fatales, but their one-sided season opening loss exposed some weaknesses.  The Death Track Dolls are also looking to bounce back after a surprising 0 and 2 exit in Montreal.

The Chicks have a talented and deep lineup and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of the this team yet. Missing key players, the Chicks looked as if they were just getting to know each other at the BOE, and I expect them to get better with each jam as the season goes on. A key for the Chicks will be to keep out of the penalty box to allow their pack to develop some chemistry and get comfortable on the track. There are some big hitters on this team, and they’ll need to be composed to keep physical threats like Bareleigh Legal, and po-

ToRD's Death Track Dolls face The Venus Fly Tramps

sitional threats like Anita Martini under control. The Chicks also have deep and varied choices at jammer with veteran skater Mach Wheels leading 2009 rookie of the year winner Kari Mia Beere and nominee Marvel S. Maven. Dependable veteran jammer Candy Crossbones can be counted on for consistency and triple threat Dyna Hurtcha will offer an intimidating physical presence at the jammer line.

After a shaky start, the Dolls started to come together in their second bout at this year’s BOE. This is another young team in the second year of a rebuilding process, and they’ll be relying on rookies to play big roles. Unfortunately for the Dolls, star jammer Land Shark will be out of the lineup with a knee injury. Look for Demolition Dawn to continue her return to jamming, and don’t be surprised to see Betty Bomber and maybe Audrey Hellborn wearing the star. Two rookies who who could get turns with the stars are the quick SlamWow and potential triple threat NutMeg.

Look for the recap next week.

The Oly Rollers continue to lead in the tough Western Region

WFTDA RELEASES FIRST-QUARTER RANKINGS

WFTDA released its first quarter rankings for 2010, and DNN followed suit with its quarterly power rankings. Of course, the power rankings weren’t without controversy. While WFTDA stuck with regions, DNN ranked 2008 champions Gotham over current holders, The Oly Rollers in its top 25. This seemed to be based on a comparative margin of victory over a shared opponent (in this case being Charm City). Nonetheless, Oly still looks virtually unbeatable and will continue their unrelenting pursuit of the record for consecutive WFTDA sanctioned victories (the current record is Gotham’s 18, Oly is at 15). Next up on the march is the Boston Massacre, and then, on June 5th, Oly will face the Texas Rollergirls in a rematch of last year’s WFTDA nationals in what will undoubtedly be the most talked about bout of 2010 so far. More controversy arose in Montreal’s 25th place ranking, as many people seem to think that their recent dominant string of victories should have placed them in a better spot.

The Regions: West

The only change in the top 5 on the Pacific, is Rose City’s retaking 4th spot from it’s Washington state counterpart, Rat City. Oly, Denver, and Rocky Mountain held on to the top three spots. These three teams all finished in the top four of the 2009 WFTDA Nationals, concluding a dominating performance by the Western Region teams that seems to continue today. Rose City, Rat City and Oly all beat Charm City on its recent west coast road trip to show that the west isn’t relenting any time soon.

The Regions: North Central

There wasn’t much change at all in WFTDAs most overlooked division (top team Windy City ranked only 9th in DNN’s power ranking). The only change in the top five is Brew City’s taking of 5th place over North Star Roller Girls. Hammer City was unable to improve on its 17th spot after tough losses to Fort Wayne and Montreal.

The Regions: South Central

The Texas Rollergirls continue their dominance of the South Central. The girls from Austin just keep putting together solid teams, and are currently ranked 3rd in DNN’s Power Rankings. Kansas City remains 2nd in the south, while the only change is Nashville’s entry into the top 5 at the expense of Houston.

The Regions: East

New Skids on the Block

The biggest change in the East comes not in the top 5 (although Steel City did leap two spaces to sneak into 5th), but in Montreal’s tremendous progress. Currently ranked 9th (up from 13th at the beginning of the year), only two weeks ago, Montreal’s New Skids on the Block scored a smothering 135-29 victory over 6th ranked Carolina. If Montreal manages another big victory this weekend over 8th ranked Dutchland, they would have to be considered, at the very least, a dark horse contender in the East. But if they continue to adapt and develop at the same pace that they did in the first quarter of 2010, the just may be an unstoppable force by September.

For purely Canadian rankings check out The Nerd’s (mostly objective!) Rankings Page.

BOUT REVIEW: GTA DERBY DEBUTANTES VS. E-VILLE DEAD

This past weekend GTA’s Derby Debutantes hosted Edmonton’s E-Ville Dead for another east-west roller  derby showdown. The bout started very close with GTA jammers Cleave Holt!, Getcha Kicks, and LeeWay Wreck’em going skate to skate with their E-Ville counterparts. But as the first half progressed, E-Ville’s Mary F’n Sunshine, Cheeky and Jenuine Draft started winning more and more of the jams, allowing Edmonton to open up a   66-48 halftime lead. In the second half, Edmonton started to dominate physically with Peaches throwing some big hits and BGF Hoochie controlling things up front. Despite a huge second-half effort by GTA’s Bruise Berry Pie and an almost desperate  determination by Daisy Dukes-it-out, Edmonton skated away with a 116-79 victory. You can watch highlights and skater interviews here.

Trash N' Smash

UPDATE: TRASH N’ SMASH LEGALIZED!

And finally, word on the track is that MTLRD’s battle to legalize Trash N Smash has reached a successful conclusion. This means that Trash will now be able to head south to help the New Skids On The Block continue their quick ascent through the WFTDA rankings. We  had the pleasure of seeing Trash play for the Skids in Toronto at last month’s Quad City Chaos and are all well aware of what she brings to that team on and off the track.

Congratulations Trash! US Border Services has no idea the punishment they’ve just unleashed on their unsuspecting American rollergirls…