If you’ve been following my roller derby adventures, you’ll know that I’ve been playing this full-contact women’s sport for just under two years and what started as a hobby has now become an obsession. You might have heard about it, you might have seen an episode of something featuring it, but it’s still something relatively new to the sporting industry in South Africa. So, what is roller derby? Roller derby is a full-contact racing sport played (mostly by women) on roller skates.
It’s played between two teams on quad roller-skates, racing in an anti-clockwise direction on a flat oval track. A team comprises of 4 blockers and 1 jammer, who is marked by the star on her helmet. The blockers, four from each team, are called “the pack”. The jammer scores points by racing past the opposing skaters: the blockers on her team will try to help her through the pack, while the other team’s blockers will try to stop her from passing them (by knocking her over, if necessary.) The jammer can only start scoring points once she’s made it past everybody once; then, on her second lap, she gains one point every time she passes an opposing player. This session is called a “jam” (think of it like a very fast over, in cricket) and it ends after two minutes, or when the lead jammer calls it off.
I am the Cape Town Rollergirls‘ Roller Derby League’s Marketing Chair and I skate as as number #88 Wolverming (all skaters play under a roller derby name) for the Storm Riders, one of the teams under the league banner. If you want a bit more information about how roller derby works, check out the video below:
Cape Town Rollergirls ROAD RAGE Roller Derby Bout
On Saturday 24 August 2013, my roller derby league – the Cape Town Rollergirls hosted a bout called “ROAD RAGE” in Cape Town in which the Storm Riders competed against The REV’ettes. The ROAD RAGE bout poster was designed by my friend, Ben Winfield (check out more of Ben Wilfred’s art here).
Our officiating squad, The Cape Quaggas kept all the rollergirls in line and at the end, we lost by a close margin at the end, scoring 174 points to 192. But we played hard and skated our hearts out, and loved every second of all our hard work and efforts. Congratulations to The REV’ettes on their victory.
Check out some pictures taken by my lunch/work buddy David Orridge and the lovely Emma Jane. You can see more pictures on our Facebook page.
Photo by Emma Jane Photography
Are you ready? Jammers taking position on the starting line (notice the starred helmets). Doll Vuis is skating for the REv’ettes, Pepper Annarchy is skating for Storm Riders.
Announcers: Kellyn Coetzee and Shawn Graaff (Cape Town Rollergirls President Sue Ellen Brewsing )
Photo by David Orridge
Storm Riders getting in position to prevent The REV’ettes’ jammer Doll Vuis from passing the pack.
Photo by David Orridge
Gazelle (jammer) powering through the pack without being blocked.
Photo by David Orridge
Preda Terror’s skater face: don’t mess with her!
Photo by Emma Jane
It’s hard work, and you need serious fitness to be able to play. This is just before a jam…
Photo by David Orridge
Official Timeout: Storm Riders Captain G.I JoJo talks strategy.
Photo by Emma Jane
There was a great turn out – lots of support for the girls skating their hearts out.
Photo by David Orridge
All in all, we’re one united league and are proud to be Cape Town Rollergirls.
At this epic roller derby event we held a raffle draw, where incredible local businesses from Cape Town sponsored a wide variety of prizes our supporters could win. This included tattoo vouchers from well-known tattoo parlours, weekend getaways at stunning locations, beauty salon vouchers, restaurant vouchers, fun hampers and more! We also had a Charity Bin to support women’s month in South Africa, where supporters could bring old clothes which we’re donating to Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust.
Thank you to our Cape Town community for the rad support!
This was originally posted on my blog – here.
