New Zealand’s biggest ever roller derby event was attended by some of the best skaters in the country in a packed venue. Roller Derby is a sport played on skates, where you have to lap your opponent on an oval track. It has been described as a “mixture of racing and fighting.” Each team puts five skaters on the floor – a scorer and four defenders. The women leave etiquette outside, and while they are playing, go for the throat.
“Yeah, I actually got a blood nose, a cut lip, and a torn muscle in my leg. So, awesome,” says Skyborg Machina of the Filthy Habits.
It’s strictly a female thing in New Zealand, and rough and tumbles just how they like it.
“I got hit in the head a couple of times but that’s okay; it’s always brutal, it’s always brutal and it’s always fantastic,” said Crass & Tart’n Terror of the Cellblock Brawlers.
“You’ve got to want to throw your body down on the ground in front of someone, just get your teammate through and to get them extra points,” says Cherry Blunt, captain for the Cellblock Brawlers. “And you’ve just got to be tough enough to handle it.”
Drew Barrymore’s film Whip It helped the sport gain momentum in New Zealand, culminating in a sell-out crowd in Christchurch for the end of season blowout tournament. The league looks forward to next year and the talent that will continue to emerge and develop.
