Scottish Roller Derby has been profiling the teams who will bring lightning reflexes and torrents of talent to the Blood & Thunder Roller Derby World Cup in Dallas.

Last week saw the last of our interviews posted online - featuring four teams from the Americas.

In case you missed them, here there are in one handy round-up:

Interview with Team USA

Interview with Puerto Rico

Interview with Team Canada

Interview with Team Mexico

"Are you a Mexi-can or a Mexi-can't?" asked Machete in the 2010 movie of the same name.

Danny Trejo's character wasn't talking about roller derby, but if he had been then one group of players at this year's World Cup would most definitely deserve the term 'Mexi-cans'.

Team México Roller Derby are aiming to leave Dallas reeling when they bring their fabulous footwork and sizzling skills to the track against the world's top teams.

This will be the first time the proud and passionate country has been represented on the world stage in this way and they are ready to add the lightning to Blood & Thunder!

Scottish Roller Derby caught up with skater Renny Rumble to look forward to the Texas showdown.

Logo designed by Sugar - https://www.facebook.com/sugarfoxink

How are preparations going for the World Cup?

They are going well, we are training hard on and off skates.

How often are you training?

Team Mexico's practice have been held once every two months during all 2014. Plus, we have skaters who practice with their teammates every time they travel to other states for bootcamps, tournaments or bouts.

In terms of the team - from which leagues have your players been drawn?

We currently have: 11 skaters from Liga Roller Derby D.F. from Mexico City 3 skaters from Guadalajara Roller Derby 2 skates from Ensenada Roller Derby 2 skaters from Monterrey Roller Derby 1 skater from Querétaro Roller Derby 1 skater from Toronto Roller Derby 1 skater from All Blacks (Mexico City)

What is the team's goal at the World Cup?

Skate hard, stay proud and have fun

Fundraising and sponsorship - how are they going?

We have a fundraising campaign online - www.indiegogo.com/projects/road-to-blood-and-thunder-2014-team-mexico - but we are mostly spending our time and effort selling merch all around the world and at every event we can. We are also very thankful because we are having support from great companies such as S1 Helmets, DerbySkinz, Bont and Rumbling Rage Derby.

What's the mood of the team - excited, proud, determined?

We are very proud and excited to represent our country with the sport we love for the very first time.

What will Mexico be aiming to do at the World Cup?

Represent our country proudly

Without giving away any secrets, who or what should people in Scotland keep their eyes out for?

They should keep their eyes out for the whole team!

Team México Roster:

Cynthex Dannie Darko Diaz Fischer Hokus Juls of Today Little Loca Muerte Chikita Pachuca Topilla Pantano Pistolas Renny Rumble SaraZadik Sista Amaws Sugar Supernova Valerito Veneno Vivians Revenge West

Coach - Alex Troncoso Manager - Stephanie Rosales

Team Canada are aiming to strike gold after reaching the final of the 2011 World Cup - with a determined team of derby heroes desperate to take Texas by storm.

They surfed their way to silver in 2011 - beaten only by an invincible Team USA - but Canada kept the Americans to their lowest points tally of the whole tournament and managed to score 33 of their own.

The hardcore Canucks have been knuckling down at training and scrims over the past months and are ready to put it all on show in Dallas. Team Canada will definitely be a team to watch - combining skills, strength and stamina.

Scottish Roller Derby caught up with skater Dyna Hurtcha (Kathleen Goldman) to talk derby does Dallas.

Logo courtesy of Team Canada

 

How are preparations going for the World Cup?

Preparations are going well! We have already had quite a few opportunities to play games and practice together, against great opponents so far - including Team England, Team France, Team USA, Windy City and Gotham. These "practice" games are really giving us the chance to get to know each other and learn how to skate together as a team.

How often are you training?

Canada is such a geographically huge country, that it is quite difficult logistically to have regular practices. So these sporadic games have been our chance to train together. It has been approximately one game every two or three months.

In terms of the team - from which leagues have your players been drawn?

Our skaters come from all across Canada, as well as some players from the United States. Leagues include: Montreal Roller Derby, Toronto Roller Derby, Terminal City (Vancouver),Rideau Valley (Ottawa), Red Deer Roller Derby Association, Calgary Roller Derby, Texas, Windy City, Philly, Detroit, and Atlanta.

Fundraising and sponsorship?

We have started a fundraising campaign (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/send-team-canada-to-the-roller-derby-world-cup), which we hope will help us get to Texas in December. In addition, we have lots of great merch to sell, which can be purchased from our Teamcanadarollerderby.com website.

What's the mood of the team at the moment?

We are all very excited to be playing for Team Canada! Speaking for myself, I am definitely extremely proud to be skating with a lot of the skaters that I have been playing against for years. It is nice to finally get to be on the same side and work towards a common goal. I think that when World Cup arrives we are going to enjoy the experience and have fun, but our attitudes will reflect the determination and focus that got us there.

 Team photo courtesy of Bob Ayers

Team Canada roster:

Alyssa Kwasny a.k.a Georgia W. Tush

Bala-Reina

Chasing Amy

Demanda Lashing

Dusty

Dyna Hurtcha

Evada Peron

Eve Hallows

Greta Bobo

Heavy Flo

Jess “Bandit” Paternostro

Karlene Harvey

Kim Janna

KonichiWOW

Kriss Myass

Lil’ Mama

Luludemon

MacKenzie

Maya Mangleyou

Mel-e-Juana

Murphy

Nasher the Smasher

Nattie Long Legs

Rainbow Fight

Sarah Hipel

Smack Daddy

Soul Rekker

Surgical Strike

TAZ

U.S.S. DentHerPrize

Head Coach – Ewan Wotarmy – Montreal Roller Derby

Assistant Coach – Mack the Mouth – Terminal City Rollergirls

Manager – Flyin' Bryan Killman – Toronto Roller Derby

Puerto Rico's flag – consisting of five stripes and one star – is almost tailor made for derby - as are the sensational skating senoritas who hail from this beautiful island paradise.

This is the first time at the World Cup for Team PR and the Latin American derby divas are aiming to make their debut in style.

They have been working hard in preparation for the World Cup – meeting every week to skate for three hours … and that’s on top of at least three weekly practices with their own leagues.

But the team aren’t tired – far from it - Dallas is going to be a fiesta, not siesta for Team Puerto Rico, with everyone determined to showcase how much derby means to their homeland.

These awesome skaters are blazing a trail in Puerto Rico – raising awareness of derby, sourcing practice venues and even overcoming a vicious virus which causes more pain than a can-opener at full speed.

Scottish Roller Derby caught up with skater Sindia Pérez Pérez – aka Miss Tumbacocos – and also Kristen Fink (Mala Suerte) to get the low-down on the Latin American aces.

Logo designed by Samuel Mojica

How are preparations going for the World Cup?

Kristen: Lately anxiety and pressure have been rising as we continue counting down to the big day. We’ve been giving our 100+% at our weekly practice! Administrative work such as merchandise, travel, filling out surveys, sending documentation to the organisers, getting uniforms done and a gazillion other things are taking up most of our non-practice time. So, roller derby 24/7 would sum it up. Oh, and making sure these interviews get completed and sent out, so people get to know Team Puerto Rico - let alone that it exists!

Just recently we added an additional hour to our weekly Sunday practice and an extra two-hour practice on Thursdays. This is additional to each player’s individual team/league practices which meet between two-three times a week.

Sindia: As TPR we practice once a week for three hours. Each skater has at least three practices with their league/team that lasts two hours. We skate in an extremely hot and humid environment.

In terms of the team - from which leagues have your players been drawn?

Sindia: We are proud to say that we come from all the existing teams in Puerto Rico - Enchanted Island Roller Derby, Killer Dolls Roller Derby, Rumtown RollerPunks Roller Derby and Wicked Island Roller Derby.

What is the team's goal at the World Cup?

Sindia: To represent our small island with dignity. We have many challenges, from having an almost non-existent skating culture, to lack of practice venues and, recently, a painful virus new to our Island called Chicunkunya - transmitted by mosquitoes (living in the tropics). That has affected many of our skaters and our different teams’ rosters (don’t worry, it doesn’t spread by touching or in the air). It has been a challenge because it causes extreme joint pain in the extremities. But when they have less pain, they come back and keep skating.

Kristen: We want to leave a lasting impression, let the world know we have been practising and studying derby very hard for the last four years. We also want to gather and build the largest derby contact list ever! This to us has been a constant learning process. I would say getting a selection together to participate in the World Cup is already achieving a goal, now we are just looking forward to absorbing and getting the experience of what it is to compete against top, elite teams and skaters from all around the world.

Fundraising and sponsorship - how are they going?

Kristen: This to us has been a huge challenge. Trying to get the word out, working very hard on raising the funds to travel and cover as many derby-related expenses as possible has been an ongoing process, but not as successful as we would like. In Puerto Rico we are still lacking the resources roller derby needs to get the sport recognised by the general public. Therefore we have not received much support or help from outside or local companies for sponsorship. Our biggest sponsors to date have been our own skaters’ local businesses like Rolers Skateshop, The Parlour and a couple more.

Sindia: We have a fundraising schedule with different activities like bingos, discounts at restaurants, merchandise and a Go Fund Me page - http://www.gofundme.com/7lqn6c. Visit https://www.facebook.com/teampuertoricorollerderby for merch.

What's the mood of the team - excited, proud, and determined?

Sindia: All of the above!

Kristen: We are a bit shocked we were chosen to do this, positive that we will do our best and determined to make this a derby lesson for eternity. And most of all very blessed to be able to represent our country! We are way excited and trying to balance each other’s feelings.

* What will Puerto Rico be aiming to do at the World Cup?

Sindia: We are aiming to win! Gain knowledge and skills, win peers and hopefully win some games.

Kristen: Mainly gain experience, up the game, diversify the game and win or lose, we are not going home empty handed. We are also looking forward to expanding our competitiveness as we aim to organise more Latin American tournaments.

Without giving away any secrets, who or what should people in Scotland keep their eyes out for?

Sindia: On the record - you should know that we play with a LOT of heart. We are very passionate nation. Off the record - you should definitely keep your eyes out for our dancing skills at the after party.

Kristen: Our amazing Puerto Rican booty and feisty attitude.

* Thanks to Maria for additional material and being awesome.

Photo by Jennifer Pabón

Team Puerto Rico roster:

Miss Tumba Cocos (Sindia Perez Perez)

Mala Suerte (Fink)

Meli Pop Pins

Dona Pela

Screaming Meme

Swayne

Chill, Cris!

Caraballo

Hernandez

Marquez

Goomba Toomba

Cleo Catimba

Tijeras

Jo Animal

Mad-Lin

Pertierra

Capeles

Manic Mayhem

Loki Rhino

Miranda

Coaches:

Morta

Carmona

AKA Staycee

Stars and stripes dominate derby - from the helmet covers worn by the jammers and pivots to the badge emblazoned on the uniforms of the greatest derby team on the planet.

Team USA are the derby equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters, The Avengers and The Warriors all rolled into one star-spangled sandwich.

Uncle Sam's derby daughters romped to victory in the 2011 Roller Derby World Cup in Toronto - clinching the title with a brilliant 336-33 win over Canada.

In fact during their five games at that tournament, Team USA amassed an eye-watering 2,150 points tally.

But can they repeat their heroics at the 2014 Blood & Thunder Roller Derby World Cup? Scottish Roller Derby spoke to Team USA assistant coach ‘Endless’ Justin Campoy.

 

Logo designed by Dani Kaulakis

We are doing well, we have the easiest time out of any team. I'd really encourage everyone to help support their home nations with funding. It's an expensive adventure, but the World Cup is the most beautiful and moving derby event, so throw in a few bucks, Euros, pounds, yen, pesos, dollars, etc.

How often are you training?

Not often enough! Our biggest challenge is getting everyone together. We are all so committed to our home teams and in training for WFTDA playoffs, that Team USA doesn't have much time together. We do have a practice the morning after WFTDA Championships. We have had a couple of practices in the past nine months and we have had games against Canada, Germany, Sweden, International All Stars and one Stars vs Stripes game. Being able to quickly come together as a team was a very important trait we sought during try-outs.

In terms of the team - from which leagues have your players been drawn?

Arizona Rollergirls

Atlanta Roller Girls

Bay Area Derby Girls

Denver Roller Dolls

Gotham Girls Roller Derby

Junction City Roller Dolls

London Rollergirls

Minnesota Rollergirls

Oly Rollers

Philly Rollergirls

Rat City Rollergirls

Rose City Rollers

Steel City Roller Derby

Texas Rollergirls

Windy City Rollers

What is the team's goal at the World Cup?

Plain and simple: to win. But also serve as an example of the best the sport can be: through skill, athleticism and team work. We used to talk about being ambassadors for the sport, but while that is true, I am sure other teams are sick of hearing that and just want to take us down. We welcome all challenges with enthusiasm.

Fundraising and sponsorship?

We have sponsorships from Iron Doll, Wicked Skate Wear, Riedell, Atom Wheels, Bruised Skate Nooses, Impact Mouthguards, Derby Famous and S1 helmets. For fundraising we have partnerships with our sponsors and we conduct training camps.

What's the mood of the team - excited, proud, determined?

All of those, but also these players love to put aside their competitive spirits from their home teams in order to come together and share ideas, skills, strategies, tactics and techniques - all in an effort to improve Team USA and the game.

Team USA was numero uno in 2011 - can you clinch the gold again this year?

Yes

Without divulging any Team USA secrets, who or what should people in Scotland keep their eyes out for?

I think everyone has their personal favourites, which is awesome, but the best part of Team USA is how these superstars all sacrifice a little bit of their individual “glory” in order to make the whole team better.

Picture by Duane Baker Photography

Team USA Roller Derby roster:

Tracy Akers Atomatrix Carmen Getsome Fisti Cuffs Danielle Flowers Kimberly Harding Jackie Daniels Laura Mann Mick Swagger Penelope Nederlander Dana Noss Jes Rivas Scald Eagle Shaina Serelson Sexy Slaydie Vanessa “V.Diva” Sites Smarty Pants Suzy Hotrod Wild Cherri Nicole Williams

Head Coach: Aaron Goed aka Buster Cheatin' Assistant Coach: ‘Endless’ Justin Campoy Team Manager: Katie Mae Peters aka Vivien LeighEmOut

On the 29th of November Capital City will take to the flat track in what will be not only their first ever home bout but also their first men’s derby bout. Lining up against them on the day will be the Vice Quads, all the way down south from Bristol Roller Derby. The Vice Quads are Bristol's first men's Roller Derby team and were formed in early 2013 and over the next year they are looking to grow their active roster from 13 to 20+ skaters.

Much like Bairn City Rollers here in Scotland, Bristol Roller Derby is a co-ed league and the Vice Quads are the male wing of that league. The League itself has three travel teams two of which are female, The Harbor Harlots a & b along with the the men's team (the Vice Quads). As well as three travel teams they also have three home teams ADHD, Daughters of Anarchy and Smash Vandals. Bristol Roller Derby practice and scrimmage together which allows the whole league to support and coach both the Men's and Women's team’s simultaneously with all it’s members committed to the overall training and development of their league.

Picture courtesy of Vice Quads

With only a couple of weeks until the Vice Quads make the trip up to Scotland to take on Capital City, I took the opportunity to have a word with their newly promoted captain HTM Hell and ask him a few questions ahead of the bout.

How long have you been skating with the Vice Quads for?

I've been skating for VQ for just over 12 months and have been a member of BRD for just over 18 month's now.

Being part of such a large co-ed league made up primarily of women skaters, has this influenced the Vice Quads in any way and if so how?

Yes the Women at BRD were very influential in establishing the team, training us, getting us past our min-skills, helping us to organise our first bouts. Basically they have been extremely supportive.

Capital City have a quite varied mixture of experience in their ranks from a hand full of experienced skaters to some first and second time bouters. Is this the same for yourselves?

Yes we have a fairly mixed range of players, from guys who have played in the European finals, to guys who are just starting to bout.

Over the next year you are looking to grow your roster, recruiting is something a lot of Men’s teams find hard especially when they start out. Has this been an issue that you have found yourselves?

Finding new guys is always ongoing. Being part of an esoteric sport, and one that is predominantly female, makes the job tricky. That said we've got a well establish route for new players into the league and we have a fairly steady stream of new members.

Capital city have a couple of skaters who played at the Men’s World cup this year as well as last years MERDC. Have any of the Vice Quads had the opportunity to play for their respective national team or at one of the Men’s Euro competitions?

Yes we've had skaters play in the Europeans before.

HTM Hell Vice Quads Captain, Picture courtesy of Vice Quads

Its only natural to look up to and admire skaters and teams, for the Vice Quads who would this be and why?

Well that's not hard. Personally it's got to be Your Mom's Mens' Roller Derby. Those guys are all incredible skaters. They also have brilliant skate names, like Sea Horses Forever and my personal favourite, Sugar Boots.

The game on the 29th will be Capital Citys first but the Vice Quads have already played a few games. Who would you say have been your toughest opponent so far and what was the game like?

I think our toughest team would be either Southern Discomfort B or SWS B. I couldnt pick which as they both hurt a lot. I have a soft spot for SWS though :)

In Scotland the Mens derby community is fairly small in comparison to England. This has allowed us to help each other and get to know everyone. Do the Vice Quads have any close ties with other Men’s teams and if so how do you help each other out?

In the Southwest We have a quite a few Men's teams that are starting out. We have pretty good ties with them all and see the guys regularly at scrims and open bouts. We also open up some of our scrims to this end.

In the UK we have a few MRDA teams already and the Vice Quads are looking to join them, do you see this as an essential step forward for the team?

Absolutely we do. VQ have already discussed joining the MRDA and we will hopefully be putting this into action very soon.

For all the people coming along to watch the bout on the 29th that don't know much about the Vice Quads, what should they expect from yourselves?

Expect meggings, beards and some incredibly we defined buttocks :)

Capital City will be taking on Bristol's Vice Quads on the 29th of November, to find out more information visit the event page below: https://www.facebook.com/events/331510057008876/?fref=ts For more information on or if you ant to pledge to Capital City's crowd funder campaign then please visit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/capital-city-roller-derby-s-double-header-29-11-14

Over the last week, we have interviewed the 4 teams from Scandinavia who will be taking part in the upcoming Blood & Thunder Roller Derby World Cup.

If you missed any of them, here’s a recap:

Team Denmark

Team Norway

Team Finland

Team Sweden

This week, we are heading over to North America to chat with two newcomers to the World Cup, and two who played in 2011.

Saturday 18th October saw 12 teams from around the UK come together to sur5.

Alison Renton's event 'sur5ors' was a massive success just as her previous charity driven derby events have been. This event was for the Benefit of both Glendrick Roost Animal Welfare Centre and St Andrew's First Aid.

When the day started, and set up and formalities concluded, the audience was let in and the real buzz started. With the 12 teams lacing up their skates and slipping on pads anticipation was in the air. As the first whistle blew for the first heat and teams started clashing it was clear there was a vast spectrum of skating talent on show. From ARRG and GRD dominating the skating down to NTRG and VRD representing the newer leagues everyone displayed their talent with gusto.

The day went on with jam after jam holding the audience on the edges of their seats. Where some jams saw some teams dominate where others brought the audience to uproars as they saw teams comeback from the brink of losing only to climb up the rankings ladder of the tournament. Each team was nothing but lovely to one another before and after they faced each other. Generally the atmosphere between skaters was extremely friendly with the teams mingling between heats and chatting on the benches between jams.

Nearing the end of the tournament excitement was running at its peak with the last few jams of the day tearing up some parts of the rankings and seeing some of the newer teams come to equal blows with some of the harder skating teams.In the end the results came in and each team was put on the rankings board in the positions they had proudly earned throughout the day.

For us over at NTRG the day was everything we wanted it to be. Having our girls win two jams and finish 11th was a massive boost for us. Not to mention how encouraging our cheering section in the crowd was! It gave us some perspective of where we stand in the wider derby community and it's an event that we'll cherish as a building block to our success.

As the skaters provided entertainment on track the day was held up by the vast scores of NSOs, referees and tournament crew who tirelessly worked away to keep the event running smoothly. Without them the day would have not been the success it was and the skaters who took part felt their benefit immensely.

Results are as followed:

Team Sweden are no strangers to playing as a national side, having competed in the 2011 Blood & Thunder Roller Derby World Cup and also taking part in many preparation games for the 2014 World Cup.

Swede Hurt and the team's media team very kindly took time out of their busy training schedule to tell us how they are feeling about their upcoming World Cup appearance.

Image courtesy of Team Sweden

1. Team Sweden is filled with skaters from many different teams. How did you organise the team selection process since your skaters come from all over the country?

In our team we have skaters from seven different leagues, both Swedish, English and American. During try outs there were even more leagues represented.

Everyone that was interested in trying out were asked to fill in an application, and out of the nearly 70 girls that applied we invited about 40 girls to the try-outs. The actual try-out was held in Gothenburg and people who didn't have the opportunity to be there were asked to send video footage of themselves.

2. How often are you able to meet up, and what do you focus on to make the best use of your training time together?

We practice together approximately every other month. During the spring we've had a couple of bouts and scrimmages against other teams as well. For example we played against Team USA, Team England, LRG Brawl Saints and Team Finland. When we practice together we aim to become more cohesive, and we really have been trying to mix up skaters from different leagues. Even though a lot of us know each other from before, we might not know how to play with each other. So that's one of the most important things we do: get to know our teammates on the track. We discuss different strategies and try what works for our team.

3. Several of the other European national teams are participating in tournaments before the World Cup to get in some extra practice ahead of the World Cup. What does Team Sweden have planned?

As said earlier, we have a few bouts under our belt at this point. We have cut our training group down to the actual 19 people who will skate at the World Cup. We still have some training ahead of us, and maybe even a bout or scrimmage. We have a very skilled and fit team, and we are confident that all the time we have spent on trying to get to know each other will pay off in Dallas.

4. As a team which did participate in the 2011 World Cup, you already have experience of playing in a tournament. This must test your team mentally, as well as physically – how will you ensure that Team Sweden stays motivated throughout?

We have a lot of experienced players that have played tournaments before and will support each other the best we can. Our bench management and physiotherapist will also be a huge help to our mental game in Dallas. We anticipate that Dallas is going to be very different from Toronto, but we really learned that we need access to good food and sleep to be successful. But also time for the team to chill and to have a  game plan. We are going to Dallas to play kick-ass roller derby!

5. Given the expense of getting to Dallas for the World Cup, how are you raising funds and gaining sponsorship?

We have reached out both locally and globally for sponsors and we are really happy to have Cheeseballs, Radar Wheels, Quad Skateshop, SISU mouthguards and hopefully some other sponsors with us. We also have had a fundraiser; we are selling merch online (please buy some!); and we have a 'go fund me' for people who feel compelled to donate money to us.

6. And just for fun, does your team have a mascot? If you don’t, what would type of mascot would symbolise your national team?

In the deepest forests of Sweden hides a great big animal that will horn all the competition away... Just you wait!

Team Sweden Training Group 2014
Image courtesy of Team Sweden

Hallowe’en weekend sees the Hades Roller Boys have their last bout of the season at the ARC in Glasgow. They’ll be playing host to the boys of Mild Discomfort (Southern Discomfort B) who play for the first time in Scotland. As usual this will be a nail biting, hard-hitting Mens bout. With whistles at 12:15, be sure to buy tickets in advance!

And then to top it off the girls of Dundee Roller Girls Rising Stars face off against the Voodoo Roller Dollies in the Dollies last home game of the year. Well worth a watch and tickets are available on the door, but cheaper when bought in advance!

Event via facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/648479905259577/

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spookapalooza-derby-double-header-tickets-13790767557