Non-US/Canadian Derby: 25/26th February Edition
As is traditional, we're bringing you another roundup of the upcoming Roller Derby this weekend from across the world. As always, we're using Flat Track Stats for much of this information - for regions with less good coverage, we also do a bit of intensive searching.
Predictions of bouts are from FTS, if possible, and from our own SRD Rank where FTS cannot make predictions (for example: Latin America, or non-MRDA men's bouts).
If we've missed you from our roundup, please let us know!
Scotland
No bouts we're aware of, but:- Lothian Derby Dolls have a new skater tryout session on Sunday [EVENT]
- and on the coming Tuesday, Fierce Valley Roller Girls are hosting a fundraising scrim [EVENT]
UK
As will be the case for the next few months, most of the bouts in the UK are part of British Champs:- Tiger Bay Brawlers are hosting the Tier 1 fixtures on Sunday, themselves playing Leeds Roller Derby (who we interviewed here), and Birmingham Blitz Dames facing Bristol.[FTS Tournament][EVENT] (FTS generally favours Tiger Bay and Birmingham - although predictions about Leeds are v unsure, given their merged roster.)
- Furness Firecrackers, meanwhile, are hosting the Tier 3 North, with North Wales Roller Derby playing the hosts, and Aberdeen's Granite City Roller Derby taking on Halifax Bruising Banditas [FTS Tournament][EVENT] (FTS favours Granite City, and considers the hosts' bout to be pretty close, with just a slight advantage their way.)
- Croydon Roller Derby are hosting a double header against Hamburg's Harbor Girls, with the A teams [FTS] and B teams [FTS] both competing. [EVENT] (FTS calls the A bout as pretty close, the B bout less so, both in the hosts' favour)
- Cornwall Roller Derby is hosting Oxford Roller Derby [FTS] in a double-header topped by a co-ed mixed game. [EVENT] (A perfect 50:50 chance of a win for each team, by FTS!)
- And South Wales Silures, fresh from their first games in British Champs, are hosting a triple header, inviting over Toulouse' Quad Guards to play both the hosts [FTS] and Manchester Roller Derby [FTS], sandwiched around Newport's Riot City Ravens competing against Manchester's Furies [FTS]. [EVENT] (The mighty Quad Guards are the favourites here, with Riot City favoured for the women's bout.)
- On the Sunday, Rainy City Roller Derby are hosting Dublin Roller Derby [FTS][EVENT] (Whilst Dublin are very strong, it is perhaps unsurprising that FTS favours Rainy City here.)
- London Rockin' Rollers are hosting a closed bout with Hamburg's Harbor Girls, after their Croydon bouts the day before. [FTS]
- and finally, Big Bucks High Rollers are hosting a closed bout with Hereford's Hell's Belles [FTS]
Europe
In Europe, there's the usual mix of national championships and individual fixtures:- As usual, on both Saturday and Sunday, the French Nationale continues, with the Division 1 games hosted by Rennes and featuring the hosts, Orcet, Toulouse B, Nantes B,Saint-Gratien's Panthers Graou and Montpellier[FTS Tournament][EVENT]
- Sweden is also hosting tournament fixtures on both days, as the Seriespel Division 1 sees Västerås host themselves, Örebro, Karlstad and Stockholm B in the next round of the tournament[FTS Tournament][EVENT] (Stockholm B is the clear favourite here, followed by hosts Västerås)
- On Saturday, Roller Derby Iceland are hosting Karlsruhe's RockARollers [FTS], as European teams continue to like the exotic [EVENT] (FTS favours the visitors here.)
- Roller Derby Madrid are hosting a double header, with the hosts B team against Madrid's Black Thunders [FTS], and also playing London exhibition team, Team Dragon [EVENT] (FTS favours the hosts.)
- also in Spain, Valencia's Rayo Dockers are hosting Bergamo's Crimson Vipers [FTS][EVENT] (FTS favours the hosts)
- And in Germany, Stuttgart Valley Rollergirlz are hosting the exhibition team, the Baloney Ponies [FTS][EVENT]
- and finally, in Belgium: Charleroi's Renegades are hosting a double header, hosts against Namur C[FTS] and Men's team Manneken Beasts against the exhibition team, Unnamed Basterds [FTS] [EVENT] (This may be Charleroi's first bout, making them unpredictable!)
- In France on Sunday, Roller Derby Calais are hosting a triple-header, with their Juniors (Dread Dragibus) playing Unnamed Bambinos of X, women's team Black Tagada taking on Tournai's Rolling Zombie Dolls [FTS], and men's team Zombeers facing Team Belgium Men's Roller Derby (fresh from their bout in Scotland last weekend)[FTS] [EVENT] (FTS favours Tournai, but cannot predict the Men's bout.)
- And in Amiens, the Rolling Candies are hosting a double header - the A team facing Caen A [FTS], and the B team facing Rouen B [EVENT] (FTS favours the visitors for the A bout; Amiens have chosen not to have their B team on FTS, so we have no official record of any of their scores.)
- Over in Belgium, Namur are rushing from their Saturday bout to host their own double-header on Sunday, with Namur A against Brussels' Derby Pixies [FTS] and B against Brussels B (the Atomium Kittens) [FTS] (FTS favours Brussels in both cases, although not overwhelmingly.)
Pacific
Whilst Australia and New Zealand are in their pre-season period, there's one Pacific bout we know about:- Devil Dog Derby Dames, of Okinawa, are hosting a Valentine-themed home game [EVENT]
Latin America
In Argentina, at least, there is Roller Derby this weekend:- 2x4 Roller Derby hosts a triple header, with Bloody Furias playing Dirty Fucking Dolls[FTS], the Bully Chicks playing Wonderclan [FTS], and Cowgirls From Hell taking on an unnamed mixed team [EVENT] (FTS cannot predict Latin American games... and since the 2x4 Teams are listed as Home Teams, they are not included in SRD Rank either.)
Other Events
Our semi-regular "other events" section highlights things further in the future you might want to keep an eye on.Lorrae Evans is following after her Victorian Roller Derby comrades by running her last bootcamp in her European tour in
- Sheffield (Sheffield Steel hosts) on the 25th of February [https://www.facebook.com/events/1133248506797019/].
If you're not in the area, Rainy City Roller Derby also have an exciting guest, as Mick Swagger is holding a Strategy bootcamp in Manchester:
Rainy City's own Missy Rascal is also holding an Artistic Skating session on For a different experience entirely, the Glasgow Women's Library is working with the Audacious Women Festival to host an exhibition on Roller Derby, "Revolution on Roller Skates" using materials from the National Museum of Roller Derby.- 21st to 28th Feb, Meadowbank Stadium.