What a day! Non-stop roller derby and an awesome venue setup helped maked day one of Roll Britannia an amazing event. Check out the results and get ready for the final day!
Download the score results from day one here.
Roll Britannia Day One Quick Recap
Group A
Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames 101 - 59 Leeds Roller Dolls
The first time these teams met earlier this year, the scores were almost level at half time but Birmingham pulled away in the second half. A similar thing happened this time as Leeds kept within striking distance of a strong Blitz Dames squad for the first half, never letting the Dames get more than 13 points ahead. But the Dames came out with the big guns during the second period, notably in the form of star jammer Violet Attack. With Violet working her swift magic on the Leeds crew, the Dames started to dominate the track and eventually ended up with a decisive opening game win.
Berlin Bombshells 89 - 112 Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames
Berlin is a fairly new team with little exposure outside of Germany, but the recent additional of a seasoned US player in the form of Diane Rott (formerly of B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls) - combined with the notorious boot camp training of team captain Master Blaster made everyone wonder if the Blitz Dames were about to face an unexpected upset from the lower seeded Berlin squad. The first five jams saw the venue sit up and take notice, as the Bombshells led the scoreline. But the Dames rallied about captain Violet Attack and found their mojo - picking up the lead in the sixth jam and never letting it go.
Leeds Roller Dolls 93 - 103 Berlin Bombshells
The final matchup in group A started out fairly even, but in the eight jam, Berlin jammer Diane Rott pulled out a 14 pointer and the ladies from Bear City took the initiative and finished the period 23 points up on the Leeds crew. The second half saw both teams jostling for the defensive edge at the front of the pack - even after Leeds lost a player to an extreme asthma attack. Leeds found some extra steam in the final three jams, throwing down 8, 15, and 7 points to finish a respectable 10 points below the stronger Berlin team.
Group B
Auld Reekie Rollergirls 94 - 74 Central City Rollergirls
These two teams have met twice before, both with wins for Auld Reekie, so Central City came out with all guns blazing in an effort to make an early impact and try to build up some points. Despite some notable jamming from Dorothy Pale, Viv La France, and Block Star - the mighty defense of Auld Reekie, led by power hitter and team captain Armalite Angie, was able to hold the city lasses back. Auld Reekie took the lead for the whole 2x20 bout, never letting Central get too close to the top score.
Royal Rebel Rollers 45 - 124 Auld Reekie Rollergirls
The Royal Rebels have never played as a team before, being made up of mixed skaters from three different leagues, so having their first bout against the already proven Edinburgh squad certainly presented a challenge. ARRG once again dominated the front of the pack with a strong defensive wall, and kept the Royals from building up any significant total. Meanwhile the Auld Reekie jammers were wreaking havoc with the Royal blockers racking up quite a few grand slams and impressing the enthusiastic crowd. Auld Reekie ended the bout in style, keeping the Rebel team scoreless for the last six jams.
Central City Rollergirls 72 - 81 Royal Rebel Rollers
The Royal Rebels came out strong in the first half - ending the period within a 6 point striking distance from the higher seeded Central City. Notable defensive plays by star Rebel player, Inky Minx, helped the Rebels continue their strong showing. The ladies from Central City kept it tight in the second half, but in somewhat of a surprise finish, the Rebels managed to hang on and come away with the win. A close game and a highly entertaining one for the audience.
Group C
Glasgow 59 - 48 London Rockin Rollers
A defensive war of attrition resulted in the day's lowest scoring bout. Glasgow held LRR scoreless for the first five jams but in the last jam of the half, LRR leapfrogged them with a double grand slam, going into the half leading 25-20. GRG hit straight back with a double grand slam of their own in the first jam of the second period, and Glasgow's Jaci Dodger and Mistress Malicious both pulled out double point jams in the second period, but this was the exception, and low scoring jams were the order of the day. The Scottish ladies held on through a tense last few jams, and picked up their second win against the Rockin' Rollers this year to put themselves in pole position in Group C.
Rainy City 29 - 88 Glasgow
The debuting Rainy City gave a good account of themselves against the much more seasoned Glasgow girls, keeping within 11 points of them right up to the last two jams of the first period when Glasgow pulled away with a 9 and a 10-point jam. Glasgow's greater fitness and experience told in the second period as they held the tiring Rainy City to scoreless or two and three point jams while drawing further and further ahead, and secured their place in the semi finals with a comfortable win.
London Rockin Rollers 137 - 46 Rainy City Rollergirls
With no place in the semis at stake, group C's final game was down to a matter of pride. LRR came out strong with high-scoring jam after jam and had racked up 75 points by half time. Rainy City managed some big scores towards the end of the first period to keep themselves in it, but that huge effort seemed to take the last of their reserves and they were held to just 11 points in the second half as the more experienced LRR ran riot.
Group D
London Rollergirls 141 - 10 Stuttgart Valley Rollergirlz
The first game in Group D was also the two oldest teams in Europe's first meeting. Stuttgart came into the game having planned ahead and purposefully made the packs as fast as possible in an effort to outrun the London blockers. The fast pack made for an exciting game with plenty of big hits and girls flying off the track, but the speed fazed the London jammers not one bit, Ninjette making a statement of intent with 15 points in the first jam. It only escalated from there and despite Dolly BustHer's big hitting and the Stuttgart pack holding London scoreless several times the LRG girls' depth and experience told.
Team East Angrier 11 - 202 London Rollergirls
The debut game for the mixed Team East Angrier saw them pitted against top seed London Rollergirls, not an enviable position for a squad that was fielding a majority of bout virgins. But TEA came to the game with the desire to learn and have fun - and earned the support of the crowd with their great attitude. The She-Ra inspired sparkly gold/white/leopard print boutfits of the Angrier team momentarily dazzled and distracted the LRG squad, allowing TEA jammer Hermaphrodite to pick up 4 points in the second jam. London Brawling managed to ignore the bling for most of the game, however, racking up the points in every jam and eventually ending with a huge scrore differential.
Stuttgart Valley Rollergirlz 137 - 46 Team East Angrier
Visiting mascot and general font of awesomeness Bane-ana was so impressed with TEA's bling that he took a break from cheering London to mascot for them in the final game of the day (complete with gold lame skirt). Stuttgart came out strong with some speedy jamming and quickly started racking up points, but Team East Angrier's primary jammers Mollie Cosh and Hermaphroditie put in a more than respectable showing themselves, collecting most of TEA's points between them. Stuttgart's hard hitting and fast pack enabled them to pull out the win, but Team East Angrier were the crowd hit of the day with an ever-increasing number of their shirts visible in the audience.
Jul.09
