Fernie's Avalanche City Roller Girls Heading to "Sucker Punch" - Their First Roller Derby Challenge
Yes, Fernie has a Roller Derby team and they're heading to their first challenge in Marysville, BC this weekend for "an evening of hard hitting, heavy bruising and tactical prowess, competing in the first ever Roller Derby event held in this area," says co-captain Jacqueline Fieldhouse, also known as CrackHer Jax.
The derby is aptly named "Sucker Punch" and is this Saturday, August 27 at 6pm at the Marysville Arena. The first to compete is Ferni's Avalanche City Roller Girls vs. Kimberley's Bavarian Barbarians in a half hour "bout" followed by the main event - a full hour game featuring Invermere's Killer Rollbots and Cranbrook's Mountain Town Maulers.
Doors will open at 6pm and the non-stop action begins at 7pm. Tickets for the bout are $10 for adults, children <12yrs: $2, and are available locally in each community or by contacting ekrdl@hotmail.com. Separate beer garden area open for 18+.
So what are you up to this weekend? Why not try something different and support Fernie's newest athletic team?
Want to know more about the sport of Roller Derby?
The sport of Roller Derby is currently experiencing a huge resurgence in North America, most notably here in Canada, becoming the new phenomenon in the extreme sport world. This full contact, rough and tumble sport appeals to strong, perhaps slightly crazed women of all ages. Women not faint of heart, looking for a challenging, athletic, empowering team sport.
The East Kootenay Roller Derby League was formed in 2011 and is run by an enthusiastic group of volunteers: for the skaters, for the love of derby. The league currently consists of four teams including over 60 derby girls registered with our governing national body: Canadian Women’s Roller Derby Association (CWRDA). With months of practice to prepare, the skaters are now ready to meet on the track and bout for the first time.
This legitimate sport is played according to the standards and strict rule set developed by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the international governing organisation for the sport. The game is played on a flat, oval track, with 5 players from each team skating on the track at any one time. The object is for the “jammer” to get through the pack of four opposing “blockers” as many times as possible, collecting points for their team in a short period of 2 minutes called a “jam”. The game is fast and boisterous, much like the players themselves, dressed in colorful and inventive derby gear, providing exhilarating entertainment for all.
