Derby rolling into city

ROBERT KITCHIN

MEAN GIRLS: The Richter City roller derby team practising for a bout.

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It might not be the sport mothers want their darlings to play, but roller derby is booming around the world and hopefully it's rolling into Hamilton soon.

Only embryonic now, but the few keen locals are hopeful of an avalanche of raw meat, or new talent, to either join or at least have a look at the American-invented "contact sport".

It's as much entertainment as it is sport, but unlike wrestling the hits are real and this is just for the ladies.

The sport is based on formation roller skating around an oval track and teams score points when certain players lap members of the opposing team.

Each team has five players on the rink per jam; four blockers and a jammer at the back who score the points.

Hamilton's Fe "Miss Metal Militia" Foster – all the players have pseudonyms – played the game in Canada and has trained with an Auckland club, but wants to set it up in Hamilton, or at least see how the interest levels are.

"It's huge in the States," Foster said.

"It's as much of a show as it is a proper game, but it's not just for sports fans."

The plan is to get as many potential players along as possible then demonstration bouts against other teams including the top Auckland sides can be set up to promote the sport.

Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington and Christchurch all have teams.

"I started training while I was in Vancouver, Canada and they're huge celebrities over there with fan bases.

"Spectators dress up as their favourite character, it's huge," Foster said.

While it is physical and one of the aims is to stop players cruising around the rink, Foster insists there are rules and a lot of skill involved.

For more information on the sport, contact Foster on missmetalmilitia@yahoo.ca

- © Fairfax NZ News