This Saturday is a big one for WFTDA derby around the nation, but the marquee bout is arguably in Arizona. Two of WFTDA's top 10 teams go at it in Tucson's Bladeworld, as #10th ranked Bay Area travels to the southwest to take on #6 Tucson.
These two teams have never met before, but Mandi Festo of the Bay Area skated for the Tucson's league team Iron Curtain for a year and half before she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. And the derby grapevine is full of reports of the Bay Area after their impressive showing earlier this month at Roll for a Cure. So both teams ought to know what to expect.
The last game the Saddletramps played was back in February when they lost a close one, in the last scoring jam, to the #4 Texas Rollergirls 86-81. Bay Area, on the other hand, has been on a roll. They went undefeated at the California State Championship in March, beating Sacramento's Sacred City in the championship match (101-30) and then undefeated again at Roll for a Cure on May 10th and 11th, beating Houston (99-54), Rose City (111-74) and Minnesota (127-25).
The Saddletramps will be bringing a short roster of twelve skaters to the bout Saturday, but Tucson's stamina is legendary and a short roster is unlikely to be as serious a handicap as it might be for a different team. Bay Area will -- for the first time this season -- have their complete travel team ready to roll. Jammer Miss Moxxxie and recent Rat City transfer, the legendary Pia Mess, both missed Roll for a Cure but will be in action against Tucson.
Another factor in the bout may be the weather. The temperature in Tucson is expected to go over 100 degrees this weekend and will probably be 80 to 90 at bout time. In the San Francisco Bay Area, 70 is considered to be a hot day. Will the Bay Area girls melt?
Arrive early to the bout and bid on items in a silent auction to help raise money for Tucson's traveling travel team. Doors open at 6pm, Bout to start at 7pm. If you're a fan of derby and anywhere in the southwest United States this weekend, this is the bout to see.
Sloppy Flo 8 (captain) // Deadlock Doe Holliday 333 (co-captain) // Nokka Ho Down 187 // Polly Graf 7 // Sami Automatic 22 // Sassy Sue 62 //Two-Bit Ore 49¢ // Whiskey Mick C-4 // Foxxy Lockett 0 // Tumbleweed 711 // Carrie Gunns 9mm // Metal Maiden 1980
Kitt Turbo 667 (captain) // Taxi Scab 50¢ a mile (co-captain) // Sassy Slayher .30-06 // Liza Machete 1 // Demanda Riot 0:00 // Mandi Festo 1848 // Miss Moxxxie XOXO // Racey Lane 1314 // Grr Lee Burly 333 // Diane Rott 78 // Velveteen Savage 1.618 // Lusty Malice 4 // Killer Vee 33 // Pia Mess 24/7 // John Diss (coach)
