Preview: Battle on the Bank tournament

By Hurt Reynolds, Last updated Mon Jun 30 2008 1:57am

This weekend, the L.A. Derby Dolls will host the first banked track tournament of the modern roller derby era.  Participants include all three actively bouting banked track leagues, as well as the flat track OC RollerGirls and the cross-league pickup Team Awesome.

Structure

This two-day tournament includes one day of 30 minute round robin competitions, with the six competitors divided between an "A" bracket and a "B" bracket. Day two consists of two full 60 minute bouts, with the B bracket's winner taking on the #3 team from the A bracket, followed by the the top two teams from the A bracket battling it out for the tournament title.

Ruleset

To date, modern banked track leagues have each played with with their
own locally developed rules. The handful of banked interleague bouts so far have been played under the host league's rules, much like flat
track leagues generally did in the early interleague period before the initial WFTDA rules brought standardization to flat track competition in January 2006.

In preparation for this event, the participating leagues met a few months ago to hammer out a common ruleset.   

Participants

"A" bracket:

L.A. Derby Dolls Ri-ettes (travel team) - second only in banked track experience to TXRD, the host league recently clobbered their little sisters from San Diego on the bank.
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls All Scar Army (travel team) - progenitors of the modern derby revolution.  Undefeated in interleague play, with two victories against the L.A. Derby Dolls (one at home, one away) and a pair of home victories against the Arizona Renegades.
Team Awesome - the tournament's rogue element, Team Awesome is composed of skaters from a number of experienced flat track leagues.  Apart from a 48 - 48 tie against NERD in a 30 minute challenge at the 2007 East Coast Derby Extravaganza, Team Awesome has an unbroken string of victories since its inception.  While some team members got a little banked time at the Blood and Thunder Boot Camp this spring, this will be Team Awesome's first bout on a banked track.

"B" bracket:

L.A. Derby Dolls Golden Girls (secondary travel team) - this is the LADD B team's first outing.  Given the Ri-ette's performance against San Diego a few weeks ago, the Golden Girls may be considered the favorite in the bottom bracket.
San Diego Derby Dolls Border Patrol (travel team) - While their banked track bouting experience is not as extensive as their big sisters to the north, San Diego has pursued an aggressive schedule of flat track interleague bouting, so they're no strangers to competing against a wide variety of bouting styles.
OC RollerGirls Orange Crushers (travel team) - flat track OC rounds out the lower bracket.  Like San Diego, they've put a good number of interleague flat track bouts under their belt lately, but as the least experienced lineup in the event, they'll be facing an uphill battle.

Schedule

SATURDAY

Game 1 (4pm): OC Orange Crushers vs. SD Border Patrol

Game 2 (5pm): LA Ri-ettes vs. Team Awesome

Game 3 (6pm): LA Golden Girls vs. OC Orange Crushers

Game 4 (7pm): Team Awesome vs. TXRD All Scar Army

Game 5 (8pm): LA Golden Girls vs. SD Border Patrol

Game 6 (9pm): LA Ri-ettes vs. TXRD All Scar Army

SUNDAY

Game 1 (5pm): 1st place B bracket team vs. 3rd place A bracket team

Game 2 (7pm): 1st place A bracket team vs. 2nd place A bracket team

Venue

The L.A. Derby Dolls' Doll Factory, gorgeous photo courtesy Rinkrat:

Rosters

LADD Ri-ettes:
Iron Maiven 40 (captain) // Haught Wheels (empty set) (co-captain) // Gori Spelling 90210 // Venus De Maul'r 193 // Krissy Krash 360 // Axles of Evil 58 // Mila Minute 60 sec // Paris Killton 81 // Kung POW Tina 7&7 // Amber Alert! 44.1 // PITA 24/7 // Fighty KO // Tawdry Tempest 29 // Broadzilla 5 // Tara Armov 51 // Razorslut (manager)

TXRD All Scar Army:
Varuca Assault 240 (captain) // Purr Anna 4cm (co-captain) // Axle Rosie 87 // Dirty Blonde 9 // Dixie Sanchez 2 // Evilynn Carnit 666 // Ginjure Scraps 77 // Helles Belle 14 // Holly Peno 721 // Horrorshow 13 // Karma 313 // Knottie Knoxville H8 // Mz Behavin 311 // Punky Bruiser 24/7 // Rocky Casbah 1982 // Ruby Sioux // Sacralicous 69 // Smarty Pants 4.0 // Horrorshow 13

Team Awesome:
Ivanna S. Pankin 22 (captain) // Biscuit 74 (co-captain) // Crackerjack 100 // Dahmernatrix 17 // Darth Skater III // Deez Nutz 56 // Demanda Riot 0:00 // Goodie Two Skates Str8Edge // Harmony Killerbruise 75 // Jackie Daniels 07 // Kamikazi Kim 00 // Killbox 989 // Muffin 350 // Paige Burner 282 // Sadistic Sadie 76 // Trish the Dish 99 // Miss Fortune (manager)

LADD Golden Girls:V. Lee 981 (captain) // Killo Kitty 187 // Laguna Beyatch OC // Laura Palm-her 303 // Juana Beat'n 71 // Long Island Lolita 516 // Titty Titty Bang Bang AK-47 // Suzy Snakeyes 30:1 // Puncherello 911 // Crystal Deth 79 // Roxy Cotton 160mg // Trixie Biscuit 54 // Janis Choplin 27 // Judy Gloom 451 // Cannon Doll X XXX // Raggedy Anarchy (manager)

SDDD Border Patrol:
Isabelle Ringer 360 (captain) // Bully Julie 1969 (co-captain) // Amber Ail 151 // Anna Notherthing 11 // Bonnie D'Stroir 26 // Cherry Punch 33 // CN Enemy 685 // Lemon Drop 80% // P.T. Bruiser 760 // Slamurai 7 // Splint Her i // Steely Jan 19 // Taryn Hearts 0.5 // T-Stop Trixie 531 // Bo Toxic (manager) // Karma Electra (manager)

OC RollerGirls:
Dirty Deborah Harry 44 (captain) // Ameri-Cannon 50 Skates // Blondie Clocks 12 // Bugsy Merlo 74 // Kel Kat Infinity // Kina Wahine 10 // Kryptonite 29 // Loca Mafiosa 666 // Mia Roller 311 // Miss Vicious Applicious 50 // Retro Bruizin 68 // Rose McPlowin (IEDD) 5'2" // Scarlene (ACDG) 245 // Street Cred 16 // Strychnine 9 // Chris Cross (manager) // Vicious Ness (lineups)