Since roller derby first hit the UK, two teams have been ever-present on the scene. The London Rollergirls were the first team formed in the country, and hot on their heels were the Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames.

In the following couple of years, London Brawling, the LRG’s all star travel team have picked up victories against the Glasgow Rollergirls and Team Canada, whilst the Blitz Dames have recorded wins against Glasgow and the London Rockin’ Rollers, and a loss to Team Canada.

What everyone wanted though, was to see these two longstanding members of the UK Derby community face each other on the track for the first time, and on October 25th it finally happened when the LRG made the short hop up the M40 to the midlands for Capital Punishment.

First half

Both teams put their most experienced jammers out first:  Sky Rockit for the London Rollergirls and Violet Attack for BBDD. Things started well for Birmingham, as Violet became lead jammer but a strange tactical decision meant that despite scoring 5 points on her first pass, she didn’t call off the jam when bogged down in the pack on her second pass, letting the jam run the full two minutes and allowing Sky Rockit to pick up 17 points.

In the second jam, Kitty DeCapitate broke an LRG record by picking up 20 points in a single jam, beating Sky Rockit’s previous high of 18. In that jam, Hilda Blizzhard scored a single point for Birmingham -- the last point BBDD would score for 14 jams.

Two ten point jams and a 14 point jam for Sky Rockit, an 11 point jam for Kitty DeCapitiate and a 15 pointer for Missyle Elliot were among the LRG’s tallies in the first half. In the next to last jam of the period, Birmingham picked up 2 points courtesy of Marla Mayhem, a guest skater from the Glasgow Rollergirls, although Kamikaze Kitten still managed to pick up 3 for London.

The last jam of the period was the first one won by Birmingham as Violet Attack scored 5, whilst shutting out Sky Rockit.  The score at the end of the first period was Birmingham 13, London 137.

London Brawling’s team work was shining through in the first half. Walls were being made at both the front and back of the pack, and Birmingham’s jammers were often held between the two for long periods. Both teams were working hard however, and it was great to see such a great mix of experience across the board.

Second half

The second period started with Sky Rockit picking up 5 points, but in the second jam, Birmigham had their most successful jam of the game, with Roisin Roulette scoring 7 and shutting out Grievous Bodily Charm. It appears that Birmingham used up all their luck in that jam, and didn’t score again until the final jam of the game. During the BBDD barren spell, Sky Rockit decided she wasn’t happy with Kitty taking her record earlier in the day, and in the 7th jam of the period scored herself a massive 22 points in one jam, reclaiming the record she had lost less than an hour earlier. Kitty did her best to get it back in the very next jam, but was held back to just 19 points. The last jam came around soon after, and Violet Attack scored herself another 3 points for Birmingham making her her team’s most successful jammer of the day, whilst Ninjette rounded off the LRG’s victory with another 14 points, which left us with a final score of Birmingham 23, London Rollergirls 274 -- a massive 251 point win!

Conclusion

Hula Gunn for London has been with the league since the beginning and was rewarded for a hard fought bout today with her teams MVP award, shared with Kamikaze Kitten, whilst Bee Sting of Birmingham, who skated with the LRG in the early days before leaving to found the Blitz Dames was captaining her team on the day.

Both teams also debuted some less experienced skaters on their all star teams, with Birmingham fielding a player who has only been with them since January, and London playing Ninjette, who has only been skating since April, but who justified her inclusion on the team with a 19 point total.

All eyes in the UK are now looking towards the first ever European Derby Tournament next summer, and both teams will be looking at their schedule leading up to that. LRG will be completing their first ever intraleague season, whilst BBDD have some very tough warm ups against the visiting Stuttgart Valley Rollergirlz,, and will hopefully be hosting a Birmingham vs. Birmingham showdown when a team visits from Birmigham, Alabama!

Perhaps most eagerly awaited however, is the return match for the Blitz Dames Vs LRG rivalry, as the two teams will meet again in London next May. LRG will be looking to go into the tournament with their unbeaten record intact, whilst BBDD will of course be on the lookout for a dish best served cold… Revenge.

Rosters

BIRMINGHAM BLITZ DERBY DAMES

16 Violet Attack - CAPTAIN
10 Helen Fury - CO-CAPTAIN
101 Bee Sting
46
Roisin Roulette
14U Saintly Sin
11 Elle Fire
15 Sleazy Rider
79 KiKi
Kasplat
333 Union Jack-U-Up
52 Hilda Blizzhard
150 Armalite Angie
(Guest Skater- Auld Reekie Rollergirls)
73 Marla Mayhem (Guest Skater- Glasgow Rollergirls)
57 Sister Grimm (Guest Skater- Glasgow Rollergirls)
? Liv or Die (Guest Skater- London Rollergirls)

LONDON ROLLERGIRLS

XOXO Kitty DeCapitate - CAPTAIN
84 Belle DeBraw - CO-CAPTAIN
73 Bette Noir
04 Fox Sake
1984 Grievous Bodily Charm
DFF#77 Hula Gunn
9 Kamikaze Kitten
410 Missyle Elliott
5 N-Emma-Si5
900cc Ninjette
85 Poison Arrow
17 Sky Rockit
08 Slice Andice
11 Viva KniEVIL