High energy sport meets family entertainment at the Meadowbank Sports Centre which today hosts the first ever all-Scottish roller derby tournament. Action from 11.15am with tickets available online and also at the door.
Edinburgh is ready to welcome leagues from all over Scotland for the first major all Scottish tournament of its kind. Hosted by Scotland’s top roller derby league, the capital’s Auld Reekie Roller Girls, the tournament has been created specifically to boost the development and growth of what is one of the UK’s fastest growing sports by providing lower ranked teams the opportunity to experience high level game play.
The ARRG All Star Rookies will be joined by not one, not two, but three other Scottish teams. Dundee Roller Girls’ Bonnie Colliders, Granite City Roller Derby’s Fight Hawks and Lothian Derby Dolls will be making the trip to ARRGs home track of Meadowbank Sports Centre for an epic showcase of Scottish roller derby. A round robin sees each team play a 30 minute heats against the other. Ranking on points differential, teams in places 3 & 4 will play for bronze in a full length game, teams in places 1 & 2 will play in the full length final to see who gets the gold!
Auld Reekie Roller Girls All Star Rookies Team Captain Lisa Williamson (Princess Die) said:
“Our C team (All Star Rookies) was formed earlier this year as we have so many competitive skaters in ARRG, having only two travel teams just wasn’t giving enough opportunity for everyone to progress at the speed they were capable of. The idea for this tournament was to create an opportunity where lower ranked teams from all over Scotland would experience the higher end game play – intense, hard, full on roller derby!”
Photo: Xys Xysio
The tournament, which will take place over a gruelling eight hours, will see teams from Aberdeen, Dundee and Midlothian fight it out in six fast paced, brutal ‘survival’ shortened games, the winners of each will go on to face each other in the final stages. One team will emerge victorious to take the crown as Scottish champion. The stakes are high and the competition will be relentlessly intense on the day. Hosts Auld Reekie will certainly battle fiercely to secure victory on home track.
Williamson continued: “We’ve really worked tirelessly to nail down our tactics and our bench coach and line up manager are excellent. We’ve had an incredible season and we really hope to do well in this tournament. We’ve worked hard; the development in the skaters from the C team’s inception until now has been incredible to watch. We are confident and determined to bring our amazing supporters a home win on the day.”
Book your tickets now for a great day out for all. In addition to some excellent Scottish roller derby action, there will be plenty on offer on the day to keep fans sustained and entertained; from local food vendors, a stocked bar, top quality roller derby merchandise as well as activities to keep the kids entertained.
Doors open at 11am, first match at 11.15am, all match timings below.
Tickets in advance available via the ‘Get Tickets’ link with a £2/£3 discount for adults.
Tickets on the door priced: Full Day Ticket (including two final games) £10/£6 concessions ~ Final Two Games Only £8/£6 concessions. Free entry for Under 14s.
Full match order:
11.15-11:45am: Heat 1, Lothian Derby Dolls v Granite City Roller Derby Fight Hawks
12 noon-12.30pm: Heat 2, GCRD Fight Hawks v ARRG All Star Rookies
12.45-1.15pm: Heat 3, ARRG All Star Rookies v Dundee Roller Girls Bonnie Colliders
1.30-2pm: Heat 4, DRG Bonnie Colliders v Lothian Derby Dolls
2.15-2.45pm: Heat 5, Lothian Derby Dolls v ARRG All Star Rookies
3-3.30pm: Heat 6, DRG Bonnie Colliders v GCRD Fight Hawks
4pm: Game for 3rd & 4th place
5.30pm: FINAL for 1st & 2nd place