WA roller derby final hits fever pitch

By Graeme Paton. IT was a clash of the titans when Perth’s two premier women’s roller derby teams faced off in the grand final last Saturday. Sonic Doom raced to victory against their rivals, the Atomic Sirens, 218-103. And next week the Western Australian Roller Derby (WARD) interstate team, called Wards of the Skate, will face off against Victoria’s South Sea Roller Derby club. WARD vice president Aska “Holly War” Ohtsuka believes that there is a “growing momentum” for this exciting, adrenaline-pumping sport in Australia and the world. However, Ms. Ohtsuka says there are still many misconceptions about roller derby. “Violent, wild women hitting each other with no rules” is wide of the mark, she says, and that there is so much more that the sport should be recognised for. Ms Ohtsuka, who also plays for the Atomic Sirens, said there is a lot of nuance and skill that should be recognised so that the sport can reach mainstream audiences. The women who played the sport said that the greatest reward of the sport comes from camaraderie, confidence and community. Lisa “Hermione Danger” Black said “as soon as you join you feel like you have 100 new sisters”. Sonic Doom player, Kayla “Golden Rose” Collins, added that her involvement with WARD boosted her confidence. “I don’t think I’d be as happy doing anything else as I am doing roller derby,” she said. Players have their sights on beating the Victorian team on Saturday and then rocking a global stage in Europe and the US.