From the showy high speed races on TV in the sixties to Roller Girl in 2015, Roller Derby has been perceived in a variety of ways by the culture at large. But one thing is for sure. Roller Derby is here to stay, and only growing every year.
This year, there’s something super exciting to look forward to. For the first time since 2019, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) Global Championships are happening. They’re going to be here in Portland, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, hosted by our very own Rose City Rollers! There’s 16 bouts spanning three days, happening the weekend of November 1-3. Thirteen of the best roller derby teams from across the world are coming to play for the Hydra Trophy. A variety of ticket options are available on Ticketmaster, such as day and weekend passes and single headliner game passes.
Rose City Rollers says, “This derby tournament is like the Super Bowl of roller derby. 13 teams from the U.S., Canada, France, Sweden, and Australia will compete for the highest title. These competing teams battled through intense Regional qualifiers, putting in countless hours of training to earn their spot on this coveted stage. Rose City’s Wheels of Justice are four-time world champions and the current reigning champs. In addition to the 16-game weekend of high-level skating on the track, fans can look forward to Vendor Village packed with fun booths, great concessions and bars, team merch, raffles, and halftime entertainment.” (Via Loren Mutch, RCR Digital Marketing and Communications Specialist)
Rose City Rollers is our local roller derby league, located in the Hangar at Oaks Park. They serve girls, women and gender expansive individuals who want to play roller derby. There is an adult program, with a high level travel team (who is playing in Champs!), four home teams, and a recreational team. There are two different junior programs, The Rose Petals for ages 7-12, and The Rosebuds for ages 12-18, both programs have a travel team and home teams. The Rosebuds came in second place in the nation last season, also holding the silver medal from the 2023 season and the gold from the 2022 season. Roller derby is a sport that promotes communication, personal growth, teamwork, leadership and so much more, because it’s incredibly community based. I have made some of my best friends playing this sport, and I have somewhere I can go if I need anything, and it’s just straight up fun to play. If you’re interested in forming close friendships and a tight knit community, growing as an athlete in a full contact, high intensity sport, and just having a good time, you should check it out.
