The West Kootenay Roller Derby league wrapped up another season with two bouts to determine the top three standings at the Rossland Arena on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The Nelson Killjoys triumphed over all others this season by beating the Salmo Babes of Brutality 244 – 130, winning the coveted Golden Boot during the Mountain Mayhem finals.
The Castlegar Dam City Rollers, meanwhile, got past the Rossland Trail Roller Girls on their home track in order to claim a third straight season in the third place position.
The DCR ladies took a large early lead on the strength of strong defence and exceptionally slippery jammers to lead 110 – 38 with only six minutes to play in the first half.
Not to be outdone in front of hometown fans, the RTRG squad picked up 30 more points of their own before the end of the first half while cruising on power jams. During that same stretch, DCR managed only a further nine points and the stage was set for a showdown in the second.
Despite a strong early push from RTRG, the second was dominated by the Rollers with steady, consistent scoring. The final score was 250 – 156.
“We spent a lot of time training the last few weeks for this,” said Dam City Rollers coach Sauce. “They’ve worked really hard.”
One of the keys to their success came not from learning how to take track away from opposing players but in training to push each other into open spaces. The strategy worked well in the final jams as RTRG had a difficult time sending jammers through the purple wall put up by the Dam City Rollers.
As is customary, the winning team took a victory lap to high fives but then both teams did something special.
Every player took a knee as a volunteer Carol Fehr was called to the middle of the track and thanked for her efforts over the course of the season. Fehr was also presented with a birthday cake and serenaded by all those in the arena.
Congratulations to all of the derby athletes and volunteers who kept bringing these entertaining bouts to the masses.
