Roller Derby: War on wheels

The annual All Day Derby at Jubliee Stadium on Saturday week will be all out war on every level.

The West Coast Bombers will again showcase their sport at the annual All Day Derby at Jubilee Stadium next weekend, this time with a strong focus on the men.

The Whanganui roller derby side will host six teams in four bouts, including two all-female matches, a co-ed bout and a feature game involving two of the three regional male in the country.

Roller derby is predominantly a female dominated sport, although men have played the game for several years in New Zealand.

West Coast Bombers spokesman Phil Murphy said the All Day Derby event on Saturday, April 8, will host the first regional men's bout in New Zealand.

"We've got a really tight league that have been working hard to make next Saturday the best event possible," Murphy said.

"We hold this event annually and we use it as an opportunity to show off the best of what we've got as well as this year being hosts to the first regional men's bout in New Zealand.

"Men have been playing Roller Derby in New Zealand for a number of years now, however it wasn't until recently that Northern Gentlemens Roller Skating Club (Upper North Island), No City Skaters (lower North Island) and Rollers of Rohan (South Island) have emerged.

The game between Northern Gentlemens and No City here in Whanganui will be the first time two regional men's teams have played each other in New Zealand."

Northern Gentlemen Skater Gary Moffit feels this is a real opportunity to get these two men's leagues to step up in the face of upcoming international opportunities.

"With the Men's Roller Derby World Cup in Barcelona only a year away we hope this will be the incentive that New Zealand men's roller derby needs to send a competitive team," Moffit said.

Both Moffit and Murphy are excited for the upcoming event and invite everyone to come down and view the fierce sport that is roller derby.

"Derby is a still a relatively underground sport in New Zealand, but we want to show everyone that it's a great day out in a warm family-friendly environment. We encourage everyone to swing by Jubilee Stadium and join us."