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Eastbourne Extreme 2015 Preview
This Summer is a busy time for roller derby in Sussex with no fewer than three British Championships events at the Dolphin in Haywards Heath in a five week period. For many people the highlight of the Sussex derby year takes place not there, but outdoors on the tarmac just off Eastbourne seafront. This weekend (Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th July) sees the return of the annual event Eastbourne Extreme, which features two full days of roller derby once again.
Saturday sees a six team tournament featuring two A-teams, Surrey and the hosting Bourne Bombshells, plus the London Rockin' Rollers B-team, Croydon B (a Croydon side has won the tournie every year so far), Wycombe's Big Bucks B and Extreme debutants, Brighton Rockers B. Sunday features a variety of games, including women's, men's, co-ed and junior matches, with the highlight being a clash of the Bristol and Croydon A-teams. There are also mini boot camps, Chicks In Bowls sessions (quad skating on skate ramps), Fresh Meat sessions, after parties and more.
The event is open to spectators and is totally free of charge, with action from roughly 9.30am to 6.30pm both days. The venue is around 20 minutes walk from Eastbourne train station. The easiest route is to hit the seafront, turn left and walk for about a kilometre (post code BN22 7AA). There are seats, vendors, a nearby coffee hut and toilets, the occasional appearance of an ice cream van and more. The main Eastbourne Extreme drag is nearby and features various food and drink outlets. The nearest pubs, off licences etc are a few minutes away on Seaside Road.
Before we hear from some of those taking part, here's an overview of the history of the event and what to expect this year…
ROLLER DERBY AT EASTBOURNE EXTREME: A HISTORY
BY THE PHILOSOFEAR (EASTBOURNE ROLLER DERBY)
Eastbourne Extreme started out as a skating event and was run by our sponsor Tim Wheals from Eastbourne Sk8School. It later developed into an extreme sports event. In 2011 there was roller derby at Eastbourne Extreme for the first time, but there was only about half an hour of a game outside at The Cage before heavy rain stopped play. In 2012 the Bourne Bombshells decided to have a full day of roller derby at Extreme, but at the time the team was very new and no one had passed Minimum Skills. So the Bombshells didn't play and just ran the event instead. The Seaside Sirens, Oxford Roller Derby, Croydon Roller Derby, Bristol Harbour Harlots, Big Bucks High Rollers and The Beasts of Bodmin all took part. The final between Big Bucks and Croydon was nail biting, with Croydon taking the win by just a few points.
By summer 2013 the Bombshells had enough skaters to compete in the tournament. The Saturday was for newer teams, with the Bombshells playing against Surrey, Basingstoke Bullets and Mean Valley B-team. The final was between Mean Valley and the Bombshells, and Mean Valley won. The Sunday was for more established teams; Croydon, Portsmouth, Kent and Big Bucks played, with Croydon taking the win for the second year in a row.
In 2014 the format was changed slightly. The Saturday remained as a tournament, with The Bombshells taking on Surrey, Croydon B-team and London Rockin' Rollers B-team. Croydon won again! The Sunday became a day of mixed games – rookie women, juniors, intermediate women, advanced women, men and co-ed. This was very popular and the co-ed game was amazing to watch. However, the organisation of all this was immense, with Polka Dotty, who was doing the organising, spending ridiculous amounts of time organising teams and T-shirts.
For 2015, we've kept Saturday as tournament day. The Sunday still has a variety of different games, but rather than mixed team games our new co-ed team (the A-Bombs) will be playing, as will our men's team Bomb S'Quad and many other sides.
SATURDAY 18TH: THE TOURNAMENT (TRACK 1)
9.30 Surrey Rollergirls v LRR Rising Stars
11.30 Bourne Bombshells v Surrey Rollergirls
13.30 Bourne Bombshells v LRR Rising Stars
THE PHILOSOFEAR, BOURNE BOMBSHELLS: "The Bombshells are the lowest ranked of the six teams, but we're very much looking forward to taking on our opponents in the group and whoever we meet in the playoffs. This year we decided to make it a B-team level tournament, as reflected by our rankings. It's an opportunity for some higher ranked local teams to test out their B-teams in real gameplay. Of the leagues taking part in Saturday's tournament, Brighton are the only ones who haven't played at Extreme before – it seems that once a team plays at Extreme, they want to come back and do it again! As the new Brighton B-team haven't played a ranked game yet, they are something of an unknown. [The old Brighton B-team, the Bruisers, are on Flattrackstats, but the new B-team, the Rockerbillies don't contain any members of the old team.] Therefore, we are very unsure as to how they will place against the other teams. Having trained with the Brighton A-team, they are sure to have some strong players and great tactics. In terms of rankings, LRR's B-team are the highest ranked, followed by Croydon's B-team. Last year, these two teams made it to the final, with Croydon winning – they are starting out in separate groups this year, so could meet in the final once again. Surrey have played at Extreme for the last two years, but recently they have been moving up the rankings very quickly and doing well in their British Champs games, so it'll be interesting to see how much they've progressed over the past year."
CRAZY CAT LADY, SURREY ROLLERGIRLS: "Extreme is the highlight of my derby year. I get the chance to play the most amazing sport outside (hopefully) in the sun, with some of the best skaters and my favourite opposition. The Philosofear in particular is my outdoor nemesis, and I've always had the most fun skating against the Bombshells. LRR Rising Stars are an unknown quantity to me, which is exciting in itself. This is also the first year my son Short Round is competing too, in the junior expo game on Sunday morning, which makes this year even more exciting."
DISORDERLEE, LONDON ROCKIN' ROLLERS RISING STARS: "While there are a few stalwarts of last year's team, half the team is new and we are looking forward to seeing how we fare this year as we know that both Bourne and Surrey's teams have changed significantly too. Also, this time around we get to sit and watch a bit more of whoever we might be up against later, so we are liking the new structure."
10.30 Brighton Rockerbillies v Croydon Vice Squad
12.30 Croydon Vice Squad v Big Bucks Rough Diamonds
14.30 Brighton Rockerbillies v Big Bucks Rough Diamonds
CHLOE COLOSSUS, BRIGHTON ROCKERBILLIES: "We foolhardily decided to play our first ever B-team game against Croydon Vice Squad not long after we formed, and we got our butts kicked. So I'm aware of just how good (and terrifying) they are. We have pretty good links with the Bombshells; we've trained and scrimmed against/with them in the past. I don't know much about the other teams in the tournament, but I look forward to getting to know them on the track. We're a fledgling B-team with a broad range of skill levels and experience and only a few games under our belt, so anything could happen. Can we beat Croydon? Nope, but I might have a different answer for you in a year's time!"
GOLD N MALICIOUS, BIG BUCKS HIGH ROLLERS: "With our A-team firmly focused on the British Championships, Eastbourne Extreme is the perfect opportunity for Big Bucks High Rollers B-team, the Rough Diamonds, to get stuck into some tournament roller derby. BBHR played Extreme for the first time in 2012, just a few weeks after celebrating our first year as a team. With torrential downpours the night before, we were sure the tournament would be cancelled, but the sun came out, the track dried up and we all got sunburnt! We came a close second behind Croydon and are looking forward to facing their B-team, the Vice Squad this year. We will be facing some tough opposition but we have been training hard (and obsessing over the weather of course!) and can't wait to battle it out with our fellow B-teamers! WE CAN WE WILL! BBHR!"
AGENT COOPER, CROYDON ROLLER DERBY: "Eastbourne Extreme is a bit of a rite of passage for Croydon skaters now. Some of our new blood have never played an outdoor game before, so we've been ruthlessly practicing on concrete in preparation. We know the teams are really gunning for Croydon, because of our record in the tournament, and we are going to bring it."
15.30 3rd Place Group A v 3rd Place Group B
16.30 2nd Place Group A v 2nd Place Group B
17.30 1st Place Group A v 1st Place Group B (FINAL)
18.20 Tournament Awards
SATURDAY 18TH: ULTRA RARE FRESH MEAT (TRACK 2)
Sessions at 9.30, 12.30 & 14.30
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "The Fresh Meat sessions are a chance for non-Minimum Skills passed skaters to have a go on an outdoor derby track. What will the sessions involve? Basically it's derby without the hitting. Weaving through cones, skating forwards, skating backwards, can you skate a lap in 13 seconds, and so on."
SATURDAY & SUNDAY: CHICKS IN BOWLS (SKATE RAMPS)
12.00 & 15.00 Saturday / 11.30 & 14.50 Sunday
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "This year we have exciting slots lined up on the ramps exclusively for the use of Chicks in Bowls crews. There are four 15 minute slots over the two days. I am reliably informed that the ramps are accessible all the time for general skating."
FLAMMERS, CHICKS IN BOWLS: "Skate parks are feeling the shock wave of roller derby skaters looking for a new challenge, fun, additional skate training, or in some cases just a pure love of skating parks. What you will see at the Eastbourne Extreme event are a bunch of CIB UK crew skaters showing you their favourite moves, skills and love of ramp skating. The tricks are adapted from skateboarding, inline skating and the pioneers of quad skating who are still shredding skate parks today. It's not a new thing – men and women have been skating parks on quads for years – but what is new is the roller derby community shifting towards ramps. This is bringing a whole new style, level of ability and passion for the skate park. The Chicks in Bowls chapters are like an extended family. We all encourage and support one another, either in the park or via social media. There are over 100 chapters world wide; get involved, find a skate crew and have some fun. There is no right or wrong. Go have fun and create your own moves and tricks."
SUNDAY 19TH: A FULL DAY OF DERBY ACTION (TRACK 1)
9.30 SOUTHAMPTON CITY ROLLERS V EASTBOURNE EXTREME ROOKIES
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "The first game on the Sunday sees Southampton City Rollers in their first open game I believe. They will play a mixed team we have put together of new skaters from various leagues across the South, including Bourne Bombshells, Brighton Rockers Roller Derby, Basingstoke Bullets and Rochester Royal Rollers, amongst others."
WHITE LIGHTNING, SOUTHAMPTON CITY ROLLERS: "Southampton City Rollers are pumped to be a part of Eastbourne Extreme this year. Not only is it our first outdoor event, it's our first public game! Unfortunately in the past few months a number of our players have suffered non-derby related injuries so we've had to rope in skaters from other teams to pad our numbers out, but we're excited for the opportunity to skate both with and against fellow rookie skaters. Our main aim for this game is to have fun and learn lots along the way. We all love roller derby, we love our team, and we love the atmosphere at all derby events! Bring it on!"
11.00 JUNIORS EXHIBITION (INC EASTBOURNE'S NEW BOURNES)
BEACHY HEADCASE, NEW BOURNES COACH: "We're really excited for the kids game this year. So far 18 kids have signed up. We have been practising scrimmaging twice a week since March, as well as footwork and blocking skills. For the last four weeks we've been skating at the seafront once a week to get the hang of outside conditions. We've also practised a lot of entering and exiting the penalty box! I think all the kids will enjoy the experience of skating with a full ref crew. Junior derby is still relatively new to the UK, but our league has a regular hardcore of players who are learning and having fun. We plan to continue to grow our team and Extreme is a bit of a foundation for this. The New Bournes head coach deserves a special mention; Drag N Fly has coached virtually every session since the New Year, ensuring the kids are game ready. All the kids are stoked for Sunday and can't wait for the experience."
JEMOLISH, NEW BOURNES SKATER: " New Bournes have been training outside in preparation for Extreme. We are really excited to play our game because we haven't played properly since last year due to lack of other local junior leagues. Also we have improved so much as a team. We are very excited to have skaters from other teams joining us at Extreme."
12.00 MEN'S: BOMB S'QUAD V SURREY JAMMERWOCKIES
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "Eastbourne Roller Derby men's team Bomb S'Quad are playing their first open roller derby game against a 'mostly' Surrey Rollerboys team (some skaters will be from other leagues). This is their first year bouting and the men have prepared for Extreme by playing a number of closed door games since the start of this year. I can't wait to see how they fare on their first open outing. Watch out for Tenacious P's trademark trot and players like Nut Basher and Chasin' Status taking out their opposition in style."
TENACIOUS P, BOMB S'QUAD: "So what's better than playing roller derby for the first time at Eastbourne Extreme? Playing TWICE in the same day! I've been to the last two Eastbourne Extremes. The first one was as a spectator with little or no knowledge about derby. But it was fun enough to give me a desire to play and it wasn't long before I'd gone from non-skater to Fresh Meat. The second Extreme I was still "in training" so I had to sit on the sidelines and watch my derby brothers in their mixed game (inbetween making cups of tea and selling cakes of course). It was a thrilling game and just made me want to play even more. This year I'm jamming in both the open door bouting debut of the Bomb S'Quad *and* for the newly created A-Bomb's co-ed league. So to say that I'm more than a little proud and excited to be representing Eastbourne Roller Derby twice in one day is a touch of an understatement. Extreme is unlike any other roller derby tournament in the UK. Not only is it outdoors (somewhat of a rarity) but also it's mostly being viewed by people with little or no knowledge of the sport. So we have to make sure we bring our A-game and make it as thrilling to watch for both derby and non-derby people. So no pressure then! As for our opposition, the mighty Surrey beat us in our first ever closed door bout, so we have a friendly score to settle there."
SAMUEL L SMACKS'EM, SURREY ROLLERBOYS: "Eastbourne Extreme has become a bit of a ritual for myself and the other Jammerwockies. For the past two years, I've tagged along with the Surrey Rollergirls but this is the first year I've been playing and also happens to be my first outdoor game. Mega exciting! We've all been buzzing about it since we found out we were playing and a large part of that is down to our friendship with the Bomb S'Quad. They've been close friends of ours since SRB began and this is the second time we've had the pleasure of meeting them on track. Last time was so much fun that we couldn't say no to another round! We took home the first win but both teams have been training hard since so we're expecting a very exciting game and a weekend of great derby."
13.30 TEAM DRAGON RD v TEAM NO FUSS
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "All of Saturday's games are notable. Team Dragon RD are coming down with their nurturing, and some say bloodthirsty, Mother of Dragons to take on the mighty Team No Fuss. Both these challenge teams are building quite a name for themselves, becoming the go-to method of getting in your roller derby fix for top players across the South of England. I can't give away names yet, but I do know that both teams are pulling out the stops. They've been rattling their sabres at each other since Team No Fuss beat the Dragons at their inaugural game last November. The Dragons are coming into Extreme following a run of victories; they've bolstered their stable and are coming together as a team – I can't wait to see what happens."
MAMA, TEAM DRAGON BENCH COACH: "Team Dragon was formed last year, just before the last Eastbourne Extreme. After meeting Polka Dotty at the event we talked about arranging a bout between us. So she formed a side, Team No Fuss, and last November we played a mini three team tournament with them and Team Crazy Legs. No Fuss narrowly beat us in the final (192-145) and this is the first revenge game since! Dragons have a real mix of skaters in the team. Some have been skating under a year, with several recreational skaters plus a few more experienced skaters, so I have no idea what the result will be! We'll spin the wheel and give it our best shot."
CHUNDER WOMAN, TEAM NO FUSS: "We've put together a really strong roster for Sunday, with a lot of experienced skaters. You'll recognise some of us from previous Eastbourne Extreme tournaments. Some of the ones to watch will be Little Miss Mischevil, who put in a very strong performance in last year's co-ed bout; Gin Atomic, who has taken part in Extreme every year since the beginning; and of course we're reuniting the former dream team of The Philosofear and myself. Buffy Smothers' bare belly is another Extreme tradition that we'll be happy to see return this year. The Dragons are fielding an impressive roster, and we're particularly looking out for Rusty Stiletto and I Eat, who gave us a lot of trouble last time. They've added some excellent skaters to their line-up since then, so we're expecting a hard fought game. I'd say we have the advantage in terms of our experience of outdoor skating, but it's anyone's game!"
15.00 CO-ED: A-BOMBS V PORTSMOUTH SCURVY WENCHES
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "We are rolling out the Eastbourne co-ed team for the first time. A-Bomb-iNations will be playing the Scurvy Wenches from Portsmouth. The Scurvy Wenches are going to provide some tough opposition in the form of ex-Southern Discomfort player Noise Tank, Portsmouth Roller Wenches team captain Dropkick Molly and founding member of the Wenches (and ex-LRG player) The Duchess of Crutches. Co-ed games are hard-hitting and great fun to watch."
PONT BLANK, A-BOMBS: "As a relative newcomer to the Bomb S'Quad and now Eastbourne Roller Derby, I haven't really known any difference when it comes to playing co-ed, as training has been co-ed for some time now. I gather, however, that this wasn't always the case, and it has taken some time to get people on-side with it. Personally I think it's great, as it's a chance for us all to be involved as a league together, and in particular has allowed us newer members of the Bomb S'Quad to draw on the experience of the Bombshells, who have been around a lot longer. So when it was announced that we would be looking to make up a co-ed team drawing on members from the two teams, I jumped at the opportunity to get involved. Co-ed roller derby is definitely on the up and more and more Leagues are starting to combine their respective teams in order to form very strong co-ed rosters. We're obviously aware of the challenge that awaits us in the form of Portsmouth Scurvy Wenches, as both the Roller Wenches and Scurvy Dogs are formidable opponents in their own rights. With skaters like Noise Tank, Danderson, Kaizen, RIP McMurphy and the Duchess of Crutches at their disposal, they're going to be able to field a very impressive team. But that's not to say that our team won't be impressive as well."
ROLLSCHACH, PORTSMOUTH SCURVY WENCHES: "This is the first outdoor game the Scurvy Wenches have taken part in as a team, although some of our members played at Eastbourne Extreme last year; and being from a seaside town, our players often get experience skating outdoors. A smart and adaptive team, we are more than up to any challenge! Portsmouth have worked with Eastbourne players in previous mixed bouts, but never against one another as a full roster. We take part in co-ed training as often as possible which has solidified us as a very strong team. Co-ed derby is a perfect hybrid of two very different games. Original [women's] roller derby is a very tactical sport with grace and agility, whereas men's roller derby is based more upon big hits, although men's derby is learning from the ladies' game and making the plays a lot more intelligent. Co-ed derby is still in its infancy, but it's quickly growing into its own sport. Watch this space derby fans!"
16.30: CROYDON ROLLER DERBY V BRISTOL ROLLER DERBY
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "The highlight of the day is definitely the game between Croydon Riot Squad and Bristol Roller Derby. Both teams have history at Extreme. Croydon has won the tournament every year since it started, and some of the Bristol skaters played at the first year of the tournament in 2012 as the Harbour Harlots. This year we thought we'd add in an advanced game to round off the day. Croydon Riot Squad stand 19th in the UKRDA rankings, with Bristol's A-team two places ahead in 17th. In the European rankings, however, Croydon have the upper hand in 22nd compared to 31st place Bristol. The prediction computer at Flattrackstats picks a different winner depending on which ranking you use! Add in the outdoors element and this really could go either way. I can't wait to see how things play out on the track."
BLACK THORN, BRISTOL ROLLER DERBY: "Bristol have played at Eastbourne Extreme once before, back in 2012. Five of us who took part are still playing for Bristol, and have been sharing horror stories of sun and gravel burn. We haven't played roller derby outdoors since, but Chicks in Bowls Bristol has a huge BRD contingent and we've been getting of plenty of outdoor practice on the ramps. We played and beat Croydon indoors in 2012 (207-138) but I am sure both teams have seen massive changes since then. Not least that we've stolen President Garfield from Croydon (she's ours now!). They're ranked quite a bit higher than us in the European table and we've climbed significantly since we started our British Champs campaign, but we're hoping that this works in our favour as we've had some tough games against tough opponents this year. We're hoping for a fun and physical game, away from the more pressured Champs environment. A couple of the usual suspects on our roster have had the audacity to go on holiday, so look out for a deeper jammer rotation than is typical for us, as well as two players new to the A-team in the form of Rip Tease and Hard N Sharpe."
AGENT COOPER, CROYDON ROLLER DERBY: "As far as Bristol are concerned, we have heard that they are seriously not to be messed with. Our plan is to give them one of the best games Eastbourne has ever seen."
SUNDAY 19TH: FREE MINI BOOT CAMPS (TRACK 2)
11.00 FOOTWORK WITH GIN ATOMIC & NOISE TANK
GIN ATOMIC: "Myself of the Brighton Rockers (ex-Croydon Roller Derby) and Noise Tank (Portsmouth Scurvy Dogs, ex-Southern Discomfort) are running a short footwork boot camp for intermediate skaters. It'll consist of various drills to work on improving manoeuvrability. People won't need to bring anything specific for the boot camp, but I would say to anyone playing outdoors to bring spare toe stops and don't wear shorts. And of course bring your sun cream!"
12.00 BLOCKING WITH THE DUCHESS OF CRUTCHES
DUCHESS OF CRUTCHES: "I'm a coach and the A-team captain at Portsmouth Roller Wenches and I will be putting on a mini blocking boot camp focused around partner blocking and traversing the track. I was happy to be asked to help out and put something on at Eastbourne Extreme. I have a great love for blocking and look forward to sharing some of my joy, along with skills and drills that I hope skaters will find useful and take away with them."
…AND THE AFTER PARTY (CROWN & ANCHOR)
BEACHY HEADCASE, EASTBOURNE EXTREME: "On the Saturday most of us Eastbourne Roller Derby types need to get an early night, but parties will be going on all along the seafront; live bands, beach BBQs and a roller disco at MySkateWorld, to name a few. On Sunday evening you can find us at the newly refurbished Crown & Anchor, our favourite pub, which is on the seafront a little way East of the pier (about ten minutes walk from the derby). The roller derby crew have been given exclusive use of the upstairs bar. Expect human pyramids."
EASTBOURNE EXTREME ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/EastbourneExtremeRollerDerby/
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