2011 French Team

THE SELECTIONS FOR THE FRENCH TEAM took place last weekend at Le Hangar Skatepark in Nantes.

There were 20 places and we were nearly 40 to try our luck: 10 from Paris, 9 from Toulouse, 7 from Bordeaux and from Metz, 2 from Nantes and Montpellier... not forgetting the expatriates with 2 girls living in the US and two others in the UK.

THE SCHEDULE OF THE TRY-OUTS WAS INTENSE

Starting at 2PM for us to register, get our number-of-the-day (mine was #29 and it remained at least 3 days on my shoulder... bloody permanent markers!), get used to the floor...

The atmosphere was unpleasantly heavy, as if it was some kind of audition -- I had this weird feeling to be brought back years ago, at the time when I was a ballet dancer at the national Conservatoire. Hopefully we managed to relax it little by little.

However, the real beginning was at 3PM, here we go for 2 hours of skills analyzed by our judges: Amelia Scareheart, Slash Gordon, Bravehurt and Brute et Peste. Agility, Team work, and Blocking'n Helping were the main points.

After a well-deserved break we had still the second part left, alternating between Scrimmage and Theory written test. All the girls had been divided into four teams and while two teams were scrimmaging a half-time, the two others were working on strategy questions. I found it *extremely* frustrating to be mixed with girls I didn't know at all (from their names to their skills). The first half-time was a mess, and it hopefully got a little better on the second half-time as we had had the time to observed each other.

The afterparty was at the BPM bar-club, with a cosy atmosphere in the basement where they were playing some swing music and old beats.

THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS QUITE BUSY TOO WITH TWO SCRIMMAGES (newbies and advanced), organized in a gym quite far away -- far enough to get lost twice. This second scrimmage of the weekend was a blast!! Much Funnier than that of the selections. My team managed to build efficient walls and the opposite jammers had a hard time trying to get through a good bunch of times. As usual I went to the box a couple of times (I should stop trying to jump the apex... I would cut the track less often). Whisky Mamy hurt her knee at the very beginning of the first half-time, and she had a go at bench managing, which was very welcomed!

The weekend ended up in the traffic jams on the way back. We got stuck hours and hours arriving in Paris at midnight. I was sore and bruised all over on the next day but it was so worth it.

Roller derby : sélection de l'équipe de France à... par sportdating

NOW, THE RESULTS

The selected girls had the answer yesterday evening but we were instructed not to reveal the list before 2PM this afternoon.

French Team:

1. Bambu Sengoku (Roller Derby Toulouse)
2. Bestia Loca (Roller Derby Toulouse)
3. Belle Zebuth (Les Petites Morts de Bordeaux)
4. Bone E. Vicious (Paris Rollergirls)
5. Bloody Vuitton (Paris Rollergirls)
6. Butch Shan (Paris Rollergirls)
7. Cash Pitashe (Roller Derby Toulouse)
8. Chakk Attack (Roller Derby Toulouse)
9. Cherry LieLie (Paris Rollergirls)
10. Dual Hitizen (D.C. Rollergirls)
11. Emi Wild (Les Petites Morts de Bordeaux)
12. Karla Karschër (Les Petites Morts de Bordeaux)
13. Katy Fury (Paris Rollergirls)
14. Kozmic Bruise (Paris Rollergirls)
15. Frenchy Pants (Montreal Roller Derby)
16. Joan Get 27 (Paris Rollergirls)
17. Maggie Yo Teen (Roller Derby Toulouse)
18. Meryl Strip-her (Paris Rollergirls)
19. Truck-Off Pooky (Paris Rollergirls)
20. Whisky Mamy (Paris Rollergirls)

Alternates:

1. Router Girl (Pioneer Valley Roller Derby)
2. Feroce Satine (Roller Derby Toulouse)
3. Hell Alaniak (Les Petites Morts de Bordeaux)
4. L'ascleuse (Roller Derby Toulouse)
5. Dee I. Why (Roller Derby Metz Club)

** TORONTO, WE'RE COMING! **

USEFUL LINKS

• (French): Report of the French Try-Outs on Nantes' Website
• Pictures by Insane Motion: Day 1 and Day 2