The Berlin Bombshells at the 2014 Kitchener D2 Playoffs

Our public thank-you status

is a good way to make a long story short: 

Publication by Berlin Bombshells.

Now for the longer version,

including the hidden part of the iceberg,

this is what (also) happened there...

Ich bin eine Berlinerin

After a three-month break that turned into a five-month break in Bordeaux, having left our Parisian appartment in early May, we have finally reached our final destination and our new home for a while: BERLIN.

HOW DID WE COME TO THAT?

A wind of change had been blowing on us for some time and we finally yielded to it earlier this year, feeling it was time for new adventures. At first we had set our minds on Montréal but it proved to be a bit tricky and quite a huge move for a first home out of France. Indeed I'm used to travel a lot around the globe, but I'd always had a French pied-à-terre -- until now.

Then I had a conversation that aroused my attention during my trip to the 2013 Eroc... Thinking it over and together with Wonka (and Deven the cat) we found that it was an excellent compromise, not too far but not too close, a little exotic but not too much, new but known... and we immediately launched our organization program:

Paris All Stars Vs. Inglorious Bombshells

Paris RollerGirls All-Stars (197-139) Berlin Inglorious Bombshells

April 20th, 2013 / Wohnzimmer Bout II, Berlin (GER)

The scores do not reflect the game. It was harder than expected from a B-team (especially with lots of their players having their first go at bouting) and we had to fight against a strategic and organized opponent.

The game took place in the Bombshells' training venue and was private: only the people on the guestlist could come and watch. We had 200 pairs of eyes observing us, cheering Berlin. All but three little Parisian girls, supporting us with pom-poms and songs!

EROC 2012

The 2012 edition of the EROC took place in Berlin on the last weekend of January, and was hosted by the local league, the Bear City RollerDerby. Go HERE if you want a little "history" of the event -- if you can call it history so far...

The European Derby Convention is growing year by year: Have a look at the list of the registered countries and leagues if you're sceptical! 13 countries were represented by up to 16 leagues each (for Germany) -- and 7 for France!

The event started on Friday evening with an opening party at Wowsville bar where all the participants could meet and warm up for the weekend. I had forgotten what it was like to be allowed to smoke in bars! Although I convey it's pretty cool not to have to go outside and lose your fingers in the German cold, I'm not quite sure I'm liking it anymore.
By the way I would like to deeply thank all my saviors to whom I borrowed the gloves during the weekend: I really had underestimated the power of cold. Now I know that I'd rather concentrate on my gloved hands slipping on my crutches, than concentrate on saying to myself over and over that pain is just an illusion.
Anyway this is no dilemna now as I don't need my sticks anymore: I learnt to walk this weekend thanks to an intensive training consisting in at least one hour per day of waking in the snow.

BCRD Advanced Bootcamp

INTRODUCTION: FATE & PLANES

Sometimes fate can be as kind as cruel.

Sometimes bad things lead to even greater things than the ones you missed.

Remember the Epic Fail of the Paris RollerGirls Vs. the Berlin Bombshells in late July? When Destiny had decided that the Air France strike would affect only one flight, THE flight. It had to be the Paris-Berlin of course. And one complication leading to another, the bout had to be cancelled (again).

Remember my Epic Rage when I learnt that I had shortened my stay in Las Vegas at the RollerCon for a cancelled bout? I was lucky that I didn't have a direct flight, and arriving in Paris I rushed into an Air France shop to change my ticket… for a trip on the 27-28 Aug. Same date as the Advanced Bootcamp run by Swede Hurt and Suzy Hotrod. An exciting perspective which lessened my frustration for having left so early. The registrations had been closed the previous week, but the camp was not sold out and I managed to get my ticket.

RollerCon 2011

MISCELLANEOUS

• 4 tracks and a huge off-skates room 
• A gigantic hotel in which you can get lost just like that (tested and approved) 
• Waiting lines to get tickets to attend workshops 
• Over-secured check-in – too bad for you if you don’t gather on time your ID, your RC pass, your Workshop ticket and your RC sticker on the left side of your helmet 
• Stickers, badges, goodies a go-go 
• A crowd of rollergirls AND rollerboys from all over the world 
• Tons of love, tons of flashy “lift-n-separate” short pants, and tons of workshops’n scrimmages all day long

The experience was very instructive, attending such a huge event, observing the organization, remembering tips and drills of the workshops I took, meeting people I didn’t know, meeting others I knew and I hadn’t seen in a while. I was there only for two days, but I tried to enjoy these 48 hrs as much as possible.

Paris Vs. Berlin (Destiny's Vengeance)

Credit: Bone E. Vicious

The 30^th of July should be celebrated as Bad-Luck Day! Half of the Paris All-Stars showed up this morning (Friday) at the airport to fly to Berlin one day in advance. The Strike is back with a vengeance: Air France cancelled their flights… to Berlin ONLY!! “Isn’t it Ironic, don’t you think?”

Destiny is against us. Just as if it was punishing us for having dared trying to make it happen against its will no matter what. We had even found an alternate solution for bench managing… Now, the game is cancelled for good, as too many girls cannot get a replacement flight on time.

Paris Vs. Berlin (Part.2)

by M'zelle Tout Court - Artwork:Koz

Guess what?!
 

The most head-banging situation...

This is all just a (very) bad joke: Air France is finally *not* striking this weekend!!

After a quick consultation, we came to a final decision given that:

1. The venue is still available
2. The girls still have their plane tickets

"Let's go and see!"

Only Fifi Lafoe was far-sighted enough to take the ticket-insurance and she got refunded. She's the only one who won't be coming... which I think is quite sad because she's leaving in September and it was going to be our last bout with her :(

12 girls should make it to Berlin, which is the minimum number for an official WFTDA game.

We still have to solve the problem of the missing bench coach -- Yep: Brute et Peste should have been the one in charge but she got stolen her wallet with her one and only ID paper in it 10 days ago... Too short to get a new one in time to take the plane!

Man, this is Rock'n Roll...!

Paris Vs. Berlin *ABORTED*

Although we were impatiently waiting to play against the Berlin BombShells, we have just cancelled our last game of the season...

Honestly: What were the chances to be a massive strike on the same day?!

Yesterday, the news announced that there was going to be a concerted strike, confirmed and signed by the Air France unions, for July 29, 30 and 31 (the game being on Saturday 30.)

The information was confirmed by our undercover agents, Absolut Vermine and Meryl_Strip-Her.

 

We came to the conclusion that it was safer and wiser to cancel and postpone the game to another date around September-October... *sad*