Moulin Bruise: Paris PRG Vs. London LRR

Paris RollerGirls 149 – 150 London Rockin' Rollers
Allstars Bout, June 22nd 2013

Warning and Preface.

I am writing this report based on my feelings and immediate memories ONLY, with a little refreshing thanks to the twitter feed. Some details may not be objectively accurate: subjective durations and frequencies, highlight on some particular points and abstraction of some other facts... I am aware that it is a distorted image of reality, but it's all the more lively in the end. Then why not?

Quedalles Vs. HDG Allstar

Paris RollerGirls Quedalles (173-155) Hérault Derby Girls All-Stars

June 9th, 2013 / Le Crès 

IT'S A WIN! We FOUGHT for it, didn't give up despite the lead of our opponents, NARROWED the score gap little by little and REVERSED the advantage at the second period.

Everything could happen until the VERY LAST jam, which was full of twists and changes, at the image of the whole game.

HOW DID WE COME TO THAT ?

4th jam. Kill Belle scores the first 4 points, with already a loose gap of 23 points! An unfortunate powerjam in favor of HDG...

As soon as the first minutes, elbows and high blocks are flying. Of course the first blow goes to team mate Billie Frechette who has been collecting bad hits to the nose throughout the season. Bad luck!

5th jam. My turn to have a try at jamming. I take the lead, the other jammer is hot on my heels, I make her skate around a bit, for fun and for the show, trying to neutralize the tension I was sensing in the atmosphere. I must say that I spent the whole game trying to adapt to the mood of the game without success.

17th jam. We finally challenge the lead, being only 1 point behind thanks to Thelma Track. We are neck and neck for three jams after which the HDG distance us again, and the first period finishes with a score of 55 to 72.

A pink patch for big girls

That's it. We passed.

The Paris RollerGirls successfully completed the WFTDA Apprenticeship program.

They are the first French league to become a Full Member of the WFTDA (after having been the first Apprentice league back in 2010).

Let's also note in that new batch: Out of 22 new leagues, only 7 are not from the USA. Paris of course, Sheffield Steel Rollergirls and Cardiff's Tiger Bay Brawlers for Europe, Brown Plains for Australia... But ABOVE ALL, more exotic and revolutionary: Columbia and Japan open the doors of Full Membership to South America and Asia, thanks to the Rock n Roller Queens of Bogota, to the Tokyo Roller Girls and to the Kokeshi Roller Doll of Okinawa!

Paris Slalom World Cup 2013

This year was the 11th edition of the PSWC, a mythical international competition of freestyle slalom skating which takes place every year on the Trocadéro, facing the Eiffel Tower!

I haven't missed a single edition since 2007. As a skater at first, then as a judge the last couple of years. Even last year while I was convalescing I came to say hi (as a spectator, but still I was there).

This time my mission was to judge the Classic Freestyle and the Battle. For both men's and women's categories. It was a heavy task:

80 classic runs and 34 battle groups later...

I survived the PSWC 2013!

Meanwhile, when I was not judging (speed slalom and slides) I was not twiddling my thumbs either. All my fingers were busy working, typing reports of the competition!