I (Tigre Force) had decided to spend my summer holiday in RollerCon. I got Ice-S StoneArm with me and we decided to visit LA on our way. A good call I would say! I got in contact with Razorslut/ LA Derby Dolls and we set a date for some freshmeat practice on banked track.

Skating on a banked track with the LA Derby Dolls – wicked!

We found the LA Derby Dolls warehouse and went in stomachs filled with butterflies. We met the girls and Razorslut, who by the way is the nicest person on earth! Razor taught us how to get on the track and how to roll off the track to the inside. We had some push & pull warm ups and oh my, did those girls push hard! I’ve never experienced such speed and I thought my legs are going to fail me.

The girls (freshmeat!) gave me such hard hits that I had to quit scrimmaging after 3-4 turns on the track, I didn’t want to get injured before RollerCon. They made me be the jammer in my last jam, and I thought I’d die. Instead of going into the pack to be killed, I got a strategy plan with Chargin’ Tina, shopping cart! She pulled me through half of the pack, and as I saw the inside blockers moving outside to get Tina, I saw my chance and ran on the inside and I got through the pack, uninjured!

After practice we had a nice chat with Go Figgure. She gave us some tips what to do in LA for the next few days. After a good practice it was time for me and Ice-S to go see a live gig in Spaceland, Le Butcherettes!

RollerCon 2010, Las Vegas

Who the hell got the idea of going to Vegas and play roller derby outside for several days? Ivanna S. Pankin and her friends did that in the horrible Vegas heat but luckily the event got bigger and now it’s mostly skating inside.

Getting to the hotel (we stayed in Tropicana but drank our beer at the Hooters) was already exciting, and as we went to have some dinner, we noticed all the roller girls spotting us, smiling and saying ‘hi!’. It felt so cool to be noticed as a roller girl!

The first morning, Ice-S and me hooked up with some Swedish and Danish girls (Mad Malooney, Sabotage, Lil Chazza, Bess Irv Cold) and took the bus to Las Vegas Sport Center. We got our passes and started to take a look around the venue space. Luckily we got some really good schedules & class explanations so it took just a cup of coffee and a bun to get our schedules planned for the next 5 days.

It was nice to meet Swede Hurt as well, and I was glad to hear she is going to make a comeback to Scandinavia. It’s so cool she’s been skating in the US for years and now she’s willing to bring her talent near Finland! Yey! Also, it was neat to see such a serious skater letting loose, partying… that’s also part of roller derby, though you are a badass athlete, you know when it’s your time to relax and have some fun!

We got into some good classes held by the Rev, Smarty Pants, Bonnie D.Stroir, Kitty DeCapitate, Suzy Hotrod, Quadzilla, just to name a few. We had to line up for classes 1,5 hours before they started! That felt insane. We got into one class just by showing our ID, it was nice to be a Finn that time. I guess me and Ice-S were the first Finnish skaters in RollerCon (it’s been held annual since 2005).

Friday night we wanted to experience the famous black & blue ball. I guess every skater wants to experience that at least once, but as for me, if I ever go to RollerCon again, I’m sure as hell going to scrimmage the whole evening (cos everybody’s at the ball, you get to skate A LOT on friday nights!). We dressed up, got offered some beers from nice lads, took a swim in the pool and made new friends. I especially remember Sabotage being funny that night…

On saturday we got to participate on a wedding! What typical Vegas action! Our dear friend from Stockholm, Bess Irv Cold got married to Sloppy Boggins, on skates! It was so beautiful and nice. Me and Ice-S planned a ‘morsiamenryöstö’ (Finnish wedding tradition of kidnapping the bride on her wedding night), and Sloppy had to swim in a pool (he hates swimming) to get the bride back. Meanwhile us girls were drinking sparkling wine and having a nice girly chat. It’s good to be invited to an Swedish-Canadian wedding and make it a Finnish one!

On sunday evening I finally decided to do some scrimmaging. I figured so many people already left Vegas, so maybe it’d be the perfect place for a rookie skater like me to try out skating with the most awesome skaters on earth. I was in good hands though – Hunter S. Toss’ Em (head ref) had his eyes sharp to watch after misconducts. I got to skate against the Rev, and I managed to stay alive, once again! I got some really good feedback from Ram Em Noodle, I held the inside line for her and managed to be around when she needed a whip. I also gave the opposing jammer my best hit so far, and she got a major for falling on my back! Sweet!