Auld Reekie’s All Stars left Edinburgh Airport earlier today to cross the Atlantic to take on some of the best teams in international roller derby at the end of the month. This will be the toughest challenge in the league’s history.
The Edinburgh team who are currently ranked 48th in the world, are the only UK team to have secured a coveted place in the three-day Big O Tournament in Oregon, which runs from 29th April – 1st May 2016.
Despite an unbeaten record in 2016, the team are under no illusions as to the sizable challenge that awaits them in Oregon.
Lianne Parry (Crazylegs), All Stars Co-Captain said:
“Competing in The Big O is huge for ARRG. It’s a massive opportunity for us, not only to play some of the best derby in the world, it’s vital for us to improve our international ranking. It’s also a massive challenge as we are set to play four teams who are ranked as high as 20 places above us.
Over three days we’ll be playing really experienced, well-practiced teams of a level we’ve probably not come against in recent times. We will face teams like original WFTDA member league Windy City (Chicago) who have been playing at the highest tournament levels since before our team existed!
It will be a massive test to hold our focus when things maybe don’t go our way and to keep calm and together. We’ve trained incredibly hard, developed some new approaches to our game, aiming to play smarter and consolidating key tactics. We are ready for the challenge.
Whatever happens, we’re stoked to be there and we will bring the full might of Auld Reekie to the US in every game we play. We’ll get the outcomes we want from this tournament.”
In what is billed as ‘a roller derby spectacular of epic proportions’, the international tournament will feature three days of world class roller derby, played at the very highest skill level.
Nearly forty teams will compete, including Team USA and six of the top ten women’s teams in the world.
Auld Reekie Roller Girls All Stars Big O Fixtures:
Friday 29th April
ARRG v Windy City Rollers (Chicago)
Saturday 30th April
ARRG v Sacred (Sacramento)
Sunday 30th April
ARRG v Santa Cruz
Games can be streamed live online via: http://ecrg.com/bigo/
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
