Toronto Roller Derby
Encyclopedia
Toronto Roller Derby is a women's flat-track roller derby
league in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. Formed in 2006, the league started play in 2007, and completed its fifth season in 2011. Operated and managed by its skaters and members, ToRD has four house teams, one rookie team, and two travel teams.
The house league season runs from February through the summer, with events for ToRD's travel team "CN Power" scheduled year round. Toronto Roller Derby is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association
, having gained membership in June 2011. In December 2011 ToRD will serve as host of the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup
.
: Chicks Ahoy!, The Death Track Dolls, The Gore-Gore Rollergirls and the Smoke City Betties.
theme, and have never appeared in the league final.
, and short for Deadly Viper Assassination Squad) is the league's rookie
squad, composed of first-year and transfer skaters who have yet to be drafted onto the other four league teams. Two teams from the original group of six in 2007 disbanded before the start of the 2009 season. The D'VAS and The Bay Street Bruisers both folded in the Spring of 2009, and the skaters dispersed to the remaining four league teams. This new incarnation of the D'VAS was launched in 2010, and skate against other leagues' emerging talent. They wear black tops with red shorts.
, a Toronto landmark. Team members are selected from the four house teams, making the team in effect an "all-star
" team. The team colours are pink and silver, and CN Power plays home and away games against teams from other cities' leagues. CN Power competes for Toronto in WFTDA's North Central
region.
Toronto Roller Derby hosts an invitational tournament called Quad City Chaos the last weekend in March, bringing in travel teams from three other cities to play CN Power; in 2011 those teams were Montreal Roller Derby
's New Skids On The Block, Tri-City Roller Girls
' Tri-City Thunder and the Rideau Valley Vixens from Ottawa.
, Drew Barrymore
's film Whip It had its North American premiere. To help promote the film, the Toronto Roller Derby league held a public exhibition bout at Yonge-Dundas Square, an event which was attended by the stars of the film at halftime, giving Toronto Roller Derby their largest media exposure to date. ToRD's luck in securing the premiere, the legacy of the film festival event, and the film itself, have contributed to larger crowds and greater numbers of women trying out for the league.
has been providing regular news coverage on CityNews
, provided by sports anchor Kathryn Humphreys
.
, scheduled for early December 2011. The event will see teams representing 13 countries in a three-day tournament held at The Bunker at Downsview Park. League member Brim Stone, captain of both the Gore-Gore Rollergirls as well as CN Power, has been named to Team Canada for the event.
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
league in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Formed in 2006, the league started play in 2007, and completed its fifth season in 2011. Operated and managed by its skaters and members, ToRD has four house teams, one rookie team, and two travel teams.
The house league season runs from February through the summer, with events for ToRD's travel team "CN Power" scheduled year round. Toronto Roller Derby is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association
Women's Flat Track Derby Association
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association is an association of women's flat track roller derby leagues in the United States. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501 business...
, having gained membership in June 2011. In December 2011 ToRD will serve as host of the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup
Roller Derby World Cup
The Roller Derby World Cup is an international women's roller derby tournament organized by Blood & Thunder magazine. Teams of amateur skaters from around the world are fielded to compete for their respective nations. The inaugural 2011 event is being hosted by Toronto Roller Derby, and is being...
.
House teams
The league has four house teams, which play against each other at Home events at The Bunker in Downsview ParkDownsview Park
Downsview Park is a former Canadian Forces Base in the community of Downsview in Toronto, Canada. It contains about 231.5 hectares of land, of which more than 130 hectares are earmarked for traditional parkland, recreational and cultural amenities...
: Chicks Ahoy!, The Death Track Dolls, The Gore-Gore Rollergirls and the Smoke City Betties.
Chicks Ahoy!
The Chicks Ahoy! feature bright green uniforms with a sailor theme. "The Chicks" have appeared in the league final four out of five years, and were the league champion in 2008 and 2011.Death Track Dolls
The Death Track Dolls wear predominantly white outfits with red accents, with an undead zombieZombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
theme, and have never appeared in the league final.
Gore-Gore Rollergirls
The Gore-Gore Rollergirls wear distinctive leopard-print outfits. The only team to have appeared in all five championship bouts, "The Gores" were the winners of the league's first final in 2007 and are the first league team to capture back to back titles, winning in 2009 and 2010.Smoke City Betties
The Smoke City Betties wear black and blue uniforms and were runner up in the 2009 league final.D'VAS
The D'VAS ' onMouseout='HidePop("67510")' href="/topics/Diva">divaDiva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
, and short for Deadly Viper Assassination Squad) is the league's rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
squad, composed of first-year and transfer skaters who have yet to be drafted onto the other four league teams. Two teams from the original group of six in 2007 disbanded before the start of the 2009 season. The D'VAS and The Bay Street Bruisers both folded in the Spring of 2009, and the skaters dispersed to the remaining four league teams. This new incarnation of the D'VAS was launched in 2010, and skate against other leagues' emerging talent. They wear black tops with red shorts.
Championship history
At the end of every season, Toronto Roller Derby holds playoff bouts, with the two finalists playing for the league championship trophy, known as The Boot.| Season | Champion | Runner Up | Final Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gore-Gore Rollergirls | Chicks Ahoy! | 89-53 | Rinx |
| 2008 | Chicks Ahoy! | Gore-Gore Rollergirls | 114-97 | George Bell Arena |
| 2009 | Gore-Gore Rollergirls | Smoke City Betties | 129-88 | The Hangar |
| 2010 | Gore-Gore Rollergirls | Chicks Ahoy! | 107-31 | The Hangar |
| 2011 | Chicks Ahoy! | Gore-Gore Rollergirls | 111-46 | The Hangar |
CN Power
Toronto Roller Derby's charter travel team is named CN Power, playing on the name of the CN TowerCN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
, a Toronto landmark. Team members are selected from the four house teams, making the team in effect an "all-star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
" team. The team colours are pink and silver, and CN Power plays home and away games against teams from other cities' leagues. CN Power competes for Toronto in WFTDA's North Central
North Central Region (WFTDA)
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association's North Central Region was formed in 2008.Members in the central part of the Canada Region currently compete in the North Central Region...
region.
CN Power bouting history
| Date | Opponent | League | Site | Final Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 21, 2008 | HCRG EH! Team | Hammer City Roller Girls Hammer City Roller Girls The Hammer City Roller Girls is a roller derby league based in Hamilton, Ontario. Founded in 2006, the league currently consists of two mixed teams which compete against teams from other leagues.... - Hamilton, ON Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe... |
George Bell Arena | 105-95 | EH! Team |
| January 17, 2009 | PVRG All-Stars | Paper Valley Roller Girls - Appleton, WI | Skater's Edge (Appleton) | 88-79 | All-Stars |
| June 20, 2009 | HCRG EH! Team | Hammer City Roller Girls — Hamilton, ON | Dave Andreychuk Arena (Hamilton) | 82-60 | EH! Team |
| August 22, 2009 | Disassembly Line | Detroit Derby Girls Detroit Derby Girls The Detroit Derby Girls, or DDG, are a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Detroit, Michigan. The league was formed in January, 2005 and held their first bouts in February, 2006... - Detroit, MI Detroit, Michigan Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... |
The Hangar | 122-90 | CN Power |
| September 26, 2009 | Chicago Outfit Syndicate | Chicago Outfit Roller Derby Chicago Outfit Roller Derby Chicago Outfit Roller Derby is an all-female flat-track roller derby league based in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2007, the Chicago Outfit became full members of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association on June 17, 2010... - Chicago, IL Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
Windy City Fieldhouse (Chicago) | 147-28 | Syndicate |
| February 27, 2010 | Rideau Valley Vixens | Rideau Valley Roller Girls Rideau Valley Roller Girls The Rideau Valley Roller Girls is a roller derby league based in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada. Founded in 2008, the league currently consists of two home teams and one travel team who compete against teams from other leagues in Canada and the USA.... - Ottawa, ON |
The Hangar | 199-49 | CN Power |
| March 27, 2010 | Terminal City All-Stars | Terminal City Roller Girls - Vancouver, BC | The Hangar | 97-79 | CN Power |
| March 27, 2010 | HCRG EH! Team | Hammer City Roller Girls — Hamilton, ON | The Hangar | 89-87 | CN Power |
| March 28, 2010 | New Skids On The Block | Montreal Roller Derby Montreal Roller Derby Montreal Roller Derby, the first flat-track roller derby league in Montreal, is a non-profit organization that was started in 2006 by Georgia W. Tush.Montreal Roller Derby League became the first non-U.S... - Montreal, QC Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... |
The Hangar | 229-45 | New Skids |
| August 21, 2010 | Lake Effect Furies | Queen City Roller Girls Queen City Roller Girls Queen City Roller Girls or QCRG, are a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Buffalo, New York. Founded in 2006, the league played their fourth season in 2010... - Buffalo, NY Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... |
The Hangar | 110-79 | Furies |
| September 25, 2010 | Ironbound Maidens | Garden State Rollergirls - Wallington, NJ Wallington, New Jersey Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County... |
Inline Skating Club of America (Wallington) | 125-115 | Maidens |
| October 16, 2010 | Tri-City Thunder | Tri-City Rollergirls Tri-City Roller Girls Tri-City Roller Girls is a women's flat-track roller derby league in Kitchener, Ontario. On December 1, 2010, Tri-City became the third Canadian roller derby league to be granted membership in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, an organization that thus far, is overwhelmingly composed of... - Kitchener, ON Kitchener, Ontario The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census... |
New Hamburg Arena (New Hamburg, ON) | 122-50 | Thunder |
| February 26, 2011 | Killamazoo Derby Darlins | Killamazoo Derby Darlins - Kalamazoo, MI Kalamazoo, Michigan The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to... |
The Hangar | 197-35 | CN Power |
| March 26, 2011 | Rideau Valley Vixens | Rideau Valley Roller Girls — Ottawa, ON | The Hangar | 156-40 | CN Power |
| March 26, 2011 | New Skids On The Block | Montreal Roller Derby — Montreal, QC | The Hangar | 284-21 | New Skids |
| March 27, 2011 | Tri-City Thunder | Tri-City Roller Girls — Kitchener, ON | The Hangar | 112-98 | CN Power |
| August 20, 2011 | Killamazoo Derby Darlins | Killamazoo Derby Darlins — Kalamazoo, MI | Wings Stadium Wings Stadium Wings Stadium is a 5,113-seat multi-purpose arena, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arena opened in 1974 and is home to the Kalamazoo Wings, an ice hockey team in the ECHL.... (Kalamazoo, MI) |
220 - 76 | CN Power |
| September 10, 2011 | Montreal Sexpos | Montreal Roller Derby — Montreal, QC | The Bunker | 79-44 | CN Power |
| October 1, 2011 | HCRG EH! Team | Hammer City Roller Girls — Hamilton, ON | The Bunker | 277-22 | CN Power |
| October 22, 2011 | Grand Raggidy All Stars | Grand Raggidy Roller Girls Grand Raggidy Roller Girls The Grand Raggidy Roller Girls is a roller derby league based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 2005, the league currently consists of two mixed teams which compete against teams from other leagues.... - Grand Rapids, MI |
Rivertown Sports (Grandville, MI) | 148-68 | Grand Raggidy |
| October 23, 2011 | Lake Effect Furies | Queen City Roller Girls — Buffalo, NY | Rainbow Rink (North Tonawanda, NY North Tonawanda, New York North Tonawanda is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 31,568 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is named after Tonawanda Creek, its south border... ) |
139-129 | CN Power |
Toronto Roller Derby hosts an invitational tournament called Quad City Chaos the last weekend in March, bringing in travel teams from three other cities to play CN Power; in 2011 those teams were Montreal Roller Derby
Montreal Roller Derby
Montreal Roller Derby, the first flat-track roller derby league in Montreal, is a non-profit organization that was started in 2006 by Georgia W. Tush.Montreal Roller Derby League became the first non-U.S...
's New Skids On The Block, Tri-City Roller Girls
Tri-City Roller Girls
Tri-City Roller Girls is a women's flat-track roller derby league in Kitchener, Ontario. On December 1, 2010, Tri-City became the third Canadian roller derby league to be granted membership in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, an organization that thus far, is overwhelmingly composed of...
' Tri-City Thunder and the Rideau Valley Vixens from Ottawa.
Bay Street Bruisers
The Bay Street Bruisers were one of the original six home teams when the league started play in 2007, but disbanded in early 2007 along with the original D'VAS. In 2011 the Bruisers name was resurrected for a "B team", to be a secondary travel squad in addition to CN Power. As of October 2011, they intend to start game play in 2012, and no announcements about uniforms have been yet made.Whip It promotion
During the 2009 Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
, Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
's film Whip It had its North American premiere. To help promote the film, the Toronto Roller Derby league held a public exhibition bout at Yonge-Dundas Square, an event which was attended by the stars of the film at halftime, giving Toronto Roller Derby their largest media exposure to date. ToRD's luck in securing the premiere, the legacy of the film festival event, and the film itself, have contributed to larger crowds and greater numbers of women trying out for the league.
Rogers TV
Since 2010, Rogers TV in Toronto has been airing playoff games from the Toronto Roller Derby house league season, beginning with the Championship Bout from November 2010, which was the first time a complete ToRD event was broadcast on local television. Starting in 2011, Rogers property CITY-TVCITY-TV
CITY-DT, Channel 57 , is a television station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned and operated by Rogers Media...
has been providing regular news coverage on CityNews
CityNews
CityNews is the title of local television newscasts currently seen on CITY-TV Toronto, Canada. It premiered on September 12, 1977 under the name CityPulse, then spread to Citytv stations in other cities across Canada. Due to severe financial issues, as of January 19, 2010, the only station that...
, provided by sports anchor Kathryn Humphreys
Kathryn Humphreys
Kathryn Humphreys is a Canadian sports anchor for CityNews at Six and CityNews Tonight. She was previously with CityNews Weekend which she joined in March 1997....
.
Roller Derby World Cup
It was announced in early 2011 that Toronto Roller Derby has been chosen to host the inaugural Roller Derby World CupRoller Derby World Cup
The Roller Derby World Cup is an international women's roller derby tournament organized by Blood & Thunder magazine. Teams of amateur skaters from around the world are fielded to compete for their respective nations. The inaugural 2011 event is being hosted by Toronto Roller Derby, and is being...
, scheduled for early December 2011. The event will see teams representing 13 countries in a three-day tournament held at The Bunker at Downsview Park. League member Brim Stone, captain of both the Gore-Gore Rollergirls as well as CN Power, has been named to Team Canada for the event.