The opening bout for Newcastle’s Roller Derby Mayhem, saw the birth of roller derby’s newest local derby between the girls from Central Coast Valkyries and Newcastle’s B team, The Star Riots.

Skating out for the first time in the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, the Valkyries flashed their swords and showed the local fans this was to be a raiding party that they would fight to take home the spoils of victory.

As the Star Riots took to the track the local fans made it known where the crowd support laid. Mal Adjusted MC’ing the event looked splendid in his fabulous electric pink suit gave the welcomes and set the scene for the uninitiated in the ways of derby.

Miss I’ll Launch-Her of the Valkyries and Calamity Cutthroat for the Riot’s took to the jammer line for the first jam of the night. Calamity skated straight through the pack for the first lead jammer of the night grabbing a rapid 4 points before Miss I’ll launch-Her stole back the advantage with her own 4 pointer in the following jam.

In what was to be a theme for the night penalties began to pile up. The Central Coast girls spending time in the box could only watch on as the Riots blew the score out 37 – 8. Jammers sitting in penalty boxes lead to 15 point jams by the opponents and soon saw a massive gap in the scores forming. The Valkyries finally took control as Newcastle managed to have their jammer and a blocker sent to the box allowing a quick five points before calling off the jam.

Penalties caused havoc all bout for jammers and blockers spending more of their night skating toward the bin than out scoring on the track leading to a one sided looking scoreboard which was unrepresentative of the true nature of the bout.

The Valkyries showed themselves to be a tough opponent and the Star Riots exposed that while they may be the B travel team for Newcastle the girls in the Dockyard Dames (Newcastle’s A travel side) better stay sharp or risk their spot as these hard charges look to move up.

While it may have only been a warm up bout for the night main attraction, the quality, determination and enthusiasm of both the Valkyries and Star Riots showed that Roller Derby in the Hunter region is good shape with a bright future.

Newcastle’s Dockyard Dames will this weekend take on Wollongong – Illawarra Roller Derby‘s Steel City Derby Dolls in the play off for third place in the Eastern Region Roller Derby championships. Held at the home of the Western Sydney Rollers, Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, Herbert Street Cambridge Park, doors open at 3pm.

The battle for first place pits Sydney Roller Derby League’s: Assassins vs Canberra Roller Derby League’s: Vice City Rollers and gets underway at 6pm.

Tickets are $15 buy them at the door or: http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=50548&ref=moshtix&skin

Words by Pepâ la POW!

Photographs by Roaringstorm Photography & Nick Sullivan