Fight to the Finnish team preview

The Dolly Rockit Rollers host Fight To The Finnish next Saturday, a four team roller derby showcase that will bring European competition to Leicester for the first time. Finnish powerhouses Helsinki Roller Derby will play a challenge tournament against DRR, the Lincolnshire Bombers and Cambridge’s Romsey Town Rollerbillies, with bonus men’s action from the Cocked Tails and London’s Southern Discomfort. All the tournament’s participants will be highly motivated for their own reasons, making the event one of the most hotly anticipated UK derby events in recent months.

Helsinki Roller Derby

Currently ranked 6th in Euroderby.org Division 2, Helsinki are expected to provide a formidable challenge to their UK-based opposition. Featuring no less than eleven Team Finland internationals on their roster, including European Allstar Suvi Hokkari and veteran blocker Tigre Force, HRD’s strength in depth is beyond question. The Finns won’t be short on motivation for the tournament either, following hefty losses to Edinburgh’s Auld Reekie and Stockholm in their previous two games.

Dolly Rockit Rollers

The Dolly Rockits enter the competition in a remarkably similar position to their guests. The Leicester team are ranked directly below Helsinki at 7th in Division 2, and are also smarting after a big loss in their last outing (in DRR’s case, a 224-69 reversal at Brighton). With double-threat Holly Sheet returning to the lineup, however, and England star Rogue Runner fired up for her last home game before moving to WFTDA titans London, the stage is set for the Dollies to make an immediate return to form. If DRR can get their offence firing they’ll cause Helsinki real problems on the day.

Lincolnshire Bombers Rollergirls

Lincolnshire (15th, Division 2) are on a huge high as an organisation, having been admitted as full members of WFTDA at the beginning of June. Again, they enter the tournament off the back of a big loss, going down 193-66 to Tiger Bay at the end of May, but with the eyes of the worldwide roller derby community now firmly on them they have perhaps the most to gain from the event. A stable core of talented veteran skaters and the all important “WFTDA effect” could be the catalyst Lincolnshire need to click at the tournament

Romsey Town Rollerbillies

Romsey (13th, Division 3) may be ranked a fair distance below their opponents in the tournament, but are also the only team to enter with recent European form under their belt. The Rollerbillies embarked on a highly successful weekend in Belgium at the end of May, beating Antwerp’s One Love Rollergirls and coming close against Ghent’s Go-Go Rollergirls to prove that they’re no strangers to competing against high ranking opposition. If their experienced skaters can bring their A-game to the tournament they could be genuine dark horses.

The tournament will follow a challenge format, with Helsinki utilising an extended 20 skater roster to play off against each UK team in 30 minute bouts. The team with the best record from the first round will then play the Finns in a full length final bout at the end of the day.

In between the first round and the final will be a rematch of the April’s men’s game between London’s Southern Discomfort and the Cocked Tails exhibition team. Southern Discomfort won the first leg at a canter but will be without their talismanic captain Ballistic Whistle for Saturday’s bout. With the Cocked Tails featuring a fair number of skaters from the in-form Lincolnshire Rolling Thunder, and the majority of the crowd likely to be backing the boys in pink thanks to close ties with DRR and the Bombers, it could be anyone’s game.

Fight To The Finnish takes place at Parklands Leisure Centre, Leicester on June 9th, with the opening bout at 1pm. Tickets are priced at £10 in advance, £12 on the door, and are available from http://dollyrockitrollers.bigcartel.com/product/ticket-fight-to-the-finnish