https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sports/2011-03-26/roller-derby-update-3-26-11/

Roller Derby Update 3/26/11

By Richard Whittaker, March 26, 2011, 12:00pm, The Score

It's the bout every Texas Rollergirls fan has been waiting for tomorrow, as the Hustlers aim to prove their recent victory over the Hotrod Honeys was not a fluke. Meanwhile, it's banked track versus flat track in a champion-versus-champion double header in the Golden State.

Texas Rollergirls

If you're going to get a celebrity whistle blower, get one who knows something about wheeled sports. For their March 27 home bout, the Texas Rollergirls have got Mark Zupan, former captain of the United States wheelchair rugby team and star of 2005 documentary Murderball, blowing the opening whistle. He better clear the track quickly: The main event is undoubtedly the eagerly awaited rematch between 2010 title holders the Hotrod Honeys and their arch-nemeses the Hustlers. The purple terrors handed the champs their first defeat in what feels like living memory at the season opening round robin, and the Hotrods are eager to settle the score. Meanwhile the Hell Marys are hoping to prove how much they have improved under coaches Punk Rock Phil and Dagger Deb at the expense of the Honky Tonk Heartbreakers. Tomorrow's bout is at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez. Doors 4.15pm, bout 5pm. Tickets available now, children under 12 free. Afterparty at the White Swan Lounge.

If you're at the Veloway on April 9, watch out for the Texecutioners as they clock up the miles in their second annual Texecutioner Skate-a-Thon. The TXRG travel team has a serious road season ahead of them, and so all cash raised go directly to the travel fund. You can sponsor the whole team or your favorite Texie online here

The Hell Marys are racking up the mileage too. After beating a mixed team from the Pikes Peak Derby Dames 121-105, they are scheduled to face the Cent-Tex Sirens at the Frank Mayborn Center in Temple on April 10.

TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls

After checking out the opposition from the sidelines, 2010 Calvello Cup winners the Cherry Bombs finally hit the track on April 10. They face the Holy Rollers, who will be looking to shake off their 87-23 decimation by the Rhinestone Cowgirls. Tickets available now.

Beyond Austin

Which is better, banked track or flat track? Don't expect that to ever be settled, but two-time Battle of the Bank winner the San Diego Derby Dolls will face 2010 Women's Flat Track Derby Association champs the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls tonight. The banked track bout will be broadcast live via Derbynewsnetwork.com at 7pm Pacific, 9pm Central.

The WFTDA has grown again, as six more leagues graduate from the apprentice program. Oklahoma City Roller Derby and Florida's Gold Coast Derby Grrls join the Texas Rollergirls in the South Central region. However, the big expansion is in the super-competitive Western region, which Utah's Junction City Roller Dolls and the Choice City Rebels from Fort Collins, Col., plus Alaska's Rage City Rollergirls and Canada's Terminal City Rollergirls out of Vancouver. With increasing disparity between the size and number of teams in each region, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the boundaries to be redrawn.

We already have Jam City Rollergirls, the world's first roller derby video game: Now Chaz Hall, a referee with the Greenville Derby Dames and amateur table top game designer, is raising funds for Roller Derby: The Board Game. You can see his kickstarter page here.

Oh, and if you ever needed a reason to hate neo-Nazis more, the National Socialist Movement of Wisconsin is planning to protest a May 14 bout of the Brew City Bruisers because they have a team called the Rushin' Rollettes.