Credit: Photo courtesy of Felicia Graham

It’s a sad fact of life that some cities don’t have a single Roller Derby league. Fortunately, Austin has two, and both the flat-track Texas Rollergirls and the banked track TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls will be bouting this weekend. In a long-awaited rematch of last year’s Texas Rollergirls championships, the Hustlers plan to dethrone three-time champs the Hotrod Honeys. The Hotrods just returned from a victorious tour of Australia, where they beat Melbourne’s Victorian Roller Derby League in front of more than 3,000 fans, but will that mean they turn up battle-hardened or jet-lagged? Not that the purple-clad Hustlers care, as they try to dethrone the dynasty. Don’t expect much sympathy in the night’s opening bout, as the resurgent Hell Marys pray they can close the season with a big win over the Honky Tonk Heartbreakers (if they all survive Friday’s pep rally at Fadó, that is). Over the river on the banked track, the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls edge closer to their own title bout as the Holy Rollers try to break their losing streak across the backs of the Putas del Fuego. Will the Rollers makes the Putas burn, or can the Putas put themselves back into contention for November’s Calvello Cup bout?

Texas Rollergirls Pep Rally: Fri., Aug. 5, 7-9pm. Fadó Irish Pub, 214 W. Fourth. Free. Championship Bout: Sat., Aug. 6, doors 5:15pm, bout 6pm. Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez. $15; $12, advance; free, kids under 12. www.texasrollergirls.org.

TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls Bout: Sat., Aug. 6, doors 6pm, bout 7pm. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. $15; $13, advance. www.txrd.com.

This article appears in August 5 • 2011.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.