Roll with it!

Photo: PICTURE: CHRIS SUNDERLAND

OUT OF MY WAY: Randi Razorlegs (left), of Rainy City Roller Girls, breaks through.

World Cup chance for City Girls
ROLLER DERBY: TWO of Oldham’s Rainy City Roller Girls are chasing Roller Derby World Cup glory with England next month.

Kerrie Wilson and Danielle Thorpe are part of the England squad heading to Toronto, Canada, for the inaugural four-day tournament, which runs December 1-4.

And they have their eyes set firmly on a dream showdown with competition favourites USA. Now in their third year, Rainy City Roller Girls moved their headquarters from Middleton to the Thunderdome on King Street, Oldham, earlier in 2011.

Roller derby is a contact sport contested by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track, with points scored by lapping rivals.

Also battling it out in the World Cup are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, hosts Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and Sweden.

Wilson said: “We cannot wait to get over there and give it a good go. England are probably second favourites to win the World Cup behind USA, so if we can at least get to the final it will be a fantastic experience.

“We have to pay for our own flights so it won’t be possible for friends and family to join us out in Toronto, but there are plans to stream the matches live online so they can all crowd around the laptop.

bouts It is a good time to be playing in such a big event, because we are enjoying ourselves at the moment. Oldham feels like home to us now and the bouts are a lot of fun.”

One of the sport’s quirky features sees players given the chance to use pseudonyms — Wilson is known to team-mates as Missy Rascal, while Thorpe’s alter-ego is Dee-Mise.

Wilson added: “It is optional, but I like it because it goes back many years and is a traditional feature of roller derby. In my case, I suppose my musical influences are quite obvious, because it is a mix between Dizzy Rascal and Missy Elliot!”

For more information about getting your hands on tickets to watch the Rainy City Roller Girls take on clubs from across the UK, visit www.rcrg.co.uk