Roller derby back in Byron

Ross Kendall

The Northern Rivers Revolt roller derby held last weekend at the Cavanbah Centre has been declared a great success with six teams contesting the inaugural event.

The teams competed over two days and 16 games with the Sydney Roller Derby League proving eventual winners of the round robin contest by just one game.

Other contenders included teams from Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and a combined Tweed Valley and northern rivers team called the River Valley Rollers.

‘All profits from the event are being donated to Women Up North. A jersey auction consisting of uniforms donated from skaters across Australia and even overseas raised over one thousand dollars, plus there is takings from the door on top of that,’ Northern Rivers Roller Derby treasurer Salome said.

‘The Tweed Valley Rollers wanted to use one of our venues, but we the NRRD didn’t have the numbers on our own, so we teamed up to put on the event’, she said.

‘With support from ZZZ radio helping to get word out the event was well attended with a lot of people getting to enjoy roller derby for the first time and there was very positive feedback from all involved including skaters, officials and spectators,’ she said.

‘This event has been instrumental in getting roller derby back in the northern rivers and we are hoping to make this an annual event’.

NRRD are always on the lookout for new players and even people who are learning to skate are welcome to join the club until they are ready to roll.

There are also plenty of jobs like umpiring and officiating for those who don’t skate.

The club is also developing a junior squad that boasts eight players. Anyone over 12 is welcome to join.

Northern Rivers Roller Derby training is held at 5.30pm Thursday nights in Lismore at Rollerworld and at 6.30pm Friday nights in Byron Bay at the Cavanbah Centre. Tweed Valley Rollers also run intake sessions for new skaters.