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Health & Fitness

Atlanta Rollergirls are on a Roll

Roller derby is America's fastest growing sport and our own Atlanta Rollergirls are really good at it. Undefeated so far in 2013, the Rollergirls are on a roll. See them May 18 in midtown.

The Atlanta Rollergirls are on a roll and we couldn’t be prouder of them. Undefeated this season with 2 huge 400+ point wins in the pocket, Atlanta’s own roller derby all-stars, the Dirty South Derby Girls, are now ranked # 17 in the world. If you haven’t checked out Atlanta roller derby this season, there has never been a better time than now. Roller derby is America’s fastest growing sport and your one-and-only Atlanta Rollergirls are really good at it.

This Saturday, May 18 at 5 pm, you can see what world class roller derby looks like—right here in midtown—when the Atlanta Rollergirls’ all-stars take on the closely ranked (#23) Ohio Rollergirls. Last year’s Cinderella team, the Atlanta Rollergirls have gotten off to an amazing start in 2013, with punishing victories over the Blue Ridge Rollergirls and long-time regional rivals, Nashville. But Ohio could be a real test of their mettle as they strive to break into the elite top ten of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association rankings. The outcome will be closely watched by the international derby world, and it will undoubtedly affect the rankings of both teams.

The Atlanta-Ohio bout is just the first bout in an Atlanta Rollergirls doubleheader featuring a second 7:30 pm match between Atlanta home teams, the Toxic Shocks and the Apocalypstix. These teams may belong to the same league, but the competition is just as fierce and the rivalries just as intense. Last year the Shocks defeated the Stix in the Grudge Match for 3rd place in the Atlanta league; both teams enter this bout with one in the W column for 2013. The Shocks are known for the prowess of their jammers – the players who take the hits and score the points—and the Stix are known for their powerful defense and heavy hitters. What will happen when the unstoppable force of the Shocks jammers hit the immovable object of the Stix defense is anyone’s guess, but fans can expect to see fantastic feats of female athleticism on both sides.

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If you are not familiar with roller derby, it’s a fast-paced, intensely physical and athletically challenging team sport. It’s also a contact sport: bouts feature plenty of blocking, hitting, and racing as each team simultaneously attempts to get their jammer through the pack, block the opponent’s jammer and score points. But modern roller derby, unlike its vintage predecessor, is never staged. We’ve retained elements of derby’s original, quirky identity in fun effects like stage names and themed bouts, half-time shows by local bands, and alternative arts and crafts stalls in the courtyard. But today’s derby bouts are fought and won through strategy and athletic finesse. Come see for yourself on May 18!

For more information or tickets to the May 18 doubleheader, please visit

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