Seaside Sirens

Very regrettably Southend's Seaside Sirens have pulled up their track tape for the last time.  Back in the days before roller derby got a bit up itself they produced some enjoyably witty skate outs and we snapped what was their and the Norfolk Brawds' first public bout.  Some good has come from it as the Sirens have donated £1,000 of their remaining funds to GB Junior Derby.

Croydon Roller Derby prepared for their Bucket and Slayed bout against the Seaside Sirens in Southend last weekend by screaming and punching an adjacent team mate.  Despite the self harming the Croydon jammers frequently by hot pursuit forced Sirens lead jammers to call it off early.  The bout proceeded evenly matched but ending, perhaps surprisingly, 158-133 to the Sirens.  Favourite new to us derby name Gin Atomic, honourable mention Daylight Throbbery.

In the men's bout Southern Discomfort initially seemed wary of our camera, which was a bit odd as we've snapped them at the Sirens before, but they soon enough settled to a modest drubbing of Sheffield's Inhuman League 254-73.  We were impressed by how cheerfully and committedly Sheffield stuck at the task of steadily losing.

Saturday's Battle of Britain in Southend had four teams led by Seaside Sirens but with guest skaters from all over.  The first no break 40 minute Hurricanes v Spitfires bout flashed past, even the 30 seconds between jams somehow seemed shorter ... perhaps it was absence of official time outs.  We were taken with the committed jamming of London Rockin' Roller Aerodipanic who seemed to find gaps the size of a garage door to swan through.

Regrettably there had been only ten minutes of the main bout when a scream crossed with a squeak came from Hyps/Storm in a B Cup as she went down with a badly injured ankle.  (She later said when she heard the scream she knew someone had been injured and then realised it was herself.)  Moving Hyps and waiting 40 minutes plus for an ambulance held up the game for some 80 minutes but the hall flexibly extended the hire by an hour and two 20 minute halves with a five minute break were played catching out most of the skaters who hadn't realised it was the final jam ... wouldn't be the first time.

At Pier Pressure in Southend Saturday we missed the first bout skate out but surely the Sirens' A team's dough boy must have won despite mixed team Masters of the Derbyverse coaches YT and Philthy winning appreciative laughter from the crowd for their super-heroine capes ... wouldn't it be nice if programmes gave the home leagues of mixed team skaters?  The Masters of etc went evens stevens against Sirens B until three quarters through the bout when jammer majors hurt them.  We were impressed by the jamming of Seaside Siren Fort Knocks, despite being of slightish build she seemed to just throw herself at the blocker wall.

In the main bout it was the first public derby for the Wolverhampton Honour Rollers and as so often in derby the 236-87 score line didn't reflect that they weren't outclassed and they will get better.

<blush>  Our pic of Truly Thumptious and son has been nominated by US web site Derby Life for Most Derby photo 2011.