Mad mayhem
It ́s tough and sexy at the same time. The Gent Go-Go Roller Girls' first national bout this Saturday is likely to have you on the edge of your seat, not only with its fast-paced action but awe at their grace, girly get-ups, and capacity for a healthy bit of violence.
Belgium’s first-ever roller derby bout
Go-Go Roller Girls, established in 2008, gave this minority sport a foothold in Flanders. Invented in late 19th-century America as races, the 1950s brought a theatrical element to roller derby ,and the sport was incredibly popular into the 1970s. It has had a resurgence in the last decade in the US among modern, young women, who embrace the cross- over between fierce competition and skimpy fishnets - derby is known for its sexy brand of uniforms.
Go-Go Roller Girls have played Stuttgart and are preparing for battle against the Berlin Bombshells. But before that, we get a chance to see them on home turf when the league's two teams face each other for their first-ever local bout.
For those uninitiated in roller derby - played on quad skates - a bout consists of two teams of five players. There are four blockers on each team who try to stop the other team's "jammer" from getting through and scoring points.
"It combines femininity with the roughness and toughness of sport," explains player Aagje Vanden Bussche. "If you ́ve had a sucky date, for example, you can really take it out on the track. In a good way."
If it all sounds a bit too violent, there are strict rules. No elbows, no kicking and no "unfriendly" shoving. Watch the two teams - the Mad Megs (who get their name from Ghent's famous canon) and the Bells of Mayhem - keep their elbows down as they weave between each other. "We are going to show everyone for the first time what we have been working on and why we are so obsessed with this sport," says Vanden Bussche.
After that, comes the obligatory, and legendary, after party.
15 January, 19.00
Hoge Wal Sport Centre
Guldensporenlaan 34
Ertvelde
www.gentgogorollergirls.be
Photo © Véronique L'heureux
