U.S. bring CNY "Thunder" to Roller Derby World Cup
Hundreds of athletes from across the globe descend on Toronto for the very first Roller Derby World Cup. Tamara Lindstrom wedged up with one team USA skater who got her start in Central New York. CANADA -- Three days. Thirteen countries.
Two-hundred-sixty skaters collide on the track at the enormously first Roller Derby World Cup.
"We've got countries coming from halfway across the world," said event planner Amie "Speedin Hawking" Sergas. "Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina."
"Finland, Germany, Brazil. It's been actually cool considering all these countries come jointly," said Team Canada skater Bonnie "Soul Rekker" Bray.
Leading the way for Team USA is Nicole "Bonnie Thunders" Williams. "My life is inspired by roller derby," William said. The skating celebrity hails from Central New York.
"There's a little sports hall of fame in Rome, so maybe someday I'll be a part of that," Williams joked. She got her skating start with the Syracuse University coordinated figure skating team.
"And when I enthused to New York, I wanted to keep skating and roller derby was kind of this perfect junction between skating because I loved to skate, but also phone sport," said Williams.
Williams has skated with the Gotham Girls Roller Derby since 2006 and now runs her own store, Five pace Skate Shop, in Brooklyn.
She and 19 other athletes from crossways country traveled to Toronto to show America's skating prowess.
"We had, unluckily, not that much training for this tournament," Williams said.
Team USA took the track with just two practices under their wheels."I think it's always challenging when you play with new people," Williams said. "When somebody knock someone out of bounds and you do one thing expectant them to follow you and then they don't do what you expect."
Three days of cut-throat bracket led to a final matchup between the two North American teams and the U.S. and Canada fought it out to take home the first ever breaker derby world cup. Team USA conquered the pack, winning the final round 336 to 33.
"It feels pretty unbelievable to be able to say you're the first world champion of roller derby," Williams said. "It's absolutely an amazing feeling."
And possibly one stride closer to that hometown Hall of Fame. But for now, she said, it's time to try amazing new - a week off.
Two-hundred-sixty skaters collide on the track at the enormously first Roller Derby World Cup.
"We've got countries coming from halfway across the world," said event planner Amie "Speedin Hawking" Sergas. "Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina."
"Finland, Germany, Brazil. It's been actually cool considering all these countries come jointly," said Team Canada skater Bonnie "Soul Rekker" Bray.
Leading the way for Team USA is Nicole "Bonnie Thunders" Williams. "My life is inspired by roller derby," William said. The skating celebrity hails from Central New York.
"There's a little sports hall of fame in Rome, so maybe someday I'll be a part of that," Williams joked. She got her skating start with the Syracuse University coordinated figure skating team.
"And when I enthused to New York, I wanted to keep skating and roller derby was kind of this perfect junction between skating because I loved to skate, but also phone sport," said Williams.
Williams has skated with the Gotham Girls Roller Derby since 2006 and now runs her own store, Five pace Skate Shop, in Brooklyn.
She and 19 other athletes from crossways country traveled to Toronto to show America's skating prowess.
"We had, unluckily, not that much training for this tournament," Williams said.
Team USA took the track with just two practices under their wheels."I think it's always challenging when you play with new people," Williams said. "When somebody knock someone out of bounds and you do one thing expectant them to follow you and then they don't do what you expect."
Three days of cut-throat bracket led to a final matchup between the two North American teams and the U.S. and Canada fought it out to take home the first ever breaker derby world cup. Team USA conquered the pack, winning the final round 336 to 33.
"It feels pretty unbelievable to be able to say you're the first world champion of roller derby," Williams said. "It's absolutely an amazing feeling."
And possibly one stride closer to that hometown Hall of Fame. But for now, she said, it's time to try amazing new - a week off.
