Richter City Takes Historic Win

Richter City Takes Historic Win

Wellington’s Richter City Roller Derby All Stars ended Auckland’s Pirate City All Scars New Zealandwide winning streak on Saturday night.

Photo: Masanori Udagawa

In a closely fought battle that came down to the final jam, Richter City won the bout 194192, cheered on by a very vocal home crowd of over 1000 fans.

In all three previous matchups spanning 2009 to 2011, Pirate City had won convincingly. They had been unbeaten by any New Zealand team.

The game was also significant as the first ever NZ roller derby bout to be sanctioned by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the international body for flat track roller derby. Both Richter City and Pirate City are apprentice leagues to WFTDA. Upon full membership, they will be ranked internationally.

Saturday’s bout was characterised by strong defense and large scoring runs in numerous power jams, a situation created when one team’s jammer is sent to the penalty box leaving only the other team able to score. The scoreline was tight throughout the match, with neither team able to gain a comfortable margin for any period of time.

Pirate City took an early lead in the game, racking up an unanswered 22 points in the first few jams of the night. However, Richter City clawed the advantage back, and after a series of power jams going to each side, the score sat at RCRD 50 PCR 47.

Richter City captain Skanda Lass was stretchered off the track with an ankle injury, leaving her team to regroup and play short for the remainder of the game.

The Pirates took the lead again, and held the advantage for the rest of the first half. A late run by Richter City saw the teams head into halftime nearly neck and neck, PCR 108 RCRD 100. The visitors came out strong in the second half and extended the lead to 20 points. The points difference hovered around this level for much of the period, with the two teams exchanging power jams and scoring advantages.

The Pirates were hampered by penalty trouble, which eventually saw three of their key players foul out of the game in the second half.

Heading into the last five minutes, an outstanding power jam from Meat Train saw Richter City post 30 points on the board, giving the home team the lead at 190156. The Pirates responded, and just two jams later, had pulled the score back to RCRD 190PCR 185.

Key jammers Lady Trample (PCR) and Princess Slayer (RCRD) battled the final two jams as the clock ran out and the entire crowd was on its feet. Richter City was able to hold on to the lead by the slimmest of margins, winning 194192.

"We knew this would be a hard fought win, and our defence really made the difference for us in this game,” said RCRD Captain Skanda Lass. “Our walls were strong and ultimately we were able to hold their jammers to fewer scoring opportunities."

"Both teams played to a very high level of skill and strategy. To see such fierce competition in our first WFTDA Mock Sanctioned bout, this was a proud moment for New Zealand derby."

Richter City’s home season opens with a bout on April 13 at TSB Arena.

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