Team Finland try-outs

The progress and the skill! What else can I say of the quality of the try-outees for Team Finland world cup team 2014? The selection panel is going to have a tough job. I

Pre-selection for the try-outs was done based on mainly experience. Got me counting how many bouts I have played within my two-and-half-year (30 months) bouting career. Throw a guess and then scroll down for the answer*! I spent a way too long writing an essay as to why I want to be in the team. It's not very Finnish to sing your own praises. That considering, I think I did well, ha ha...

For the weekend 31.8-1.9.2013 I flew over to Helsinki for the try-out weekend. I did not feel nervous, but rather concentrated and quiet. I tried hard - yes, that *is* an acceptable reason for the numerous times I found myself on the floor or the penalty box. It was fun. We played three scrimmages and watched a few others. We worked nicely as a team. Speaking derby in Finnish was not as strange as I'd feared. I did not get tired. It was over quicker than anyone wanted (or me at least).

I did derby stops

punkmarko.kuvat.fi

There were about 60 of us. 41 made it through to the second day of the try-outs after a day of skills demonstrations (forward and backward skating, one-sided ploughs, derby stops, hockey stops, blocking, jamming) and a few scrimmages. I was very happy to be one of them. Now I just have to wait and see if I am on the list of skaters they decide to develop into a team (two weeks' wait!). Even that list won't guarantee a world cup place as we were told the final team will form/evolve within a year or so. Exciting! Competitive! 

Check out the photos Marko took, here: http://punkmarko.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Roller+Derby+From+All+Around+The+World+2013/Team+Finland+Tryouts+2013/

*howmanyboutsthirtyseven

I was fresh meat once

andrewsimsimages.co.uk

If you're Fresh Meat and look at those Travel Teamers of your league and think they've always been like that... and that you'll never be that cool... look what I found. I look very cute. Here is my hint for Fresh Meat: dig your league archives and find some photos and video what your league star skaters used to look like. Scroll down to the bottom for some LRG gems. You won't believe what a couple of years of derby does to you! Gives you a kick to keep going!

I started roller derby in May 2010. I had the advantage that I could already skate - I am from Finland after all so winters were spent on ice skates and I had inlines too. Although I had the foundations, I was totally a piece of Fresh Meat. I remember trying to backwards skate. I did not move an inch... Plough stops were my enemy. My knees were pointing inwards. I bite my lip every time I need to go in. I think I skate low.

Fresh meat knees

Concentration!

Denim shorts were the thing in 2010! My first wrist guards served me for a long time, they were great - mum had bought the from a charity shop in Poland whilst on a road trip in Europe. My first skates were Sure-Grip Rock Flames with Twister wheels.They were too big and I even wore woolly socks and two insoles in them.

Look at those skinny legs

I did not like my superskinny ankles. I am so glad what roller derby has done to my legs. They desperately needed some muscle!

Derby stance?

More concentration

PS. What do you think London Roller Girls might have looked like? Check it out:

Skatepark set-up

Summer's round the corner and the skatepark bug has bitten me again. I will attempt to build skates for skatepark/ramps. So how are they different from the derby skate? If you go vert all the way, your skates will start looking more like two mini skateboards!

Boot
Depends what you like. I will use my old Riedell She Devil leather boot as it fits well and is made of sturdy leather. I'm used to having my ankles exposed and like the extra agility that gives.

Wheels
For vertical skating ('quad vert'/ramps) most go for skateboard wheels; smaller and harder. You don't want to stick to the ramp with sticky wheels. For general outdoor skating larger and softer are recommended for shock absorption and smoother roll over bumps. For general skatepark stuff something in between these two might be good.

Plates and trucks
Wider trucks and longer plate for extra stability. You are not looking for quick turning like with derby plates. I'll start with my old Triton plate and see what happens as it's quite long. Many build their own ramp skates using skateboard trucks which make them extra wide.

Cushions
Again, go harder. You're looking for stability here. I'll use my old standard cushions from the Triton plates.

http://leonjwest.wordpress.com/

Toe stop
Some have it, some don't. It might get on the way. It is super useful climbing out of bowls though!

Grind bars
That block of plastic/other material attached between your trucks will let you do a few more tricks.

Derby skaters turned into skatepark hooligans can find useful info on Rollergirl.ca site (see shop section http://www.rollergirl.ca/skateshop/park-skating-c-110_24.html and aggressive roller skating 101 PDF) and on Skatelog from Quad Vert section. I was glad to see there were quite a few of us!

http://zorgdotnl.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/zorg-quad-skates-v2.html

French quads

Now I'm upset that I cannot speak...or read... French. They appear to be quad gods there. I found this great looking site but it's all French to me. Perhaps Google translator will help. I am planning to build some skates and this place provides some awesome pictorial inspiration!

Roller Quad
Un Site 100% Quad
http://rollerquad.net/

Hey, look at these skates!

and these

maybe these as well

I'm on Youtube

I started a Youtube channel back in 2011 for fun, to track my progress and to show off some moves of course! It's here: http://www.youtube.com/user/54TheBlizzard

April 2013

April 2011