The first-ever roller derby tournament will take place in the South

On March 15, history will be made when the first-ever roller derby tournament between two African countries will take place in the South.

Teams from Golden City Rollers (Johannesburg, South Africa), CaiRollers (Cairo, Egypt), Durban Roller Derby (Durban, SA) and Cape Town Rollergirls will be participating in the event. Guest skaters from the UAE All Stars (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) will also participate in a mixed-league team.

Local fans and the international roller derby community are chomping at the bit as it’s been a long wait for an African tournament since the continent’s first roller derby league was founded in Johannesburg in 2010.

Roller derby is the fastest-growing women’s sport in the world, with an estimated 2 000 leagues across 53 countries. On local shores, four roller derby leagues exist in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. These teams compete in a national tournament annually and top players from all four leagues have been sent to represent their country at the international Roller Derby World Cup, held every three to four years.

Today, the sport is a far cry from the staged antics it took its name from in the 1960s and beyond. When the sport was revived in Texas in the early 2000s, the focus shifted to athleticism, competition and empowerment.

The event will certainly serve as a springboard for growing the sport in Africa and sending local teams to participate in more international tournaments.

The knock-out games will be from 10am and the final at 3pm which will take place at Uniao Portuguesa, 64 Eastwood Street, Turffontein.

Entry fees are R100 at www.quicket.co.za or at the door. Refreshments will be on sale.

For more information about the event, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/228775404810943/