A听local all-star women鈥檚 team will be defending their five-year winning streak against a squad of Vancouverites in an upcoming roller derby match.
Scar Wars will be taking place as part of the World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler on April 8.听
鈥淚 have a feeling we鈥檙e going to have to dig deep,鈥� said Squamish local Lori O鈥橦are, who鈥檚 skating with the Sea to Sky Apex Pistols. 鈥淭hey have a lot of younger skaters who are levelling up very quickly and they are fast and furious and looking to put some points on the board.鈥�
The Vancouver Smokin鈥� Laces will be trying to break The Pistols鈥� undefeated reign that began since the event came to the Whistler festival.
The Pistols are composed of veteran skaters who cut their teeth playing for the Sea to Sky Sirens and the Whistler Black Diamond Betties.听
To get ready for the upcoming match, they鈥檝e been putting in many hours organizing team practices, doing visualization exercises and watching tapes. It鈥檚 also expected to be a heated competition, given that the skill level of the players has been increasing each year, O鈥橦are said.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going see a lot of hitting,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l see people get knocked down and get right back up and keep going.鈥澨�
There鈥檚 even a high bar set for absolute beginners, who are required to pass a skating test and a written exam before participating in any matches.
Also adding to the intensity of the competition is a recent rule change that is expected to cut down the time players spend in the penalty box, which could make for a more action-packed game.
鈥淓very year evolves, even if it is a slight rule change to keep it a very entertaining spectator sport,鈥� O鈥橦are said.
But this competition is not the only thing that could bring in prospective viewers.听
According to O鈥橦are, another match happening during Scar Wars will be breaking new ground in the Sea to Sky area.听
鈥淲histler has yet to see what men鈥檚 derby looks like, so I think that brings in a new spectator experience to this event,鈥� she said.
Two men鈥檚 teams will be clashing after the women鈥檚 match, as the Vancouver Murder will be taking on the Puget Sound Outcasts.
Alison Kemp, the organizer for Scar Wars, is calling the bout 鈥渁 grudge match.鈥�
Both teams placed well in the world championships and have played each other in the past.听
The match will also affect the two teams鈥� world rankings, which could heighten the sense of urgency in the arena, Kemp said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be some very, very hard hits between the all-star teams,鈥� she said.
The match will take place on April 8 at the Whistler Conference Centre at 6 p.m.
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Tickets are available at or tax-free at听Random Clothing or the Galileo Coffee Company.
