Auld Reekie Roller Derby

Auld Reekie Roller Derby (ARRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 2008,^[1] ARRD was the first Scottish Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) member.^[2] The league aims to create teams with the ability to compete locally and internationally at the highest levels.^[3]

Auld Reekie Roller Derby

Metro area	Edinburgh
Country	Scotland
Founded	2008
Teams	Auld Reekie All Stars (A team) Auld Reekie All Star Reserves (B team) All Star Rookies (C team) WarriARRGs
Track type(s)	Flat
Affiliations	WFTDA
Org. type	Non-profit
Website	http://www.auldreekierollerderby.com

ARRD play by the rules of the WFTDA, and were officially accepted as an Apprentice League on 5 October 2010.^[4] The league graduated as full members of the WFTDA on 1 September 2011.^[5]

History

The pre-WFTDA "Stinky fist" logo

Formed in April 2008 as Auld Reekie Roller Girls, ARRD were Edinburgh's first women's flat track roller derby league, and take their name after the city of Edinburgh, affectionately known as "Auld Reekie" ("Old Smoky" in the Scots language). Within two months of forming there was local media interest.^[6]

former Auld Reekie logo

ARRD organise and skate in numerous games and tournaments, both "closed" (for development purposes) and "open" public games. ARRD hosted their first public game, entitled "Fishnet Burns Night", at Meadowbank Sports Centre on 24 January 2009^[7] just ten months after their formation, and competed in the London Rollergirls-hosted European tournament "Roll Britannia" in 2009, placing fourth.^[8]

ARRD have an international standing, having travelled to Berlin to take part in the first European Organisational Roller Derby Conference in November 2012,^[9] and to Philadelphia, USA, to compete in the East Coast Derby Extravaganza in June 2013. More recently, in May 2016, ARRD travelled to Eugene, Oregon to take part in the 2016 The Big O tournament, hosted by Emerald City Roller Girls. ARRD played teams including Windy City Rollers, Sac City Rollers and Santa Cruz Derby Girls.

Until its closure in 2017, home games were played at the Meadowbank Stadium, which had capacity for up to 400 spectators.^[10] Home games are currently played at Dalkeith Community Campus, in Dalkeith, Midlothian. The sport of roller derby is still growing in Scotland, with ARRD running a "Protostars" new skaters programme that is open to anyone who wishes to learn how to play or officiate roller derby.^[8][11]

Current members of ARRD were selected to represent Team Scotland^[12] at both the 2011 Roller Derby World Cup, in Toronto, Canada, the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup in Dallas, Texas, and the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup in Manchester, United Kingdom.

In October 2018, Auld Reekie announced a rebrand as "Auld Reekie Roller Derby", to better acknowledge the diversity of its membership.^[13]

Teams

Travel Teams

• All Stars (formerly Twisted Thistles)
• All Star Reserves (formerly Cannon Belles)
• All Star Rookies

Home Teams

Intra-league teams were previously selected on a game-by-game basis under the names The Highland Heathens and Celtic Chaos. In 2012, three permanent home teams were formed and the annual Home Season tournament was launched.

• The Cherry Bombers
• The Skatefast Club (2014 winners)
• The Leithal Weapons (2012, 2013, 2015 winners)

The last Home Season took place in 2015 and Home Teams were subsequently disbanded.

WFTDA competition

Ranked at 57th overall in June 2016, ARRD qualified for WFTDA Division 2 Playoffs in 2016 (their first time qualifying), but declined their spot citing the inability to get a full complement of skaters available for the Playoffs and electing to sit it out.^[14] ARRD again qualified for the Division 2 Playoffs and Championship in 2017 as the top seed in Pittsburgh, but was upset by #16 seed Dublin Roller Derby in their first game 200–183,^[15] and also lost their consolation round game to Oklahoma Victory Dolls 251–131 to finish out of the medals.^[16]

Rankings

Season	Final ranking[17]	Playoffs	Championship
2011	NR[18]	DNQ	DNQ
2012	35 E[19]	DNQ	DNQ
2013	94 WFTDA[20]	DNQ	DNQ
2014	64 WFTDA[21]	DNQ	DNQ
2015	65 WFTDA[22]	DNQ	DNQ
2016	60 WFTDA[23]	DNP D2[14]	DNQ
2017	55 WFTDA[24]	N/A	CR D2[16]
2018	83 WFTDA[25]	DNQ	DNQ

• CR = consolation round

Results of Public Bouts

In addition to the public bouts shown below, the team has also undertaken a series of 'closed' (or private) bouts, details of which have not been included.

NB: Green highlighted rows indicate a win, whilst red highlighting indicates a loss.

All Stars (formerly The Twisted Thistles)

Breakdown of results
Total	Won	Lost	Drawn
44	21	22	1

Date	Event	Result	Opponents	Notes
19 April 2009	I Scream Sunday	142 - 132	Central City Rollergirls
23 May 2009	Derby Mayhem	175 - 124	Central City Rollergirls
20 June 2009	Fear and Lothian	117 - 117	Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames	A rare draw, now impossible in WFTDA Roller Derby
18–19 July 2009	Roll Britannia	94 - 74	Central City Rollergirls	Early rounds of Europe's first Roller Derby Tournament
		127 - 45	Royal Rebellion Rollers
		109 - 123	Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames	Semi-final of Europe's first Roller Derby Tournament
		70 - 120	Glasgow Roller Girls	3rd place play-off of Europe's first Roller Derby Tournament
26 September 2009	Hassle at the Castle	64 - 110	Glasgow Roller Girls
14 February 2010	Jailhouse Block	96 - 93	Leeds Roller Dolls
11 April 2010	Hadrian's Brawl	147 - 20	Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls
22–23 May 2010	Highland Fling	224 - 6	Dundee Destroyers	Scotland's first Roller Derby tournament
		95 - 98	Glasgow Roller Girls	Final of Scotland's first Roller Derby tournament
19 June 2010	Get Kilt	92 - 68	Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz	Away match in Stuttgart
26 June 2010	Central Belter	88 - 84	Glasgow Roller Girls
7 August 2010	The Prisoner of AzkaSLAM	93 - 117	London Rockin Rollers
16 October 2010	Stop! Jammertime	73 - 59	Central City Rollergirls
20 November 2010	Blockenspiel	108 - 109	Berlin Bombshells
15–16 January 2011	Tattoo Freeze	63 - 117	London Rockin Rollers	Tournament held at the "Tattoo Freeze" convention, Telford
		102 - 75	Central City Rollergirls
		66 - 135	London Brawl Saints
16 April 2011	Gore-onation St	109 - 92	Rainy City Roller Girls
11 June 2011		47 - 195	London Brawl Saints
20 August 2011		94 - 95	Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz	Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
3 September 2011	Need for Greed	110 - 149	London Rockin Rollers
22 October 2011	The Monsters Brawl	88 - 120	Leeds Roller Dolls
13 January 2012	UKRDA Tournament	61 - 78	London Rockin Rollers	Part of the Tattoo Freeze convention
14 January 2012	UKRDA Tournament	74 - 79	Glasgow Roller Derby	Part of the Tattoo Freeze convention
20 January 2012		100 - 60	Dolly Rockit Rollers
10 March 2012		131 - 167	Central City Rollergirls
5 May 2012	COWABUNGArrg!	202 - 103	Helsinki Roller Derby
19 May 2012		103 - 221	Suffra Jets
		18 - 667	London Brawling	WFTDA closed bout
16 June 2012		70 - 176	Bear City Roller Derby
4 August 2012	Edinburgh Fringe Bout	147 - 184	Tiger Bay Brawlers
25 August 2012	Chaos on the Clyde	89 - 130	Leeds Roller Dolls
26 August 2012	Chaos on the Clyde	224 - 39	Sheffield Steel Rollergirls
26 August 2012	Chaos on the Clyde	173 - 92	London Rockin' Rollers
22 September 2012		246 - 12	Sheffield Steel Rollergirls
16 November 2012	Track Queens - Battle Royal	180 - 142	Central City Rollergirls	1st European WFTDA-Tournament in Berlin
17 November 2012	Track Queens - Battle Royal	28 - 475	London Roller Girls	1st European WFTDA-Tournament in Berlin
18 November 2012	Track Queens - Battle Royal	139 - 149	Stockholm Roller Derby	1st European WFTDA-Tournament in Berlin - 4th Place for ARRG
27 April 2013	Anarchy in the UK	148 - 99	Bear City Roller Derby's Berlin Bombshells
28 April 2013	Anarchy in the UK	149 - 187	London Roller Girls' Brawl Saints
29 June 2013	ECDX	207 - 137	Ithaca League of Women Rollers	East Coast Derby Extravaganza in Philadelphia, USA
30 June 2013	ECDX	262 - 129	Dominion Roller Derby	East Coast Derby Extravaganza in Philadelphia, USA
10 August 2013	Die ARRG	194 - 104	Stockholm Roller Derby	Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

All Star Reserves (formerly The Cannon Belles)

Breakdown of results
Total	Won	Lost
18	1	6

Date	Event	Team	Result	Opponents	Notes
26 September 2009	Hassle at the Castle	ARRG Cannon Belles	66 - 97	GRG Maiden Grrders	B-team mini expo bout
11 April 2010	Hadrian's Brawl	ARRG Cannon Belles	76 - 69	Newcastle Roller Girls/ Middlesbrough Milk Rollers
22–23 May 2010	Highland Fling	ARRG Cannon Belles	3 - 198	GRG Irn Bruisers
		ARRG Cannon Belles	98 - 20	GRG Maiden Grrrders
		ARRG Cannon Belles	63 - 66	Granite City Northern Fights
26 June 2010	Central Belter	ARRG Cannon Belles	66 - 116	GRG Maiden Grrders
4 September 2010	Jurassic Skate Park	ARRG Cannon Belles	187 - 46	Perth Fair City Rollers
26 February 2011	Crashablanca	ARRG Cannon Belles	158 - 22	Wakey Wheeled Cats
2 April 2011	Space Quaddity	ARRG Cannon Belles	106 - 46	Granite City Roller Girls
9 July 2011	Star Spangled Jammer	ARRG Cannon Belles	115 - 63	Liverpool Roller Birds
6 August 2011		ARRG Cannon Belles	126 - 86	GRG Maiden Grrders	Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
3 September 2011	Need for Greed	ARRG Cannon Belles	126 - 124	LRR Rising Stars
22 October 2011	The Monsters Brawl	ARRG Cannon Belles	71 - 114	LRD Whip Its
25 March 2012	Cell Block Tango	ARRG Cannon Belles	324 - 65	Fair City Fear Maidens
26 May 2012		ARRG Cannon Belles	216 - 150	Kent Roller Girls
18 August 2012	Edinburgh Fringe Bout	ARRG Cannon Belles	153 - 199	Dublin Roller Girls
18 May 2013		ARRG Cannon Belles	114 - 112	Vienna Roller Girls
24 August 2013	Die ARRG - With a Vengeance	ARRG Twisted Thistles	322 - 69	Helsinki Roller Derby Queen B's	Part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
28 September 2013		ARRG Cannon Belles	308 - 128	Middlesbrough Milk Rollers
30 November 2013		ARRG Cannon Belles	142 - 210	Amsterdam Roller Dames

References

1. Hickson, Siân (10 September 2009). "Edinburgh: Roller Derby". The List. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
2. "UKRDA timeline" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2015.
3. "ARRG mission statement". Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
4. "General info – Auld Reekie Roller Derby". Retrieved 26 February 2024.
5. "WFTDA Welcomes 7 New Members". Retrieved 2 November 2011.
6. "Girls all set for derby day". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
7. "Auld Reekie Roller Girls' Fishnet Burns Night - Edinburgh Guide". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
8. Booth, Samantha (28 July 2009). "Time to get your skates on as Roller Derby hits Scotland". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
9. McCracken, Edd (25 October 2009). "Rollergirls just want to have fun". The Herald. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
10. "Auld Reekie girls are ready to roll with the punches". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
11. "Untitled Page". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
12. "Team Scotland Roster". Retrieved 27 October 2011.
13. "Auld Reekie – The Rebrand – Auld Reekie Roller Derby". Auld Reekie Roller Derby. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
14. Deadwards, Lisa (15 July 2016). "2016 WFTDA June Rankings and Tournament Seeding". Derby Central. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
15. Deadwards, Lisa (18 August 2017). "#16 Dublin fights past #1 Auld Reekie, 200-183". Derby Central. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
16. Fristoe, Chelsea (18 August 2017). "#5 Oklahoma Victory Dolls clobber #1 Auld Reekie Roller Girls, 251-131". Derby Central. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
17. "Current Rankings Archived 30 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine", WFTDA
18. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
19. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
20. "Rankings: December 31, 2013 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
21. "Rankings: December 31, 2014 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
22. "Rankings: December 31, 2015 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
23. "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
24. "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
25. "Rankings: December 31, 2018 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 8 January 2019.