Roller Derby… Multiplying Like Horny Tribbles.

Seriously. As of today there are 415 roller derby leagues operating throughout the world, as tracked by Cat O'Ninetails listing at derbyroster.com. The listing includes WFTDA, OSDA, unaffiliated women's flat track, banked track, male and junior leagues, and Renegade Rollergirls leagues.

There are now leagues in eleven different countries! Besides the U.S., there are leagues in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Curiosity getting the better of me, I took a peek at a few foreign leagues:

Abu Dhabi Roller Derby
Yep. Where Garfield kept trying to ship Nermal (he deserved it, cheeky bastard), they now have a roller derby league. Two rollergirls from America, Sweet N. Lowdown from the Dominion Derby Girls, and Dandy Rough from the Dockyard Derby Dames, began the Abu Dhabi Roller Derby "to bring the sport we love to the UAE!" Rock on, ladies!

Glasgow Roller Girls

I'm lovin' their accents and spirit. And they have a really nice website.

London Rollergirls
Probably the best known team in the UK, they began training in early 2006, and have taken their share of bruises along the way. As observed by LRG skater Rose Hypnol:

When I first joined London Rollergirls in January 2007 we had recruitment issues. We were trying to play a sport that no one had heard of in a town full of badminton teams. On a good day we might have enough girls to scrimmage at practice, but only if everyone played every jam. A public bout was a pipe dream. A far off mythical land that would take years to trek to. We kept on keeping on, giving our blood sweat, and love to this crazy game that by now we were all completely addicted to.

How can you not love a team that brought derby across the pond?

Pirate City Rollers - Auckland, New Zealand

Founded by American skater Dale Rio in 2006, the Pirate City Rollers is one of five roller derby leagues in New Zealand. They also have an awesome website.

I'm really happy to see these leagues popping up all across the world. It gives me hope to realize my dream: establishing a roller derby league in Iceland. Anyone want to join the Reykjavik Wreckers?

Painway out!