Many Viennese women are involved in various sports. But there are others who prefer the unusual kind of sport on wheels. It’s not car racing or cycling, though but roller skating.
The sport is known as roller derby, a full-contact sport that requires players to wear quad roller skates. The players skate on an oval track and find ways to score as many points as possible to win.
In roller derby, two teams compete for every game. Each team is composed of five players with four of them serving as blockers while the other one functions as a jammer and the one who normally scores points. The role of the blockers is on offence and defence. Players are allowed to use only their hips, shoulders and booty when blocking a jammer from the opposing team.
Each game lasts for an hour and is divided into two half hour segments or periods. Every period usually involves a series of jams and a 30-second break is given in between these jams. Those found breaking the rules are required to stay in the penalty box for one minute.
Austria has its own roller derby team known as the Vienna Rollergirls. It is the first such team to be organized in the country.
