Victorian Roller Derby Crowned Global Champions
The Victorian Roller Derby League have won the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) Global Championships, winning the grand final in Malmo, Sweden.
The VRDL All Stars (Preston, VIC) took out an upset win over Rose City Rollers Wheels of Justice (Portland, OR) 142 to 77 in the final.
The All Stars had to overcome a second half comeback after leading 91-19 against Rose City Wheels of Justice, who have won every WFTDA Global Championships held since 2015 with the exception of VRDL's win in 2017.
This was VRDL’s fifth Global championship finals appearance and the team have not dropped out of the top 5 in the world since the last time they won the title in 2017.
VRDL's team captain Lauren Foote, whose derby name is "Barry / Baz", said the team were absolutely beside themselves with the win.
"It is a privilege to represent this community at the highest levels, and we really just want to grow the sport and showcase the best derby we can," Foote said.
"Roller skating is such a nostalgic activity for so many people and Derby is a highly welcoming and inclusive sport and community. We'd encourage people to join their local league."
The All Stars had defied the odds to make the final, beating the world’s No.1 ranked team Arch Rival (St Louis, MO) 157-80 in the semi-final.
VRDL remain the only team outside mainland USA to ever win the title since its inception in 2007, bringing home “the Hydra” in 2017 and now again in 2026.
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