Great Southern Slam
The Great Southern Slam (TGSS) is the largest competitive roller derby event in the Southern Hemisphere,[1] contested by teams from New Zealand and Australia.[1] It is held bi-annually in Adelaide in South Australia. TGSS was created and continues to be both hosted and run by volunteers from Adelaide Roller Derby.[2] Initially held in 2010, it was the first flat track roller derby tournament to be held in the southern hemisphere.[3]
Format
The first round of the tournament sees teams divided into groups, which play on a round robin basis. Each group includes one of the most experienced teams from Australia or New Zealand, a middle-ranking team, and one less experienced team. The group winners and other teams with the highest point difference qualify for the quarter finals, and the tournament then continues on a knockout basis.[3][4] The 2012 tournament introduced additional bouts between twelve other teams, and some themed bouts with mixed teams, but these were separate from the main competition.[3]
2010 tournament
The 2010 tournament included fifteen teams. Geelong and Ballarat formed a joint team, while Team Pot Luck included skaters from a number of otherwise unrepresented leagues.[4] More than five hundred skaters were involved in the event.[5]
2012 tournament
The 2012 tournament was held from 9–11 June.[6] It expanded to eighteen teams, divided into six groups for the first round.[3]
2014 Tournament
The 2014 TGSS was held at the Adelaide Showgrounds on 7-9 June 2014. The tournament was expanded again to 45 teams from Australia and New Zealand, playing in two divisions.
| Division 1 Finals |
|---|
| Bout | Result |
| Semi Final 1 | Victorian | 352 | 71 | Sydney |
| Semi Final 2 | Sun State | 176 | 100 | Vice City |
| 3rd place play-off | Sydney | 137 | 175 | Vice City |
| Grand Final | Victorian | 197 | 168 | Sun State |
| Division 2 Finals |
|---|
| Bout | Result |
| Semi Final 1 | Western Sydney | 192 | 240 | South Side |
| Semi Final 2 | Wollongong Illawara | 106 | 301 | Reef City |
| 3rd place play-off | Western Sydney | 185 | 162 | Wollongong Illawara |
| Grand Final | South Side | 140 | 225 | Reef City |
2016 Tournament
The 2016 TGSS was held from 11-13 July, with 45 teams again playing in two divisions.
| Division 1 Finals |
|---|
| Bout | Result |
| Semi Final 1 | Sun State | 128 | 146 | Sydney |
| Semi Final 2 | Victorian | 471 | 18 | Canberra |
| 3rd place play-off | Canberra | 103 | 217 | Sun State |
| Grand Final | Victorian | 561 | 15 | Sydney |
| Division 2 Finals |
|---|
| Bout | Result |
| Semi Final 1 | West Side | 134 | 146 | Devil State |
| Semi Final 2 | Diamond Valley | 160 | 140 | Inner West |
| 3rd place play-off | West Side | 142 | 105 | Inner West |
| Grand Final | Devil State | 66 | 234 | Diamond Valley |
References
- 1 2 "SupaNovas join the BattleStars on wheels". The Northern Star. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
- ↑ "» Contacts - The Great Southern Slam". greatsouthernslam.com.au. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
- 1 2 3 4 Beck Wise, "Feature Preview: The Great Southern Slam", Derby News Network, 8 June 2012
- 1 2 Beck Wise, "Tournament Recap: The Great Southern Slam", Derby News Network, 23 June 2010
- ↑ Kirsty Bennett, "Behind the news", ABC News, 22 June 2010
- ↑ Emily Altschwager, "Gloss put on a real sport", Eastern Courier, 8 April 2012
External links