Glamour, Bruises, & Skating Abuses: Willkommen to Roller Derby—Berlin Bombshells Style

Attention Berlin thrill-seekers: If you think you've seen all the city has to offer, think again.

Once every couple of months, the Berlin Bombshells gather at the Arena Club—many decked out in glam makeup, ripped tights, helmets, and chunky roller skates—all ready for trouble. In this last bout, the Bombshells A-team faced off against the Copenhagen Heartbreakers, formidable opponents in their team shirts and Beyonce-inspired gold booty-shorts. They may look like nice girls, but don't let one skater's "Why can't we be friends?" shorts throw you off. After cringing at a couple vicious blocks and nasty wipe-outs, you'll have the sound of skin sliding over track ringing in your ears—Ja, this is roller derby, Berlin-style

How the game works: During a two-minute "jam," the flat track is occupied by four blockers and one jammer from each team. The blockers' goal is to prevent the opposing jammer from passing, by checking her brutally, either at the hips or shoulders. Normally, one team's jammer makes it through the mob while the other is left struggling behind a wall of aggressive bodies. The successful jammer earns a point for each person she has passed, and can then attempt to make another lap or stop the jam to revise strategy.

Midway through the second bout, Citysin Pain, a smooth-skating brunette in bermuda shorts whizzes around the track in a blur of glitter and protective gear. It's amazing how nimbly she weaves between the opposition and her teammates—their derby names, Foxy Führer, Suzy Blockwell, and Resident Shevil, printed ominously on the backs of their T-shirts. Cityspin has now earned over 20 points in a single jam, and the ref, Dr. No-No, taps her head to indicate a grand slam. The crowd goes wild to the background of The Ramones' "Jackie is a Punk" while the Bombshells' mascot, the I-Don't-Care Bear, does sloppy somersaults in front of the bleachers.

The scene itself is like some carnival of punk rock meets Grease—in the stands, the youthful crowd is made up of dudes sporting James Dean haircuts and tucked-in white T-shirts, while many ladies resemble tattooed versions of Lucille Ball. Some of the athletes look like they have just finished robbing a costume store (and I mean this in the best way possible)—their accessories ranging from colorful wigs to 80s-inspired exercise suits to ripped fishnet tights. Ethel Trash is sporting her signature black eye, while one jammer has an intricate skeleton clown face painted over her own. It's this combination of playful attention to detail and bad-girl attitude that makes derby so appealing. Not to mention, it's a highly interactive event; the audience is encouraged to chant, yell, and dance, while in the pauses between bouts, both players and fans share cigarettes. 

But all fun aside, the sport itself is serious business. The girls are true athletes and yes, it's dangerous. After one particularly brutal jam, four girls were knocked to the ground and a time-out had to be called. Fortunately, everyone lived to skate another day and only God Tammit needed to nurse her injured ankle.

Originally created in the 1930s by sportscaster Leo Seltzer, the sport was designed as a race of endurance where the first person to complete 57,000 laps (!) was declared the winner. Eventually, derby took its current form and subsequently experienced an unbelievable boom in popularity at the end of the 90s. Today, derby is the fastest growing women's sport in the world and has already gained astounding popularity in Germany after its introduction in 2004. In 2008, the Bombshells were formed by Foxy Fuehrer, and now she and other senior members of the team recruit skaters three times a year.

From the outside, derby looks like rock & roll and booze, but you have to be a serious athlete. A lot of the new girls "don't have what it takes,” confides Nasty Be Demented, a fledgling skater who will be competing for the first time in September's bout.

A few bruises and sprains later, the Bombshells emerge victorious—both teams skate laps around the track as spectators circle up, extending their hands to receive a high-five as the ladies glide by. To finish off the event, there's an awards ceremony where the team captains dole out computer-printed certificates like "best blocker of the game" and "worst wipe-out." Afterward, everyone is invited to the poolside afterparty—Enter the Rock & Roll Element. As they say, skate hard, play hard!