WHISTLER, BC – April, 9 2017 – Last night at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) in Whistler B.C., the Sea to Sky Apex Pistols defeated Vancouver's Smokin' Laces by a 3 point lead. Both teams brought their top players to the bout. Ultimately the Apex Pistols defense held back the Vancouver Smokin' Laces with a final score of 161 to 158. In the second bout featuring two of the top 10 men's teams, the Vancouver Murder took the win by a landslide against the Puget Sound Outcasts with a final score of 182 to 130.

In its fifth year, the WSSF invitiational roller bout lived up to expectations with high production value, great costumes and over the top makeup. Tensions were high between these two teams known to be fierce competitors.

“We came out super strong in the first half,” says Purrfect Lee Legal the Captain of the Apex Pistols, “ The second half was tough. We had 2 or 3 people in the penalty box during each jam, but our blockers were still able to stay calm and in control just enough to hold onto our lead.”  

New to WSSF's Invitational Roller Derby, two of the top 10 men's teams in the world brought harder hits, technical jamming and a high level of skating to the rink. The Vancouver Murder took the lead near the end of the first period that lead the team to a strong victory contributing to their overall ranking in the Men's Roller Derby Association.

The annual bout is a fundraiser for the Sea to Sky roller derby teams, helping them fund team travel, training and gear.

About Roller Derby

For those unfamiliar with flat track roller derby, it is a full contact sport played on quad style roller skates. Modern roller derby combines the athleticism of speed skating with the tactical difficulty of full contact blocking and checking.

At each bout, there are two periods which consist of an unlimited number of scoring sessions called Jams. During a Jam, one member from each team (called the Jammer), races counter-clockwise around the track to accrue one point for every opposing team member they pass. Four players from each team also skate on the track as a pack of Blockers. Blockers must simultaneously play offense and defense in an attempt to help their own Jammer through the pack and inhibit the opposing Jammer's progress. Both Jammers and Blockers are allowed to check the opposing team, but illegal hits like elbowing will result in timed penalties.

Roller derby is one of the fastest growing women's sports in the world and there are over 1,000 leagues across the globe – with more than 50,000 women playing roller derby internationally. BC alone has more than 20 roller derby leagues.  Learn more about the sport in this video: youtu.be/P2W2b1WBmm4

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The World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) is produced by Watermark Communications, a Whistler‐based event production & communications company, and presented in partnership with Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb. Having grown over 22 years into the largest annual celebration of snow sports and music in North America, WSSF is a 10 day and night showcase of some of the best of mountain culture, music, arts and snow sports. Featuring the largest annual free outdoor concert series in Canada, ski and snowboarding competitions, photography and film showcases, and spring skiing at Whistler Blackcomb, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival is the poster child for the ultimate ski and snowboard festival experience. In blazing the way for the youth of tomorrow, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival embodies the mantra: 'Party in April. Sleep in May.'

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