Des Moines Derby Dames final home bout

The Des Moines Derby Dames will have its final home bout on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the 7 Flags Event Center at 6 p.m.

Meet them in the street, and the lady skaters on the Des Moines Derby Dames and Crash Test Dolls appear innocent enough. But get them on their rink, and all hell breaks loose. With names like Autopsy Turvey, Smashtastic and Wrecklogic, these ladies mean business — and it’s not too late to catch the action.                

On Saturday night, Nov. 3, the metro’s Roller Derby League home teams wrap up their 2012 home season at 7-Flags Event Center, 2100 N.W. 100th St. The double-header begins at 6 p.m.                

The Crash Test Dolls — the Derby Dames’ newest apprentice team — take to the track at 6 p.m., to put a finishing touch on their second season by taking on the Fargo Moorehead Derby Girls. In only their second year, the Crash Test Dolls have a record of 7-3, with wins against teams from Chicago, Indianapolis and the Quad Cities.                

Immediately following the Crash Test Dolls bout, the Derby Dames will be taking the track against the Fargo Moorehead Derby Gals premier team at 7 p.m. The Derby Dames hope to improve their record of 6-5 and increase their national ranking in the 75-team Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) to earn a trip to the national playoffs next fall. The top 40 squads in the WFTDA will comprise D-1 teams in 2013, playing into next November’s national playoff tournaments for a chance to skate for a national championship.                

Bouts consist of two 30-minute halves. Each bout is split into two-minute jams with five skaters from each team taking to the flat-track oval. Each team has a “jammer” who tries to pass the opponents’ blockers, scoring a point each time she’s successful. Each team’s blockers do their best to create passing lanes for their jammers while also preventing the opponent’s jammer from blasting past and scoring points.                

Bouts can be rough, with elbows flying, pushing, shoving and jammers speeding through walls of blockers. Watching bouts can be as exciting as skating, with the closest seats — dubbed “suicide seats” — right next to the track.                

Tickets are still available for this final double header of the 10-month-long season and are $10 in advance at www.dmderbydames.com or $12 at the door. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more. This weekend the Derby Dames are fighting to combat hunger. Bring a nonperishable food item and receive $2 off at the door.

Locker Room note: Speaking of food drives, Cranksgiving, a food drive on two wheels, is the cycling community’s annual “family” gathering to support local charities. It will be held at the Mars Café on Sunday, Nov. 4.              

Cranksgiving is an Alley Cat bike race in which participants ride to 10 different stores to purchase one grocery item at each store location, with the start and finish at Mars Café, 2318 University Ave.                

Registration will open at noon, and the race will begin at 1 p.m. Maps showing the surrounding stores will be available at registration, as well as a list of items to purchase, a spoke card from Spoke 9. The first 100 participants will receive a free Cranksgiving T-shirt provided by Rasmussen’s Bike Shop and T-Shirt Graphix. Categories include family, tandem, the most creative costume and others, the winners of each will be awarded the “golden sprocket.” Details can be found on www.bikeiowa.com. CV