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The Great Southern Slam (TGSS) is the largest competitive roller derby event in the world, contested by teams from New Zealand and Australia. It is held bienially in Adelaide in South Australia. TGSS was created and continues to be both hosted and run by volunteers from Adelaide Roller Derby. Initially held in 2010, it was the first flat track roller derby tournament to be held in the southern hemisphere.

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. 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.

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. More than five hundred skaters were involved in the event.

2012 tournament

The 2012 tournament was held from 9–11 June. It expanded to eighteen teams, divided into six groups for the first round.

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.

2016 Tournament

The 2016 TGSS was held from 11-13 June, with 45 teams again playing in two divisions.

2018 Tournament

The 2018 TGSS was held from 9-11 June, with 48 teams competing over three divisions. 2018 was the first year that a third division was added.

2020 Tournament

TGSS was planned to be held in 2020 from 6-8 June at the Adelaide Showgrounds but was cancelled due to COVID-19.

2022 Tournament

In 2022 TGSS was held from 11-13 June at the Adelaide Showgrounds. 30 teams competed across three divisions. It was the first roller derby tournament to be held globally since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2024 Tournament

2024's TGSS was held at the Adelaide Showground and included 45 teams from Australia and New Zealand playing across 65 games over three divisions. Three additional challenge bouts were also played.

For the first time ever TGSS doubled as the WFTDA Oceania Regional Championships, which meant that the first and second place winners of Division 1 will earned a place in the 2024 WFTDA World Championships to be held in Portland, Oregon. Victorian Roller Derby and Adelaide Roller Derby were the first and second placed teams for the WFTDA Oceania Regional Championships.

References

1. ^ "SupaNovas join the BattleStars on wheels". The Northern Star. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
2. "» Contacts - The Great Southern Slam". greatsouthernslam.com.au. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
3. ^ Beck Wise, "Feature Preview: The Great Southern Slam Archived 10 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine", Derby News Network, 8 June 2012
4. ^ Beck Wise, "Tournament Recap: The Great Southern Slam Archived 11 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine", Derby News Network, 23 June 2010
5. Kirsty Bennett, "Behind the news", ABC News, 22 June 2010
6. Emily Altschwager, "Gloss put on a real sport", Eastern Courier, 8 April 2012
7. Gage, Nicola (11 June 2016). "Great Southern Slam rolls into action as roller derby begins". ABC News. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
8. "Participating Leagues". The Great Southern Slam. Retrieved 7 June 2022.

External links

• Official website

• Roller derby in Australia
• Roller derby competitions
• Recurring sporting events established in 2010
• 2010 establishments in Australia
• Oceanian international sports competitions
• Sport in Adelaide