AN ALL-WOMEN sport as American as cheerleading is taking off in Dorset.

Dorset Roller Girls have been practising the US sport of roller derby since January and are part of a revival of interest in the sport.

Roller derby can trace its roots to the 19th century but reached its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s.

“It’s a fast-growing sport,” said Dorset Roller Girls manager Esther Gill, who goes by the name Gill T Pleasure when she’s playing.

“ It’s having a revival. There are around 25 teams already on the south coast.”

The game is based around two teams rollerskating around an oval track in formation, while one player – the jammer – attempts to lap the opposing team.

The Dorset squad, who meet weekly at the Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre in Christchurch, recently took advice from Travis Hickey, who was in the German production of rollerskating musical Starlight Express, and were due a master class with Michael Fraley, skating consultant for productions of the musical.

They aim to take part at the Goodwood Roller Marathon on August 14 and need to raise sponsorship.

Esther said the local side had got off the ground quickly. “I started the team in January. At our first meeting we had over 45 girls attend, which was just phenomenal. That’s whittled down to 30 people,” she said.

“I compete with the team and being manager as well I’ve got quite a lot of work to do. Thirty girls is quite a handful.

“They’re a good, supportive bunch of girls and they like to get stuck in and play a good team game.”