ESTEVAN — Ella Gudmundson went to France for an international roller derby competition and came home with a bronze medal and lots of memories.
Gudmundson was part of Team Canada for the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Valence, France, from July 28-30. Gudmundson was part of the Canadian female entry that won a bronze medal, defeating the World Team 340-67 in the third-place game; and she was also on the open team, which finished fourth after a 342-194 loss to Australia in the battle for bronze. The open squad included both males and females.
During the tournament, Gudmundson believes she played seven 30-minute and five 60-minute games. It meant a hectic pace with a lot of competition, but she said that's part of the sport.
Gudmundson, who wears number 911 and goes by the nickname of Killer Ella, typically played pivot or blocker at worlds.
"We earned our medal and we put in the best that we could do," she said.
Gudmundson believes four other athletes played on both Canadian teams.
Both squads came together well. They had athletes from across the country, and they had a practice in Calgary and a practice in Toronto before coming to the World Cup.
"Everyone was pretty well versed and was ready to get on the track together," she said.
They held a Zoom call every two weeks to get to know each other and discuss their plans for France.
"We also were required to do four mandatory workouts per week to keep us in shape and build our strength," she said.
Gudmundson left the tournament with some new friends, not just with Team Canada but from other countries, too.
"I got to know more girls on my team, and even at the event, we do a jersey trade, so we would pick someone from another team that's competing there and swap our jerseys. So I came home with two Great Britain jerseys," she said.
Gudmundson expects the experience will help her as both an athlete and a coach. She would like to eventually coach Team Canada, and she hopes this experience, as well as her selection for the tournaments this year and in 2020, will help with those ambitions.
"I do coach in Estevan [with the Junior Coaler Rollers], so I do hope that my experience is going to add up and help me become a coach for Team Canada," said Gudmundson.
She also wants to bring senior roller derby back to Estevan, as it has been a number of years since it was last offered here.
Gudmundson also plans on playing some competitive adult roller derby in Saskatoon with the Mindfox program, and she wants to play for Team Saskatchewan at the adult level for the second straight year.
Due to the hectic schedule associated with the Junior World Cup, they didn't get to enjoy any sightseeing during the tournament, but once the games were finished, Gudmundson and her family were able to see the country. Not only did they go to Paris, but they went to Juno Beach, which is where Canadian soldiers landed during the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. It was a treat for her parents, Jeff and Linda, who have taken an interest in military history.
