The Louisey Rider Cup is an annual roller derby tournament organised by Nottingham Roller Derby in memory of team mate Louise Wright, aka Louisey Rider.
Now coming up to the 10th year, the goal of the event has always been to raise money for the road safety charity Brake while at the same time making roller derby accessible to as many people as possible.
Every year, hundreds of players, volunteers and spectators gather together in Nottingham where mixed skaters of all abilities are split across teams and battle it out to win the coveted cup - and have an absolute blast in the process!
LRC was started thanks to some very generous donations. Louise's loved ones along with her employer, Paul Smith wanted to pay their respects and remember her by gifting donations to Nottingham Roller Derby, the team which played such a major part in her life.
With these donations, Louise's Legacy Fund was created. But, with the loss of their team mate so raw, the team needed time to reflect and grieve. Then one day, with a renewed energy, they gathered in the function room above a Notts pub and dreamed up the most dazzling, sparkly idea possible. The team would put on a showstopping tournament: The Louisey Rider Cup.
Nottingham Roller Derby set out to create a roller derby like no other. But over the years, they've managed to build something bigger than ever imagined. To the roller derby community and those who knew and loved Lou, the Louisey Rider Cup is more than just a tournament...
Photo credit by Paul Smith and Life Through Argos Lens
Whether it's the dozen's of organisers behind the scenes, the event staff or the many awesome officials - The Louisey Rider Cup just wouldn't happen without the many volunteers who donate countless hours every year. Nottingham Roller Derby is hugely greatful to every single one of you, thank you for helping us to realise Lou's dream.