📸 Follow @claire.jaycock on instagram for updates
Open Skate
A photographic documentary project following the Team New Zealand Roller Derby 2025 World Cup journey.
Celebrating diverse athletes
Roller Derby is a sport that embraces diversity, empowering women and gender diverse folk to explore physical activity in a safe and supportive community space. The New Zealand Roller Derby team travelling to the 2025 Roller Derby World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria represents an important moment to showcase diverse role models and give the sport some of the exposure it deserves.
Helping make queer sporting history
The LGBTQ+ community is traditionally under-served in the sporting and physical activities space. Mainstream sports can feel unsafe or not particularly supportive for women, queer and gender diverse individuals, often resulting in a lack of participation and contributing to a reduced standard of physical health and mental wellbeing.
Roller Derby has always been an important part of female and LGBTQ+ sports, with flat track roller derby starting in Austin, Texas in 2001, and coming to Aotearoa in 2007. Photographing the Team New Zealand World Cup campaign is an important part of recording Aotearoa's largely undocumented queer sporting history.
What does 'Open Skate' mean?
Open skate sessions are common across all skating communities, welcoming all newcomers to have a go on skates. For many roller derby players open skate sessions were their first contact with the derby community and often a formative moment in a journey towards physical and mental wellbeing through sports.
Print Store
Get your hands on limited edition zines and art prints. Printed, signed and shipped from Pōneke straight to you.
Open Skate Apparel
Look good and feel smug about supporting a great cause! Printed to order by Poppa Print to reduce any chance of overstock and waste. Head over to our dedicated Apparel Store to see the full range.
About the Photographer
Claire is a Creative Director and Photographer based in Pōneke Wellington, New Zealand. Her career has taken many creative forms, beginning with Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design, spending many years as a Graphic Designer, Art Director and now Creative Director and Photographer. Claire finds purpose in the purpose of others, filling the frame with stories and following the curious threads that hold society together.
Claire is a Roller Derby player and part of the Team New Zealand Roller Derby training squad, giving her full access to the athletes, coaches and management during their preparations and trip to the World Cup, held 3-6 July 2025 in Innsbruck, Austria. To fund the project and ensure this important part of Aotearoa's queer sporting history is recorded Claire is fundraising and seeking grants, so please help out if you can and grab yourself some Open Skate merch!
You can follow Claire on Instagram to hear more about her work and Open Skate progress.
Team New Zealand Roller Derby
Team New Zealand Roller Derby (TNZRD) are the pinnacle of roller derby talent in New Zealand, showcasing the country’s best athletes in a fast-paced and strategic full-contact sport. Learn more and find out how you can support the Team New Zealand World Cup Campaign over at the TNZRD website.
The 2025 Roller Derby World Cup will be held in Innsbruck, Austria, 3-6 of July. Check out more info on the RDWC website.
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