TOP IN-LINE skaters from all over Britain descended on Rampworx Skate Park, Liverpool, to compete for five qualifying places in the ASA (Aggressive Sports Association) World Championships to be held in Manchester from October 21 to 23.

Welsh skating has struggled to come to terms with the death last year of its leading light Richard Taylor, of Barry, and British skating generally sorely misses the dynamic world- class Welsh athlete.

However, following in his footsteps, a number of Welsh skaters made the long trek north to fly the flag for Wales and take up the challenge.

Among this happy band were the current Welsh Champion Rob Pruett (Llantwit Fardre) and Vice- Champion Rob Taylor (Barry).

Also competing for only the third time in his career was young Barry skater Jack Cheek.

Fifty skaters registered for the competition and each had two one-minute runs to strut their stuff in front of international Australian skater legend Sam Fogarty and Irish international photographer Sean Daly who were judging.

The competition was hot and some amazing tricks were being pulled off with no one skater really setting the standard.

Rob Pruett did his trademark death-defying tricks on his run and probably led the field with Scottish ace Chas Sands at the halfway stage.

Jack Cheek skated well but fell, ruling him out of the higher places.

Rob Taylor, with a nearly perfect line, covered the whole of the street course, and put himself up there with the best.

The second run saw everyone more relaxed and the standard moved up a notch.

The two Robs were looking good for qualification until Adam Davidson and Nick Lomax (both sponsored skaters) pulled off inspired runs full of difficult tricks, all landing perfectly.

Rob Pruett increased the scariness of his tricks and frightened the spectators yet again.

Rob Taylor completed a perfect second run, not as difficult but incredibly smooth and stylish, prompting the commentator Andy Critchlow to say that we had all been given a lesson in how to skate a skatepark street course.

Jack Cheek pulled out all the stops and completed a much better second run.

The competition ended and everybody waited nervously for the results, with the best score of the two runs counting.

Rob Pruett qualified 4th and one-point-behind Rob Taylor just missed out. Less than ten points separated the top five skaters.

The four qualifiers were: 1, Adam Davidson (Brighton); 2, Chas Sands (Glasgow); 3, Nick Lomax (Bolton); 4, Rob Pruett (Wales).

Rob Taylor (Wales) was more than pleased to finish 5th, only half expecting to make the top ten; and Jack Cheek (Wales) finished a creditable 24th.

There is still every chance that Rob Taylor may get a wild card entry; he certainly skated extremely well and more than deserves his new position in the top 30 British skaters, and No 2 spot in Wales.

*The Welsh Championships "The War of the Wheels" is scheduled for November 19 at Newport SK8 Extreme. If you love rolling, be there!