GUERNSEY’S world class skating partnership of Darren Dyke and Kirsty Chick have placed a highly creditable ninth at the 53rd World Artistic Roller Skating Championships.

This year’s event, held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, attracted over 20 participating countries with the biggest number of competitiors coming from the Italian camp.

Dyke and Chick were invited by the National Federation to represent Great Britain and they were the sole representatives as a further two skaters declined places due to high travel costs.

To acclimatise for the event, the Sarnians left three days before the first day of training and in doing so found their first couple of days going very well.

They were also offered the services of the Spanish physiotherapist to loosen up their tired muscles and so were in good form going into the first section of the competition – the compulsory dances.