AFTER being dogged by injuries for almost two years 21-year-old Calstock mountainboarder Tom Kirkman reclaimed his position at the top as he took the freestyle world championship last week writes Alison Stephenson.

Tom, who has been mountainboarding since the age of 14 and won every competition there is to win in the UK and Europe, said the victory was even more sweet because he had been away for so long. Tom claimed the world number one title in the prestigious Mountainboard World Freestyle Championship after a stunning display of tricks at the international event held at Bugs Boarding Mountainboard Centre in Gloucestershire.

'I used to take it a bit for granted but now I realise how much I love it,' he said. 'That competition was quite a big one because I won it in 2005, then I lost it the next year and then I could not do it because of injury. I won back the title and it feels pretty special.'

In competition, Tom was in a league of his own, landing tricks such as 720 rotations, back flips and jumps to take home the title putting the last two years of shoulder and ankle injuries firmly behind him.

'It's great to be back on form and riding with everyone again,' he said. 'The standard this year was exceptionally high and I'm happy that everything seemed to work out for me. The jumps were riding really well and I managed to stomp all of my tricks when it counted. It was a unforgettable session, everyone was having so much fun and pushing each other to the limits.'

There were two more victories for Calstock with Tom's younger brother Mick Kirkman taking the U14s championship and Tuai Lovejoy winning the U18s freestyle championship.

Tom has travelled the world competing and taking part in mountainboard demonstrations for his sponsors, MBS Mountainboard, and in November he heads off to Brazil for two and a half weeks. After that he will take up a winter job teaching his sport at a centre in Germany. The only country he has yet to 'conquer' is America and that is one of his ambitions.

When he is not mountainboarding Tom is a roofer and although he likes to travel as far as he is concerned there is no place like home: 'I have been lucky enough to meet so many people and I know someone in most places in the world but where I live is the most beautiful place and I have got a freestyle park in the garden at home.'