In an exciting vert final, Chris Edwards of Escondido, Calif., returned to in-line skating competition to steal the gold. After being sidelined with injuries over the past year, Edwards raised his skating to a level that enabled him to top second-place finisher Mike Budnick of Irvine, Calif.

"I was fired up after missing competition last year," Edwards said. "I didn't want to hold back."

Matt Lindenmuth of Kutztown, Pa., skated well enough to finish third. Edwards and Joe Ackler of North Wales, Pa., earned tickets to the X Games.

In the street competition, second-place qualifier Takashi Sato of Tokushima, Japan, skated his way to gold. Although he barely edged out Aaron Feinberg of Portland, Ore., Sato was able to combine technical grinds and smooth airs to win.

Third-place finisher Nick Riggle of Santa Rosa, Calif., joined the two on the awards stand to round out the medalists. Both Nick Riggle and Brandon Waring of Beverly, Mass., earned coveted invitations to the X Games in San Francisco.