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 Skateboard Vert Podium: Danny Mayer (2nd), Pierre-Luc Gagnon (1st), Sandro
Dias (3rd). |
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 Pierre-Luc Gagnon |
Pierre-Luc Gagnon is Undisputed Vert Champ in 2008
It's official: The man they call PLG is the back-to-back winner of the LG Action Sports Championships and the undisputed champion of vert skateboarding in 2008.
Gagnon posted a score of 92.50 in the first of five runs, setting the bar incredibly high. Danny Mayer came closest to it, nailing his signature kickflip McTwist in his flawless second run for 90.25, and Sandro Dias finally pulled off his dream run and his signature "gnar jar" 540 to tail for 88.75, but the only skater to beat Gagnon's score was Gagnon himself. He hit all his tricks in Run 5, including a huge 720, to improve his score to 94.50: A perfect run as icing on the cake of a perfect season.
"It's awesome to end the year with a win like this," says Gagnon. "I still have a few events coming up but this is the last contest in America this year and I'm super hyped, and not even just because I won: It was one of the best runs I've ever done. I'm really happy with my skating this year and it's awesome to end on a positive note like this."
Awesome, indeed: Gagnon got greedy this year, snatching up just about all the prize money to be had in vert skateboarding in 2008. AST China Invitational, Tampa Pro, The Maloof Money Cup, X Games 14, The ASA Action Sports Tour, The AST Dew Tour. Even in this epic year, Gagnon says winning the LG Action Sports Championships for the second year in a row is one of his proudest accomplishments.
"This is a great event and it's one of my favorite ramps," says Gagnon. "The crowd here in Seattle saw so many great skaters get really great runs, so that made it even sweeter. To have won so many events this year, each one with a totally different format and in front of so many different judges, it's just a great reward for all the work I've put into this. I feel great."
Buster Halterman
