PLG Wins Gold at X Games 14
August 3, 2008 – 1:11 am PT by GregTags: Bucky Lasek, PLG, Shaun White, X Games —
PLG | cr. BRIAN BRANTLEY/SHAZAMM/ESPN IMAGES
Pierre-Luc Gagnon loves the jam format. With the X Games using a new scoring system this year, PLG absolutely dominated the finals, scoring a 120 thanks to three powerful runs. The new format gives each skater an intro run of 30 seconds, followed by a 10-minute jam session during which each skater gets 30 seconds to do their best or go down and out.
Bucky Lasek survived an early fall to come back and win second while Shaun White, despite throwing down a new trick called the Armadillo (a 540 variation), ended up in third. White won last year’s contest.
While there were plenty of complaints about the ramp from the skaters, at the end of the day the contest delivered thanks to the new format.
Keep reading for the full results and more info about the day’s action.
Pierre-Luc Gagnon comes out on Top and Takes Home His 13th X Games Medal
LOS ANGELES – 10 appearances and 13 medals later, Pierre-Luc Gagnon still has what it takes. After missing the podium at the Skateboard Big Air finals on Thursday night, PLG turned his focus towards today’s Skateboard Vert final and landed himself in top position on the podium.“It feels amazing to be back on top,” Gagnon said. “The jam format was great if you were in the zone, and I was definitely in the zone.”Gagnon’s final run scored him the highest of his three judged runs with a 42.00. The top-shelf run consisted of a tre-flip mute grab to a gate twist, followed by a kickflip Mctwist into a solid 720. He then linked together two 540s and ended with a finale of an ollie-heel flip to an ollie-heel flip 360. Gagnon’s final combined score was a 120.00.Bucky Lasek earned himself the silver with a respectable combined score of 104.00. “I wanted to go for it, but I just played it safe and ended up second. I threw in some flip tricks but it was just a matter of staying consistent.”The former reigning X Games 13 champion and America’s favorite red-head Shaun White stuck one of the hardest skateboard vert tricks there is to secure the bronze.
“I pulled one of the best tricks ever,” White said of his frontside heelflip body varial 540. “I just learned it last week. I was having nightmares about landing it, but I nailed it, so it was a home run.”
SKATEBOARD VERT MEN’S FINAL RESULTS
Results from ESPN X GAMES 14 at The Home Center in Carson, Calf. on Saturday, August 2, 2008. (Final Standings)
Name / Hometown / Score
1. Pierre-Luc Gagnon / Carlsbard, Calif. / 120
2. Buckey Lasek / Baltimore, Md. / 104
3. Shaun White / Carlsbad, Calif. / 101
4. Andy Macdonald / San Diego, Calif / 93
5. Sandro Dias / Santo Andre, Brazil / 41
6. Bob Burnquist / Sao Paolo, Brazil / 88
7. Alex Perelson / San Diego, Calif. / 84
8. Rob Lorifice / Encinitas, Calif. / 81
9. Danny Mayer / San Diego, Calif. / 62
10. Rune Glifberg / Copenhagen, Denmark / 25
