Dias, PLG Top Skate Vert in Portland

Sandro Dias | cr. AST

Pierre-Luc Gagnon had an awful showing last month at the Right Guard Open but after winning X Games gold earlier this month he came back strong at the Wendy’s Invitational in Portland.  PLG tied with Sandro Dias as the top qualifier in Skateboard Vert, with Alex Perelson a distant third.  Thanks to a tiebreaker Dias received the top rank with PLG in second.  Fellow young guns Josh Stafford and Adam Taylor also made the cut.  Not competing in Portland was last month’s winner Shaun White.

“I want to get the 900 in one of my runs on Saturday,” Dias said after taking the qualifiers. “I’m feeling great after my runs in Prelims; I always love skating in Portland and with the new three-run format this year we have more time and space to do different tricks. I want to skate in Finals like I skated today, stay on my board, and try different tricks for sure. Maybe the 9.”

Already prequalified for the final on Saturday are AST Dew Cup points leader Bucky Lasek, alogn with Andy Macdonald and Bob Burnquist.  Fans will be able to catch the action on NBC starting at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET.

Here’s the lineup for Saturday’s final (in order)

10. Buster Halterman
9. Rob Lorifice
8. Adam Taylor
7. Josh Stafford
6. Alex Perelson
5. Pierre-Luc Gagnon
4. Sandro Dias
3. Bob Burnquist
2. Andy Macdonald
1. Bucky Lasek

Skate Vert Prelim Results – Wendy’s Invitational
August 21, 2008 – Top Seven Advance

1st – Dias, Sandro – 88.00
2nd – Gagnon, Pierre-Luc – 88.00
3rd – Perelson, Alex – 81.50
4th – Stafford, Josh – 80.75
5th – Taylor, Adam – 79.50
6th – Lorifice, Rob – 78.50
7th – Halterman, Buster – 76.75
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
8th – Millar, Renton – 74.25
9th – Ueda, Lincoln – 67.00
10th – Bastos, Marcelo – 66.25
11th – Glifberg, Rune – 62.75
12th – Hendrix, Neal – 62.00
13th – Gentry, Chris – 61.25
14th – Postec, Jean – 45.50
15th – Menezes, Rodrigo – 38.75
16th – Mayer, Danny – 30.50
17th – Furlong, Anthony – 22.50