Gagnon, Rodriguez Display Textbook Perfection Capturing Gold AT the LG Action Sports World Championships
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE - SEATTLE, Washington (November 3, 2008) – The capacity crowd at KeyArena experienced a textbook display of Skateboard Vert and Street skills when Pierre-Luc Gagnon (Montreal, Canada) and Paul Rodriguez (Tarzana, Calif.) skated to Gold medals on the final day of the LG Action Sports World Championships.
Gagnon repeated as Skateboard Vert LG World Champion, redefining the word ‘domination’ by claiming yet another major title in 2008. In a 5-run, 10-wall competition, he produced runs that contained only one blank wall as he turned out one banger after another. His 360-flip mute to fakie, which won him best trick earlier this season, amazed the crowd, and his technical board tricks racked up the points to bring him $30,000 to add to his winnings this year.
“It feels great to win the LG World Championships again. I’ve been having a great time all season,” said Gagnon. “I’ve been on the road and practicing a lot, riding everyday. When I get to competitions all the practice I’ve done helps make it seem almost like any other day.”
Winning Silver was good friend Danny Mayer (Omaha, Nebraska) whose kick flip 540, the hardest trick of the day, thrilled the crowd and gave him a firm hold on second place after his second run. Not more than three people industry wide can perform the trick with the technical skill of Mayer, making it no wonder that tonight he finds himself $20,000 richer.
Third place seemed like Bucky Lasek’s (Baltimore, Maryland) after producing a few solid runs, but, like his nickname describes, the “pitbull on wheels,” Sandro Dias (Santo Andre, Brazil) came through on his final run to overcome Lasek and win the Bronze. After losing it on his 10th wall twice in the two previous runs, Dias stuck his final run which included one of the highest 540s ever. It was enough to pocket the $10,000 third place prize.
The Skateboard Street contest rivaled the Vert competition in excitement when the top 8 men of a 14-man field took to the 6-foot drop staircase to show off their skills in the final round. For ten minutes of controlled chaos they pushed their limits and threw one trick after another, cranking the level of skill beyond expectation. In the end, ‘textbook perfection’ is what took the title; Paul Rodriguez (Tarzana, Calif.) earned the Gold with a score of 95.75.
“He’s a total machine,” commented the judges. “His switch stance is as good as most people’s regular stance, and tonight he landed twice as many tricks as his competition.”
“I went for some tricks I normally wouldn’t try, “ said Rodriquez. “You just do what you have to do to win.”
Greg Lutzka (Milwaukee, Wis.) captured second place and Rodolfo Ramos, the 2007 LG Skateboard Street World Champion, took third.
All of the action of the 6th annual LG Action Sports World Championships produced by ASA Entertainment can be seen on CBS Sports on Sunday, December 7th at 5:00 p.m., Saturday, December 13th at 1:00 p.m. and on Saturday, December 20th at 1:00 p.m. All times are Eastern. Local listings should be consulted for broadcast details in specific areas. The event will also air in more than 180 countries worldwide via 25 networks.
For all the results, photos or more event information, please contact Denise M. Abbott at 310 430 0496 or visit www.lgactionsports.com.
Skateboard Vert Finals Results:
1) Pierre-Luc Gagnon (Montreal, Canada); 2) Danny Mayer (Omaha, Neb); 3) Sandro Dias (Santa Andre, Brazil); 4) Bucky Lasek (Baltimore, Maryland); 5) Andy Macdonald (San Diego, Calif.); 6) Marcelo Bastos (Sao Paulo, Brazil); 7) Buster Halterman (Wellsville, Penn); 
Alex Perelson (San Diego, Calif.)
Skateboard Street Finals Results:
1) Paul Rodriguez (Tarzana, Calif.); 2) Greg Lutzka (Milwaukee, Wis.); 3) Rodolfo Ramos (Cascavel, Brazil); 4) Jereme Rogers (Boston, Mass.); 5) Kurtis Colamonico (Long Beach, Calif.); 6) Fabrizio Santos (Aracaju, Brazil); 7) Danilo do Rosario (Curitiba, Brazil); Wagner Ramos (Cascavel, Parana, Brazil)
BMX Vert Finals Results:
1) Jamie Bestwick (Darby, England); 2) Chad Kagy (Gilroy, Calif.); 3) Simon Tabron (Newquay, England); 4) Steven McCann (Melbourne, Australia); 5) Jimmy Walker (Gilberts, Illinois); 6) Francisco Zurita (Santiago, Chile); 7) Zack Warden (Ofallon, Illinois); John Parker (State College, Penn.); 9) Jay Eggleston (Denver, Colo.); 10) Koji Kraft (Addison, Illinois); 11) Austin Coleman (Los Angeles, Calif.); 12) Jorge Jovel (Tela, Honduras); 13) Ben Snowden (Hornell, New York)
BMX Street Finals Results:
1) Daniel Dhers (Caracas, Venezuela); 2) Rob Darden (Greenville, NC); 3) Dennis Enarson (San Diego, Calif.); 4) Allan Cooke (Greenville, NC); 5) Anthony Napolitan (Youngstown, Ohio); 6) Gary Young (San Diego, Calif.); 7) Kevin Kiraly (Livermore, Calif.); Morgan Wade (Tyler, Texas)
Inline Vert Final Results:
1) Marco de Santi (Sao Paulo, Brazil), $12,500; 2) Shane Yost (Lauceton, Tasmania), $8,500; 3) Fabiola da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil), $4,000; 4) Borja Fernandez (Bilbao, Spain); 5) Sven Boerkhorst (Den Bosch, Holland); 6) Thumper Nagasako (Maui, Hawaii); 7) Marc Englehart (Lansdale, Penn.); Rich Parker (Glastonbury, England); 9) Matt Lindenmuth (Kutztown, Penn.); 10) Kevin Marron Lopez (Brussels, Belgium).
Inline Street Finals Results:
1) Franky Morales (Miami, Fla.); 2) Stephane Alfano (Frejus, France); 3) David Sizemore (Atlanta, Georgia); 4) Brian Aragon (Brighton, Colo.), 5) Chaz Sands (Glascow, Scotland); 6) Brian Shima ( Redwood City, Calif.)
Women’s Inline Street Finals Results:
1) Jenna Downing (Barnsley, England); 2) Fallon Heffernan (Jacksonville Beach, Fla.); 3) Fabiola da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil); 4) Chynna Weierstall (Roseville, MI).
About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 06657.KS) is the global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications, employing more than 72,000 people working in over 120 operations including 80 subsidiaries around the world. Comprised of four business units: Mobile Communications, Digital Appliance, Digital Display and Digital Media with global sales at USD 34.7 billion (consolidated USD 43.4 billion) as of 2005, LG Electronics is the world’s leading provider of CDMA handsets, residential air conditioners, plasma panels, optical storage products, DVD players and home theatre system. For more information, please visit www.lge.com.
About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company:
LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is the world’s leading provider of UMTS (WCDMA), CDMA and GSM handsets, which have been designed to improve the value of customer life. With a total range of wired and wireless solutions, the company is rapidly establishing a global presence and growing its international market share in 3G handsets. For more information please visit www.lgusa.com.
About ASA Entertainment:
A leader in the action sports industry since 1994, ASA Entertainment, headquartered in Culver City, California is the largest action sports event and television production company in the world. The company produces more than 200 events and 100 television programs annually around the globe that feature skateboarding, freestyle BMX, inline skating, freeskiing, freestyle motocross, snowboarding and music. Its events are broadcast on CBS Sports, Spike, VERSUS, Fuel TV and Fox Sports Net domestically and distributed to more than 1 billion HH globally throughout Asia, Europe, USA, Africa, Canada, South & Central America and Australia. ASA’s properties range from large-scale international competitions such as the LG Action Sports World Championships to grassroots amateur contests, lifestyle and branded entertainment events, demonstrations, exhibitions and mobile tours. As one of the oldest and most established organizations in action sports, ASA Entertainment leads the market in developing premium content around the fastest growing sector of American sports. For more information visit www.actionsportstour.com or www.asaentertainment.com.
Press Release
- November 03 2008 | 92 views
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