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PLG
“Skating is what I do for a living, but it's really what I do for fun.”
by Todd Seligman
Coming off a knee injury in the spring of 2006 that had left him on the sidelines all summer, Pierre-Luc Gagnon or “PLG” is back and even more determined going into the LG Action Sports World Championships.
Pierre-Luc Gagnon received his first skateboard at the age of 9. At the time, it just seemed like something fun to try. He had no idea that this skateboard would take him around the world and afford him a life only a child could imagine to be true. "Growing up in Montreal, Canada, I saw a lot of hockey, but skateboarding stood out. It just seemed like more of an art form.” Riding a skateboard for the first time can be very addicting due to the fact that the progression is all based on your personal desire to improve. Every time you learn a trick you just want to learn it better or learn another trick.
Pierre didn't have any real aspirations with skateboarding other than having fun and progressing. This is partly due to the fact that before Pierre’s success there wasn’t anyone from Montreal that had become a professional skateboarder. His dad was also a huge catalyst in his career. He saw Pierre’s love of skateboarding and his ability to focus, that alone was enough to support his riding.
"My dad was probably trying to keep me out of trouble. He saw skateboarding as a positive outlet and supported me in it.”
Later his father opened the only skatepark in Montreal where Pierre and his friends skated everyday on perfect ramps. For years, he traveled all over Canada and the east coast of the US, skating in local competitions with friends. Traveling to different skateparks and entering random contests is normal for the average skateboarder seeking new places to skate and the desire to ride anything and everything. In 1996, he entered the Vans Warped Tour amateur contest series when it came to his home town and won his region. This was a huge and unlikely accomplishment for a young no-name skateboarder from Montreal Canada, especially at a time when the best amateur skateboarders were coming out of the US and Brazil. This win earned him a free ride to Hollywood California for the Vans Warped Tour amateur finals where he won.
This was when he realized that being a professional skater for his career just might be an option. The grand prize was one year all-expense-paid journey on the pro contest tour. In 2005 Pierre become number one in the North American vert rankings beating out Bucky Lasek and Bob Burnquist for the points standings.
In 2006, Pierre will be 26. He has multiple X games and ASA Events medals including an LG Action Sports World Championship Gold. Pierre is one of only15 skaters in the world who are talented enough to compete in Danny Way's Mega Ramp contest series. Today, he lives in San Diego, California where he appreciates every moment of his life.
"Skating is what I do for a living, but it's really what I do for fun (laughs). I know it won't last forever so I want my skateboarding to improve every time I step on my board. I just want to progress."
This season, Pierre is working harder than ever to stay on top of his game. Professional vert skating is being pushed beyond what most skaters have ever imagined and Pierre is no exception to this momentous time in skateboarding history. Be a part of it at the LG Action Sports World Championships in Dallas on October 27-29.
