Pierre-Luc Gagnon

Pierre-Luc Gagnon, sometimes known as PLG for short (born May 2, 1980 in Boucherville, Montreal) is a Canadian professional skateboarder. He is currently sponsored by Osiris, Darkstar, Electric, RDS, Skullcandy, Capix, Boost Mobile and Monster Energy Drink. He has competed in five X Games where he won fifteen medals, four of them being gold.

At 32 years old, Pierre-Luc Gagnon is a successful skateboarder and well-known in his discipline. He has won eight gold medals at the X-Games competition.

Gagnon found his passion at the age of nine years old. He asked his father to buy his first skateboard. When he got it, he started to visit the local planchodrome intensively. But during the winter in Quebec, it is harder to find a place to practice this sport. With a group, they decided to rent a localation where they put some ramps. 

In 1992, his father, who is a physical education teacher, convinced the city of Boucherville to open an indoor skate park. After this, he practiced his sport each day after school for six years and gained skills.

In 1996, he tries his luck during a competition (Vans Amateur series) which accompanies a musical tour everywhere in North America. The winner of each city is allowed to go to Los Angeles for the big final. Gagnon won the whole competition and had his first contract with Vans. He started his professional career by doing demonstration with the team and competition.

But in 2000, He decided to move to California where the sport is more important and he could do it all year long. There is also more competition in California. Since he moved there, he has competed in Brazil, China and Switzerland. For him, skateboarding is not just a sport; it is a kind of art. It is a way of expressing himself, being original and unique. It is not a traditional sport where everybody executes the same tricks. A skateboarder needs to develop a unique style almost like an artist.

Pierre-Luc Gagnon said that skateboarding helps kids to use their imagination for trying new things. He fell in love with skateboarding when he started and he never stops.  He started to go to the skate park each day after school at the age of nine, and now he practices it six days a week three hours by day.

References

Other websites
Pierre-Luc Gagnon's Official website 
Roller Skating vs Skateboarding  at theathlima

Category:Skateboarders
Category:Sportspeople from Montreal
Category:1980 births
Category:Living people