Photo: Elsa via Getty Images

Pierre Luc Gagnon edged out Bucky Lasek and Andy McDonald to take the gold at the supposedly dead X Games Vert event. It didn't seem so deceased to me today. There was some serious technical coping killing (bad choice of words I know), and above the deck gnar that went down. Plus, it was on national television, and in front of a packed house, the only time something dead has been able to pull that off, it was Michael Jackson's body.

PLG had some steazy runs in which he stuck nollie backside bigspin heelflips, and airs like fakie 720s. In Bucky's second place runs he had it "his way" with McEggplants, and a few switch 540s. Then there was good old Andy MacDonald, I can't believe this guy is still around, I remember him competing against Tony Hawk when the X Games were in their infant years. His sponsors too! He's got to be the only guy on the Airwalk team. You know how he has pulled it off? Consistency, he sticks everything, nothing too crazy, but everything he does, he lands. It's also worth noting that 15-years into this thing Andy and Bucky are bringing home medals.

There you have it, PLG opted out of the Big Air contest to focus on vert and it payed off. He is now a gold medalist in a classic skateboarding event. Not an Evel Knievel stunt show.

Results:
1. Pierre Luc Gagnon
2. Bucky Lasek
3. Andy MacDonald

There was so much that made this year's Pro-Tec Pool Party so rad. For starters, Bucky Lasek (pictured above) finally won. He's a tranny legend, wait that sounds weird. A transition legend, if you're still don't follow, it pretty much means he's one of the best on vert ramps, bowls/pools, concrete parks and pretty much anything that requires using the ramp/bowl to maintain speed and hold a line.

That said, it should be a no-brainer that Lasek is one of the best at the Combi Bowl (the bowl skated in this contest), and has come so close to winning year after year. From the start it seemed this was his year. He just had everything, the technical coping tricks and standard grab airs, and the more progressive inverted stuff that no one can touch. It wasn't even a question of who won. He even hung out at the after-party until the end, and seemed so happy and grateful.

A second highlight of the contest, was seeing two guys that have made skateboarding what it is today, still skating and still killing it. I'm referring to Christian Hosoi and Steve Caballero, both are in their 40s, and probably skate better than you. Then, there's Chris Miller, who wasn't as big of a name as the other two when he was younger, but now is the man when it comes to "old guy skating". He won the Master's division this year for the fifth time.

When thinking of pool skating there's one word that comes to mind more than any other, and that's "gnarly." Big boards, big wheels, over-vert and hard slams make skating something that was intended to be swam in so intense. Speaking of intense, I think Rune Glifberg wins Gnar-Gnar Warrior of the weekend. He took a hard slam days before the comp that gave him a concussion. Word on the street was, he wasn't going to skate the Pool Party this year, a contest he has won three times. There's one thing everyone forgot, Gliberg's from Denmark, and he channeled his inner-viking and slayed his way to third place.

All and all the event went off, and that leaves us with the last bit of news that came out of this contest. There was a rumor going around that it would not be held at The Combi next year. Well, Steve Van Doren, the man in charge of Vans, announced that the Pro-Tec Pool Party will be at the Vans Skatepark at The Block in The Combi bowl next year.

Here's some photos that, just like the one at the top of Bucky, were all taken by MORINformed:


Christian Hosoi was all shakas after a 2nd place finish in the Master's division.


Omar Hasson and his friend, who didn't know you're supposed to look at the camera.


Dave Duncan, one of the founders of the comp and the Combi Bowl.


Danny Kass was there ready to see some daggers.


One of the best young all-around skaters out there, David Loy.


Rune and Bucky set to drop-in.


Geoff Rowley gives a couple of groms some pointers.


The 20th Anniversary cake for everyone's favorite skate shoe, the Vans Half Cab.

Bucky Lasek is the 2009 Pro-Tec Pool Party Champ, he finished ahead of Omar Hasson and Rune Glifberg, who did compete. It was rumored that Glifberg, a three-time event winner, would sit this year out due to a recent concussion. Well, Rune being the viking that he is skated anyway.

Chris Miller won the Master's division for the fifth time, and Julie Kindstrand won in the Ladies division. Stay tuned for full story and behind-the-scenes coverage. Van Doren gave me a few too many drink tickets at the after-party, I'm still shaking it off.

Pros
1. Bucky Lasek
2. Omar Hassan
3. Rune Glifberg
4. Pedro Barros
5. Bob Burnquist
6. Sergie Ventura
7. Josh Bordon
8. Josh Rodriguez

Masters
1. Chris Miller
2. Christian Hosoi
3. Nicky Guerrero
4. Steve Caballero
5. Steve Alba

Ladies
1. Julie Kindstrand
2. Lyn-Z-Adams Hawkins
3. Megan Brown

The Pro-Tec Pool Party is set to go down tomorrow in the Combi-Bowl at the Vans Skatepark at the Block in Orange, CA. When it comes to bowl skating this is the comp to watch. The best of the best in transition will be there with their sights set on their share of the $90,000 purse. Names like: Omar Hasson, Bucky Lasek, and Chris Miller will be killing coping all day.

Rumor has it, one name that will not be competing is three-time event champ, Rune Glifberg, due to a recent concussion. This leaves everyone asking one question. Will this be Lasek's year? Glifberg has been the only person standing in the way of a Pro-Tec Pool Party victory for the bowl slayer simply known as, Bucky.

Another question is, will four-time Master's champ, Chris Miller, be able to make it five? He seems to be on another level when it comes to the guys who have been there from the beginning. If you're in the area, this is for sure worth checking out. Make a day of it, do a little shopping at the mall, and then check out some bowl destruction at the Vans park. Here's the schedule:

Contest Schedule:
1:00 pm - 2:20 pm Womens (20 minute jam)
2:20 pm - 4:20 pm Masters Pool Jam (Prelims)
4:20 pm - 6:20 pm Pro Mens (Prelims)
6:20 pm - 7:00 pm Van Doren Block$ for Buck$
7:00 pm - 7:40 pm Masters (Finals)
7:40 pm - 8:30 pm Pro Mens (Finals)
8:45 pm Awards