The Thrill is Back | Pottz

In the third episode of our "The Thrill is Back" series, Herbie Fletcher revisits surfing from Martin Potter and his trademark style that came about in the 80's.

[@BobbyJetty1502]

Pottz is the best example of what radical surfing is POWER, SPEED & FLOW. 🌊🔱🤙

[@dudleyserious1]

Great surfer forever. His surfing still has a modern look to it over 30 years later.

[@izandevainmyheart1129]

Sheeeesh! Crazy humble WSL commentator. Never toots his own horn and praises surfers that are nowhere near as amazing as he was. He pretty much invented modern ripping along with Archy in his foot steps but you would never know it to listen to him as a commentator. The dude is tops!!!

[@HKSlays]

I've got some epic memories of watching Pottz surf my local break (Oceanside Harbor) and being totally blown away by his speed and power. One of the OG arielst along with Davey Smith and Jay Adams, and then later, Matt Archibald and Christian Fletcher. Pottz was one of the first to actually do functional and stylish airs, if memory serves.

[@Andrew_Haase]

From that era of Oceanside, Ca too

[@HKSlays]

@@Andrew_Haase Right on Andrew! Are you still in the north county? I ended up down here on a giant sandbar in South Texas.

[@Andrew_Haase]

@@HKSlays …yea dude, I am! Oside Blvd is my quick go to, but these last three weeks have been so consistent with swell direction + the Mid October mornings & offshore wind afternoons , N.Side Pier & S. Jetty have been firing solid- worth the tight spot line up, but quite sad on etiquette these days

[@johnchang7]

Always loved Potters style. Pedal to the metal, go for broke, laying down a rail...80s surf scene was epic.

[@stacysueda9708]

Dane kealoha

[@SuperAmin1950]

Pottz is SICK; just so INSANE. And Herbie...what can you say (?)...lives in the moment while stepping boldly into the future. He's been a 'name' on the scene for all my time in the water; a true poet-warrior, he's earned an A+!

[@francoisrossouw1656]

Pottz was my hero growing up and such awesome insights and still relevant today.

[@rolly1496]

He definitely changed the game,his what surfing is today , nobody was even close he did it all.

[@joeblow1942]

My favorite WSL commentator. His surfing then looks insanely good in 2022. Was Pottz the pioneer of the slash off the top?

[@Steve-hs5le]

Pottz Johnny Rotten of Surfing loved this guy's surfing.

[@macrovigilance]

Pottz was surfing's rock star in that era! (later the title passed to Matt Hoy)

[@BobbyJetty1502]

Matt Hoy's air brush with the yellow iron cross was so sic. I had two boards with the same air brush just cuz, well cuz it was bad ass! See you in the line up 🌊🔱🤙

[@Makai77]

Curren was my first ever favorite... then Pottz. Was stoked for him when he won the World Title. He remained my guy through the 90's.. the AI took over.

[@rodrigoguerra7619]

my favorite back in the day, always trying to surf like pottz!

[@americanmadejustice2168]

Priceless

[@extradutyfelt1]

Never realized until now how good Potts was in his prime..his surfing is awesome and he can charge big waves as well!

[@mikewalker3007]

You are just realizing the 89 world champ one of the inventors of the modern aerial was good? Ok...

[@mikewalker3007]

He was great.

[@darrensmith9182]

Pottz was awesome power ,speed ,ambition ,skills we would watch wavewarriors before every surf shityeh im still pumped thinking about it.

[@markgardner6630]

every era is priceless ,

[@jksinorbit]

I saw Pottz sometime in the 90s at home in Durban ripping the shit out of some two foot slop... he made it look like the waves were epic.

[@TheArts19]

I have studied surfing and skateboarding my whole life Pottz rips so Fucking hard. Aggro props for days. Blazing Saddles

[@fernandomaron87]

Me too, i love surfing and skating and been studying styles for years. Big fan of Potter's style.

[@Kidgloves1984]

Pottz surfing was ahead of his time..

[@Kidgloves1984]

Fast, radical, stylish..the guy surfing is awesome!

[@djizzah]

a lot of what he was doing in his prime would hold up in todays competition

[@ApriliaRacer14]

Those were the days! Met him when I was 14...really cool guy.

[@aaronchase38]

Awesome 🤙pottz killing it Need some archy and dino footage!

[@kylebodenham4911]

So dynamic!

[@americanmadejustice2168]

All the sudden it went crazy

[@theflyinhawaiian3511]

My altime favorite surfer,,,way ahead of his time,,,

[@GuyRips]

Yes sir

[@johnmartin2079]

Martin is from New Port Beach i remember that day and the day at Huntington Beach. Right on brother, do you still surf. My. Knees gave out on me.

[@salvitoripopadillo4539]

He fUkin really said at the end there! It's so much easier to say Martin Potter with a South African, Australian or English accent than it is in an American accent. MaRtin PotteR vs. Matin Potta!

[@izandevainmyheart1129]

Funny the wsl viewers don't really realize that Pottz, before there was Archy or Slater or AI, invented what we call surfing today. He was way ahead. His story needs to be told in full.

[@jamesmcay6915]

my mate had a pottz 6'4 glassed quad fin with speed channels it was a very nice board im still trying to locate it

[@garyhendrie7496]

Before innerweb.. Had surf movie night!!! Awesome😀

[@eddieds312]

he had this green and yellow board back in like 82 or 83 wherever it is today it must be worth a grip

[@sessionsinparadise7357]

Eddie Da Silva seen the greeen one shaped by glenn pang its like 400$

[@fidelmontoya]

It's name is "The Saint".

[@michaelscurr9046]

Loved Herbie. sad there’s a few missing faces with the group shot at the beginning

[@bonsummers2657]

Remake those Pottz boards

[@claymarzobestgoofy]

"Good evening ladies and gentelmen, we are back at the WSL margarette river pro with a wonderful morning of surf ahead of us."

[@boobtubereborn]

love the deck grip position. half way up the tail anyone?

[@cirobass]

Sempre a frente do seu tempo

[@dedman9464]

MP could really stick those floaters

[@elvideoisaiastorezanijunio8925]

Style Pottz is only Power and wonderfull, come back to Brazil Let's Go to Surf in REGÊNCIA

[@jeffharden2797]

The Man.

[@EttiBlanchardyes]

What s the first song please ??

[@fernandogomes2552]

Does anyone know the name of the song at the end of the video? Please🙏

[@thestonedandstripped]

Herbie is surfing.

[@Demop_VW_garage]

mr radical!!

[@joelsavell]

Young Pottz looks like he could compete in today’s WSL.

[@markbrown-sb2zm]

Wow,huge loss when he left South Africa.The standard of surfing in the 80s was crap,but Pottz was fast,aggro,good flow.They never had a cooking clue about backhand barrells then for whatever reason barring Pottz who looked so natural grabbing the rail.Definately 20 years ahead of everyone else,even without the airs.I really miss his WSL commentary,he was the best in the business,hope he comes back

[@diegoalessandronavarro]

radical

[@user-fq9qc7th7n]

what's the na me of the song?

[@daves4645]

Ride The Rhino by Rhino Bucket

[@skratman]

Pottz didn't come from South Africa (0:56). He is English.

[@darrenball3342]

Born in UK, Potter's parents emigrated to Durban, South Africa when he was two years old. He grew up in Durban, SA. Surfed under British nationality to avoid sanctions against SA sports.

[@peterstayne3765]

Some good surf in UK

[@ronaldlezar1301]

@@darrenball3342 i went to the same high school as him a few years after he was there. I still remember seeing his name up on the awards board. He got full colours for surfing

[@djizzah]

he lives here in melbourne and sounds aussie??

[@skratman]

@@djizzah he is bound to have picked up an accent. Irrespective, he was born in Blyth in Northumberland, and won his World title under the British flag.

[@rogase68]

Imagine him surfing back then on a shorter board with more rocker. Those 80's board are just planks. Look so hard to turn and surf in the pocket

[@blackfishgaming7145]

watching this, I can really see how much Slater was influenced by this guy. He was way ahead of his time.

[@chrisbatson3402]

What's up with the gloves pottz is wearing while surfing?

[@HLsab]

They were an experimental webbed glove to assist with paddling .

[@punkisinthedetails1470]

Fuckin awesome let's get lost

[@paulhetherington3854]

TC'--Timed call, access etc.. T'AN'C'--Timed and cancelled.

[@paulhetherington3854]

There's no Lopez house, ever. Hous--Not Hawaiian self. AK'HOS'-- Hawaiian hut.

[@coreyglanville546]

The gorilla..

[@bonsummers2657]

big boards

[@americanmadejustice2168]

You ain’t fuckn with us

[@cynthcorcor126]

Highest IQ lots. Grace kelly

[@steveharrison4441]

Has to throw in a "right there" in every statement he makes when commentating on the WSL, drives everyone CRAZY!!

[@adrianwoods7720]

Anyone who doesn't see that Kelly Slater stole his style from Pottz is blind.

[@daves4645]

We all had the ugliest dayglo boards in the 80s.