Bronze turns to gold for Potter
By: SCOTT BAIR - Staff Writer | ∞
Todd Potter took a quick inventory.
Was he still alive? Whew. Bodily harm? Surprisingly not. How on earth did he survive a freestyle motocross maneuver so insane it's called a Kamikaze Flip? No clue.
"I'm not even sure how I landed," he said at the time.
The crowd's reaction? Enthusiastic.
He slowly scanned the Staples Center, trying to absorb every detail of this unforgettable moment. Potter had just nailed a backflip while sailing perpendicular to his bike with his head over the front tire, and he did so with the entire action sports world watching.
The spectacle earned 91.00 points and a third-place finish in the X Games' Moto X Best Trick competition.
That bronze medal, however, was worth its weight in gold. It put the 23-year-old Temecula resident on the map and secured his place among the FMX elite.
"It was huge," Potter said of his first X Games experience. "It was just a bronze, but people still come up and talk about that medal all the time. Way more people know my name thanks to that one event."
Potter's reputation as a clutch performer grew exponentially during what can only be described as a breakout season. Potter followed his X Games showing with a pair of fine Dew Tour finishes, taking second at the Toyota Challenge and third at last month's PlayStation Pro.
He finished No. 5 overall on that five-stop circuit, a marked improvement after a pair of disappointing seasons.
"I knew his time would come," said Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, Potter's friend and mentor. "Todd has always had the talent, but he wasn't as committed as he needed to be. But now he's putting in the time and starting to see the benefits of hard work."
Potter admits his previous shortcomings, knowing full well what slowed his ascent.
"I used to party and drink pretty often, maybe a little too much," he said. "But I can't do that if I want to keep up with the competition. I have to be 100 percent focused all the time. I can't take my mind off of it for a second, or I'll fall behind."
Maturity has brought consistency, which in turn has produced fame, fortune and a shot at lasting greatness.
"I've been building toward the time when I can compete with the top guys," Potter said. "I want to utilize my talent and take advantage of this window of opportunity."
FMX icon Brian Deegan created one five years ago by allowing Potter to train at his state-of-the-art practice facility.
"It was hard when I didn't have a ramp," Potter said. "My only option was to go out to Ocotillo or Glamis or Beaumont and try new tricks. But after I met Brian, it got a whole lot easier."
Potter, then just an 18-year-old kid, still had to do some manual labor to get in the door. He paid his dues by manicuring Deegan's yard, a small price to pay for all that he has achieved.
"I remember Todd when he was a young kid trimming plants in Brian's backyard," Stenberg said. "Now he's doing crazy tricks and winning medals. He's come a long way, but he still hasn't peaked. I expect great things from him in the future."
-- The Action Sports report runs every Tuesday. To suggest story ideas, report local events and results or offer general comments, contact staff writer Scott Bair at (760) 739-6642 or sbair@nctimes.com.
Gilmore strikes again
Australian surfer Stephanie Gilmore solidified control in the Women's World Championship Tour with a victory in the Mancora Peru Classic on Saturday. The WCT rookie defeated seven-time world champion Layne Beachley with 15.37 points. She clinched the win with an 8.10 individual wave score with less than a minute remaining. The victory is Gilmore's third of the season. It also gives her a solid lead in the overall standings with two events remaining. - No winner yet
The Men's World Championship Tour titles is up for grabs, at least for now. Mick Fanning, Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater -- the only surfers who are still mathematically alive in the championship chase -- advanced through Round 3 of the Santa Catarina Pro on Monday in Brazil. Fanning remains the heavy favorite, but if Burrow and Slater continue surfing well, the championship will be decided at the season's final contest, which takes place in Hawaii next month.
Fighters schedule announced
The Red Bull X Fighters Freestyle Motocross tour has been set for 2008. The popular worldwide circuit will begin in April in Mexico City. The tour will stop in Rio de Janiero and Rome in May, Fort Worth, Texas in June, and Madrid in July.
Check this out
Billabongxxl.com
This is the Web site for the XXL Big Wave Awards. While ultimate big-wave surfing awards won't be given out until April 2008, you can check out the season's early entries now.
Interscholastic Surfing Federation
The season's second high school contest will take place on Saturday at Army-Navy beach in Carlsbad.
Women's World Championship Tour
Overall rankings
After six events
Surfer - Points
1. Stephanie Gilmore - 5,508
2. Silvana Lima - 4,982
3. Sofia Mulanovich - 4,567
4. Chelsea Hedges - 3,878
5. Layne Beachley - 3,854
6. Samantha Cornish - 3,684
7. Amee Donohoe - 3,434
8. Rebecca Woods - 3,000
9. Jessi Miley-Dyer - 2,899
10. Jacqueline Silva - 2,474
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