Best SECTIONS OF ALL TIME: ARCHY IN WAVE WARRIORS III

In 1983, Herbie Fletcher and the fine folks at Astrodeck forever blessed our VHS machines with Wave Warriors. At the time, the gritty and untamed attitude associated with Wave Warriors existed in harsh juxtaposition to the sleek professionalism and spit-shined image of other ‘80s classics like Quiksilver’s The Performers, splitting surfing’s audience cleanly in two. Put simply, it was punk rock vs new wave, each existing at opposite ends of the spectrum. If you were around back then, you knew which camp you belonged in.

By 1988, the Wave Warriors banner had already produced two instant cult classics, and filming had begun for the series’ third installment. Enter a young and rebellious Matt Archbold.

Archy is almost certainly your favorite surfer’s favorite surfer. Hell, If you were born after Y2K, he’s probably your favorite surfer’s favorite surfer’s favorite surfer. Here at IB, we try (and fail) to use the word “core” sparingly, but it’s common knowledge that Archy is universally acknowledged as the progenitor of core; he had tats, rode around in vintage street rods, and put heavy metal in his parts 30 years before it was cool. His raw aggression and unrivaled speed (of which few have exceeded to this day) helped usher in a “new school” of radicalism, both above and below the lip. While Archy could punt like nobody’s business, it was his remorseless vertical attack and butter-knife rail game that were the truest hallmarks of his oft-imitated style.

This week we’re revisiting our favorite section from Wave Warriors III, the film responsible for putting a 20 year-old Matt Archbold on the map. Take notes as Archy puts on a clinic in backhand Trestles carnage, interspersed in true Wave Warriors fashion with a miscellanea of bizarre *lifestyle* clips. It’s an essential portrait of one of San Clemente’s finest exports at the peak of his powers; if watching this doesn’t get you psyched to surf, we recommend re-evaluating your tastes and/or quitting immediately.—Jackson Todd