Brenden Margieson

Last updated

Brenden Margieson
Brenden Margieson Margo.jpg
Margieson in 2020
Born (1972-07-03) 3 July 1972 (age 51)
Sydney, Australia
Personal information
NicknameMargo
ResidenceEast Coast, Australia
Height182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Surfing career
Major achievements• 1996 winner Nias Indonesian Pro
• 2 times voted Best Free-Surfer in the World (1998 and 1999) by Australian Surfing Life Magazine
• Finalist at ISA World Titles France 1992
• Winner of the Heritage Heat - WSL Boost Mobile Pro Gold Coast 2020 [1]
• Legends Division Champion Burleigh Heads Boardriders Single Fin 2023 [2]
Surfing specifications
StanceNatural (regular) foot
Shaper(s)Present: Album Surf [3]
Website www.instagram.com/margomargs

Brenden Margieson, born on July 3, 1972, is a former Australian professional surfer, widely recognized as one of the pioneering free surfers to achieve substantial financial success in the sport. [4] In 1996, he secured victory at the inaugural Nias Indonesian Pro [5] [6] and earned the title of "Best free-surfer in the world" in consecutive years (1998 and 1999) according to Australia's Surfing Life. [7] Known by the moniker "Margo", he is often praised for his stylish regular foot, characterized by a smooth and powerful technique, making him a captivating presence in the world of surfing. Margieson remains a cherished figure in Australian surfing. [8]

Contents

Life and career

Brenden Margieson was born in Sydney on July 3, 1972, and relocated to Byron Bay at the age of 5. Following in the footsteps of his father, Rodney Margieson, who was an avid surfer, Brenden entered the surfing scene at 18. Recognizing his potential, Billabong sponsored him, providing the support necessary for him to pursue his dreams. [9]

Margieson's career predominantly involved extensive travel to remote locations, funded by sponsors, where he engaged in editorial photoshoots for both Australian and international surfing publications. [10] He graced the covers of numerous magazines, including Tracks, Waves, Surfing Life, Surfer, and Surfing. Additionally, he has been featured in over a dozen surfing videos, collaborating with renowned figures such as Jack McCoy [11] and Justin Gane.

In 2003, Justin Gane Productions released Wanderjahr: The Margo Project, a documentary offering insights into the life and journeys of Brenden 'Margo' Margieson. The film delves into the reasons behind Margo's influence on professional surfing, highlighting his role in opening doors for future surfers by prioritizing the joy of surfing over competitive endeavours. [12]

Personal Life

Brenden Margieson has two children from his first marriage. His eldest son, Micah Margieson, born on February 25, 2001, has followed in his father's footsteps. In 2018, Micah secured the Australian Junior Title, [13] showcasing powerful maneuvers reminiscent of his father's style while adding his distinctive touch. [14]

As of the present, Margo resides on the east coast of Australia with his current wife, Lorena Margieson. He continues to exhibit his distinctive surfing style during occasional surfing sessions. [15]

Filmography

Surfer
TitleYear
The Green Iguana1992
The Sons of Fun1993
The Billabong Challenge1995
Unleashed1995
Pulse1996
Pulse 21997
Odyssey1998
Activ82001
Pulse 20012001
Tempo2002
Wanderjahr: The Margo Project2003
Frame Lines2004
The Free Way2005

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Slater</span> American surfer (born 1972)

Robert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer, best known for being crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times. Slater is widely regarded as the greatest professional surfer of all time, and holds 56 Championship Tour victories. Slater is also the oldest surfer still active on the World Surf League, winning his 8th Billabong Pipeline Masters title at age 49.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big wave surfing</span> Surfing waves at least 20 ft high

Big wave surfing is a discipline within surfing in which experienced surfers paddle into, or are towed into, waves which are at least 20 feet high, on surf boards known as "guns" or towboards. Sizes of the board needed to successfully surf these waves vary by the size of the wave as well as the technique the surfer uses to reach the wave. A larger, longer board allows a rider to paddle fast enough to catch the wave and has the advantage of being more stable, but it also limits maneuverability and surfing speed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rip Curl</span> Australian surfing apparel and equipment company

Rip Curl is a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of surfing sportswear and accompanying products, and a major athletic sponsor. Rip Curl has become one of the largest surfing companies in Australia, Europe, South America, North America and South Africa. Globally, Rip Curl is considered a successful member of the "Big Three", of the surf industry alongside Quiksilver and Billabong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Surf League</span> Governing body for professional surfers

The World Surf League (WSL) is the governing body for professional surfers and is dedicated to showcasing the world's best talent in a variety of progressive formats. The World Surf League was originally known as the International Professional Surfing founded by Fred Hemmings and Randy Rarick in 1976. IPS created the first world circuit of pro surfing events. In 1983 the Association of Surfing Pros took over management of the world circuit. In 2013, the ASP was acquired by ZoSea, backed by Paul Speaker, Terry Hardy, and Dirk Ziff. At the start of the 2015 season, the ASP changed its name to the World Surf League. Sophie Goldschmidt was appointed as WSL CEO on 19 July 2017. Paul Speaker had stepped down as CEO on 11 January 2017, and Dirk Ziff acted as the interim WSL CEO until Goldschmidt's appointment.

Rochelle Ballard is an American professional surfer and a veteran of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour. She co-founded International Women's Surfing (IWS) and has appeared in several movies and television shows, most notably, Blue Crush,Step Into Liquid, and Beyond the Break.

<i>Surfer</i> (magazine) Monthly sports magazine in the US (1962–2020)

Surfer was an American monthly periodical focused on surfing and surf culture, founded in 1962 by noted surfer, writer, photographer, artist and humorist John Severson (1933–2017). The magazine folded in 2020.

Bernard "Midget" Farrelly was the first world surfing champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John John Florence</span> American professional surfer (born 1992)

John "John John" Alexander Florence is an American professional surfer. He is known as "one of the most dominant pipe surfers of his era" and won back-to-back world titles on the 2016 World Surf League and 2017 World Surf League Men's Championship Tour. He is the first Hawaii-born surfer to win back-to-back world titles since the late Andy Irons. In 2019, Florence qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in surfing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel Parkinson</span> Australian surfer (born 1981)

Joel Parkinson is an Australian surfer who used to compete on the WSL. After twelve years competing at the elite level on the ASP World Championship Tour, a stretch that saw him win eleven elite ASP World Title Events, plus nine additional ASP tour events, and achieve runner-up second place to the ASP World Title four times, Parkinson won the ASP World Championship Tour Surfing Title on 14 December 2012 in Hawaii at the Banzai Pipeline during the ASP World Tours' final event for 2012–the Billabong Pipeline Masters. Parkinson hung on in a back and forth battle with eleven-time ASP World Title holder, Kelly Slater, to get his first World Title, as well as go on to win the Pipeline Masters, only after Slater lost his semi-final heat to Josh Kerr, of Queensland, Australia. Parkinson beat Kerr in the finals of the event, which was his seventh top-five placing for the year, and his first event title win for 2012. Parkinson left the World Tour and left a legacy of a beautiful and powerful surfing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adriano de Souza</span> Brazilian surfer

Adriano "Mineirinho" de Souza is a Brazilian professional surfer and also the 2015 WSL World Champion. He has been competing on the World Surf League Men's World Tour since 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Wright (surfer)</span> Australian surfer

Owen Wright is an Australian professional surfer on the World Surf League Men's Championship Tour. His sister, Tyler Wright, is also a competitor on the World Surf League Championship Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surfing in the United States</span>

Surfing in the United States is a popular hobby in coastal areas, and more recently due to the invention of wave pools, inland regions of the country. It contributes to a lifestyle and culture in which millions participate and which millions more have an interest. USA surfing is the governing body for the sport of surfing in the United States, with surf leagues such as the World Surf League available in the country. Surfing can be traced back to 17th Century Hawaii and has evolved over time into the professional sport it is today, with surfing being included for the first time in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's surfing</span>

Women's surfing is thought to date back to the 17th century. One of the earliest records of women surfing is of princess Keleanohoana’api’api, also known as Kalea or the Maui Surf Riding Princess. It is rumored that Kalea was the trailblazer of surfing and could surf better than both men and women. A few centuries later in the mid-late 1800s, Thrum’s Hawaiian Annual reported that women in ancient Hawaii surfed in equal numbers and frequently better than men. Over the last 50 years, women's surfing has grown in popularity.

Matt Warshaw is a former professional surfer, former writer and editor at Surfer magazine (1984-1990), and the author of dozens of feature articles and large-format books on surfing culture and history.

John Severson was an American editor, author, filmmaker and artist, widely known as the founder of Surfer, a magazine focused on the sport and culture of surfing. Severson also created a diverse body of artwork dedicated to the sport.

Caroline Marks is an American professional surfer and the 2023 WSL Women's World Tour Champion. She is a multiple national champion and the youngest female to compete in a World Surf League event. She is the youngest surfer to qualify for the women’s Championship Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 World Surf League</span> The 43rd season of the World Surf League

The 2019 World Surf League was the competition series hosted by the World Surf League, the global championship body for competitive surfing. The 2019 World Surf League consisted of the Championship Tour, the Qualifying Series, Big Wave Tour, Longboard Tour, Junior Tour, and other specialty tours and events such as the Vans Triple Crown.

Mitch Parkinson is an Australian surfer who competes on the WSL World Tour. On 29 September 2019, he won the So Sri Lanka Pro 2019 title as a part of the World Surf League defeating Indonesia's Oney Anwar in the final. It was also his first career WSL title. His cousin Joel Parkinson is also a professional surfer and a former world champion.

Jack Robinson is an Australian professional surfer who competes on the World Surf League Men's Championship Tour. He was crowned surfer of the year twice at the Australian Surfing Awards in 2020 and 2021. Robinson is often considered to one of the best barrel riders of the current days. Robinson did his best WSL performance in 2022 where he finished 3rd on the final rankings.

References

  1. Champions WSL Boost Mobile Pro Gold Coast 2020, Retrieved 14 October 2020
  2. Burleigh Boardriders Single Fin 2023 LiveHeats, Retrieved 02 December 2023
  3. Album Surf website, year 2023, Retrieved 02 December 2023
  4. Craig Anderson and the Stab Innocents, movie by Stab Magazine and Craig Anderson, year 2020, Retrieved 16 July 2020
  5. Surfing Indonesia: A Search for the World's Most Perfect Waves, Book by Leonard Lueras, Retrieved 14 July 2020
  6. The Margieson Name Continues it's Lineage At Lagundri Bay, WSL website, 11 September 2019, Access 16 July 2020
  7. The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Book by Matt Warshaw, Retrieved 14 July 2020
  8. Walk Slowly, Surfing World Magazine, 30 June 2019, Retrieved 16 July 2020
  9. "Podcast: Ain't That Swell – The Lennox Head Lechery LIVE feat. Bede Durbidge, MARGO, Matt Wilkinson and Surfcore2001" (Podcast). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  10. The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Book by Matt Warshaw, Retrieved 14 July 2020
  11. IMDb Jack McCoy, Retrieve 02 December 2023
  12. Wanderjahr: The Margo Project, movie by Justin Gane, article by Tracks Magazine, Published 14 August 2018, Retrieved 16 July 2020
  13. Coast star on the rise in pro ranks, interview with Micah Margieson, Gold Coast Bulletin, 2 July 2019, Retrieved 16 July 2020
  14. Margo's Son Follows In His Father's Foot Placement, interview with Micah Margieson, Stab Magazine, 2018, Retrieved 16 July 2020
  15. [Neil Cameron (18 June 2020). "Margo's surf skills excite". Byron News. p. 32.