Brenden Margieson
Brenden Margieson, also known as Margo, (born 3 July 1972) is a former Australian professional surfer, considered to be surfing's first well-paid freesurfer[1]. In 1996, he won the first ever Nias Indonesian Pro[2][3] and was voted in Australia's Surfing Life, two years in a row (1998 and 1999), as "Best free-surfer in the world"[4]. Margo is often described as a stylish regular foot, smooth and powerful, which makes him an exciting surfer to watch. He remains one of Australian surfing's favourite sons.[5]
Brenden Margieson | |
---|---|
Margo – Jan 2020 | |
Personal information | |
Born | Sydney, Australia | 3 July 1972
Nickname | Margo |
Residence | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
Height | 182 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 |
Surfing specifications | |
Stance | Natural (regular) foot |
Shaper(s) | Maurice Cole and Matt Hurworth |
Website |
Life and career
Margo was born on 3 July 1972 in Sydney and moved to Byron Bay when he was 5 years old. After following his father's (Rodney Margieson) footsteps as a keen surfer, Brenden came on the scene at age 18 when Billabong saw his potential, sponsoring and giving him the opportunity to follow his dreams.[6]
His career was built exclusively travelling the world to remote locations for sponsor-paid visits, doing editorial photos for Australian and International surfing magazines.[7] Margieson has featured many magazine covers from Tracks to Waves, Surfing Life, Surfer and Surfing just to name a few, also appeared in more than a dozen surfing videos, working side by side with Jack McCoy and Justin Gane.
In 2003, Justin Gane Productions launched Wanderjahr: The Margo Project, a documentary showcasing the life and journeys of Brenden 'Margo' Margieson. It is an insightful and intimate movie, showing why Margo altered the face of professional surfing by opening the doors and forging the way for future surfers, doing what he does best – "going surfing for the love of it", creating a healthy and happy living from the sport without competing.[8]
Brenden had two kids from his first marriage. His older son, Micah Margieson (born 21 February 2001), is following the line of his father. Micah won the Australian Junior Title in 2018[9] and have been showing that the powerful manoeuvres are in his blood, adding his own signature to his surfing style.[10]
Nowadays, Margo lives in the sunny Gold Coast with his partner Lorena Beatriz and can be found at the southern beaches for a occasional surf.[11]
Filmography
Title | Year |
---|---|
The Green Iguana | 1992 |
The Sons of Fun | 1993 |
The Billabong Challenge | 1995 |
Unleashed | 1995 |
Pulse | 1996 |
Pulse 2 | 1997 |
Odyssey | 1998 |
Activ8 | 2001 |
Pulse 2001 | 2001 |
Tempo | 2002 |
Wanderjahr: The Margo Project | 2003 |
Frame Lines | 2004 |
The Free Way | 2005 |
References
- Craig Anderson and the Stab Innocents, movie by Stab Magazine and Craig Anderson, year 2020, Retrieved 16 July 2020
- Surfing Indonesia: A Search for the World's Most Perfect Waves, Book by Leonard Lueras, Retrieved 14 July 2020
- The Margieson Name Continues It's Lineage At Lagundri Bay, WSL website, 11 September 2019, Access 16 July 2020
- The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Book by Matt Warshaw, Retrieved 14 July 2020
- Walk Slowly, Surfing World Magazine, 30 June 2019, Retrieved 16 July 2020
- "Podcast: Ain't That Swell – The Lennox Head Lechery LIVE feat. Bede Durbidge, MARGO, Matt Wilkinson and Surfcore2001" (Podcast). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Book by Matt Warshaw, Retrieved 14 July 2020
- Wanderjahr: The Margo Project, movie by Justin Gane, article by Tracks Magazine, Published 14 August 2018, Retrieved 16 July 2020
- Coast star on the rise in pro ranks, interview with Micah Margieson, Gold Coast Bulletin, 2 July 2019, Retrieved 16 July 2020
- Margo's Son Follows In His Father's Foot Placement, interview with Micah Margieson, Stab Magazine, 2018, Retrieved 16 July 2020
- [Neil Cameron (18 June 2020). "Margo's surf skills excite". Byron News. p. 32.