Jamie Brisick's interview with Brenden Margieson took place in 1999, and ran in the May 2000 issue of Surfing. This version has been slightly edited and shortened.

Yeah, that’s pretty much right, but if there's any specialty events or anything like that on offer I'll jump at the chance. I had a go at the WQS a few years ago but I don’t compete do those any more. I’d love to surf in the ones here in Hawaii but you need to be in the Top 100.

So what does your job as a pro surfer entail?

I’m like a surfing ambassador for my sponsors—well, mostly Billabong because they send me on a lot of trips. My job is to just go out and surf and be consistent; surf with the photographers and filmmakers, be easygoing and get as much media coverage as I can at the end of the day. It’s not the hardest job in the world, and I think of myself as very fortunate.

And this must take you to some pretty exotic places?

Absolutely, yeah. I’ve been doing it for the last eight years now and each year seems to end up in a place I’ve never been before, so that’s definitely the best thing about my job.

You've been called the best surfer in the world, yet there's no way to gauge the “free” surfing category, no points, no ratings . . . .

I totally agree with you there. I guess the Top 44 voted me that title in the 

 poll, but I don’t walk around thinking that I’m the best bloody free surfer in the world, you know. Surfing has such a wide spectrum, from longboarders to big-wave surfers to what we do—riding shortboards. You can’t pinpoint and just say “Look, this guy’s the best free surfer in the world.” But I got voted that, and yeah it was just a bit of hype, but I’m not going to put it down or anything.

Without the contests, how do you challenge yourself?

Basically what I do now, I mean, I don’t have to grovel in one-to two-foot waves any more but I still love surfing so much. I still get out there everyday. Even at the moment I’m going through a stage—I’m teaching my wife to surf and I got on a longboard myself and I've had so much fun doing that when it’s small. I just keep enthusiastic about the whole thing. I still feel young and I just enjoy it.

I also think it’s good to have another interest. Like, golf’s a great sport ‘cause it’s so opposite to surfing. For the young kids out there, you need to know that you just can’t surf, surf, surf. You’ve got to have something else in life as well.

Do you find yourself freed up to look around more when you travel, instead of having to worry about your next heat?

For sure. If you’re going to do the contests these days you’ve got to be so dedicated and when you go to another country you’re not going there to sightsee or mix with people, you’re going to win. What I do is a bit more easygoing and relaxing so you get to appreciate the country where you’re at or whatnot.

Where’s the most exotic place you’ve been?

Sumatra would have to be up there, that place is so untouched. The Andaman Islands—there’s still people there living in shacks and stuff, in the bushes. It’s just such a raw, beautiful place; it’s not tropical, it’s just big forests going to the water’s edge.

If it finished tomorrow, I’d die a happy man.

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