BRYAN MARLEAUX’S
SURFING BIO
Watch Bryan's
Testimony Video
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Since this video has a lot of Bryan’s surfing footage in it, and the sport has been a large part of his life, it is fitting to give a little background on his experience with the sport as a form of introduction to the video.

With over twenty-five years experience surfing in over twenty different countries, Bryan has traveled and surfed in the usual places like Hawaii, Australia, and Mexico, but has also surfed in many out of the way and unusual places like Israel, Sweden, Ghana, Germany, Hong Kong and Norway.
   
Hanging out at the beach at 14 years of age with a homemade “rocketfish” surfboard. A design that has recently come back in style.
 
Hanging out at the beach,
19 years old.
     
He also spent a considerable amount of time surfing competitively in his earlier days especially in organizations like the NSSA, ASA, WSA, and PSSA.

A series of contest victories in the ASA brought forth a contest named in his honor: “The Bryan Marleaux Open.” It was here that the future direction for his life would be foreshadowed when Bryan did the play by play over the microphone for the event. The contest director commented to him repeatedly that he had a gift for speaking and communicating, a word that would come to fruition later in time.
 
Bryan throwing some spray.
 
Surfing in Norway.
His competitive experience at this time was marked by a formative period of transition in the U.S. surfing scene as it rejoined the world as an international force after a long time of slumber. There, in the heady days of this new competetive energy, contest surfing infectiously exploded, taking over the California surfing scene. It was an exciting time to be involved in the competitive environment as the sport was being revolutionized with innovative surfing and new board designs. Competing regularly amongst people like Tom Curren, Mike Parsons, Brad Gerlach, Jeff Booth, Sonny Garcia and Kelly Slater--surfers now regarded as some of the best in the world--made the scene all the more intense and electrifying.
Contest snap back in the day.
Divine appointment in Israel.
   

Unique opportunities also came about when Bryan had the privilege of being on a school team coached by a well known figure, Australia’s big wave legend Ian Cairns, a pro surfing icon and winner of many prestigious contests. Ian had happened to take one year off to coach a local team and Bryan was stoked to be part of it. Much was learned in that environment as well as when he was selected to represent the USA in the "America vs. Australia" competition on the American Explorer-NSSA National Team, which was then coached by Peter Townend, pro surfing’s first world champion.

Another unique experience was surfing for the OCC Pirates Surf Team. Coach Laird Hayes, also a college football coach, referee, as well as a surfer, innovatively applied college football training and tactics to the competitive surfing world, which produced an amazing ten-year unbeaten streak in the college surfing contest arena.

Cutting back on a Hurley surfboard from the era when Hurley made boards and was yet to produce clothing.
   
Newspaper article featuring a picture of Bryan waxing up before a heat.
 
Hayes' strict training and discipline boosted Bryan’s competitive edge which in turn helped lead the team to repeated victories. His competitive time with the team was capped by a victory in Hawaii in the Hawaiin Island Creations contest. Marleaux was the only mainlander to reach the finals and took the victory with a first place finish on Ohau's famed North Shore.

He also had victories in the NSSA-Explorers, taking first place in the Newport River Jetties bout as well as in numerous ASA competitions, including The La Jollas Shores and Newport bouts, and numerous College Circuit contests. He also was a regular finalist in many other competitions in the NSSA, ASA, WSA and PSSA.
 
Quiksilver ad featuring young rippers of the era. Bryan is second from right with the white jacket.
    
ManMode
Magazine Spread

Bryan was also sponsored by companies like Quiksilver, Hobie, Aleeda Wetsuits and Hurley Surfboards among others, and began to compete in the professional surfing world, but a serious knee injury changed life’s direction dramatically.

While sidelined by injury, a Quiksilver ad in Surfing Magazine that featured Marleaux was spotted by a well-known fashion photographer, which in turn led into the world of fashion modeling. He was represented by the prestigious Nina Blanchard Agency and then Heinz Holbe’s L.A. Models, doing print and TV commercials for companies such as Giorgio Armani, Levi’s, Yamaha, Sahara Club, Sport Style, Catalina, Man Mode, Los Angeles Times, Spot Sport, Miller’s Outpost, Broadway, as well as working in Paris, Milan, Hamburg, and Zurich.
Modeling in Italy.
    
On the cover of
Sport Style magazine.
 
     
More significantly though, Bryan’s injury caused a crisis that led him to seek God’s power for healing. This led to a radical baptism in the Holy Spirit, a seminal experience that was dramatic and life-changing and which went on for several hours. The experience opened a new path that would lead to a complete change in his life’s journey. It brought him into a new direction of following the Almighty’s call.
     
Preaching in France.
    
Holding an evangelistic crusade
in Ghana, West Africa.
Ministering to the youth in Latvia.
Catch the rest of the story in this impacting video.
Quicktime Version
 Windows Media Version
On YouTube
       
Preaching in Japan.
        
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