In part two, we explore further into the complex and sometimes controversial mind of Richie Collins, who has undoubtedly left his mark on surfing and continues to be a notable figure for better or for worse. Born to OC legendary shaper Lance Collins, he was surrounded by surf at an early age and would turn pro by 14. He’s one of the only ASP pros to shape, spray, glass and sand his own boards. His pro years saw him at number 8 in the world in 1989, defeating world champ Tom Curren to win in the 1989 OP Pro, beating Martin Potter to win Bells in 1992, defeating Kelly Slater and winning the Gunston 500 and winning twice at the O’Neill Coldwater Classic in 1988 and 1991.
On fatherhood
RC: If I didn’t have any kids right now, it’d be a whole different scenario. I’ve been taught, I’ve been yelled at by my wife and my daughter, please, please just take a step back. (pause) I wasn’t brought up that way, I was brought up going forward, not backward.
JP: Back in the day, you said that women shouldn’t be surfing?
RC: They shouldn’t be!
JP: But what about your daughter?
RC: Well, that was back then; this is now. It’s not that I meant women shouldn’t be surfing. Back then, there were only a few women who actually could surf and take it to the next level and there were other girls coming on the tour who would just waste waves, and we were just sick of it. There were 300 hundred of us on tour and there were 50 girls. It was such a crazy thing back then. Eventually some better girls started getting into it: Rochelle Ballard, Lisa Anderson, etc., and it made it a little better.
More Echo Beach
RC: My dad went to Bob McKnight and said, “Let’s make some checkered shorts (surf trunks).” They couldn’t get material like that, so they went in the back and sewed the black Quiksilver labels on the side panels. My dad had the first two pairs. They were heavy and thick.
JP: But it wasn’t about the function, it was about the fashion.
RC: It was about the fashion. There was that whole buildup with my father designing the stuff on the surfboards and pushing it over onto the Quiksilver trunks.
JP: You’ve said some crazy stuff over the years. Do you still believe some of the things you’ve said, like you’re the best shaper in the world and that you invented Cherry Coke?
RC: I did invent Cherry Coke! I was 8 years old; I worked at the hamburger stand right next to our store at the beach in 1977. This guy Kevin wanted me to work there, but I told him I was too little. He said, “I’ll put you on a stool and you just make the drinks.” So I’m sitting there making the Cokes and one time I mixed Coke with cherry and I said, “Whoa that’s good!” I let Kevin try it and he said, “Whoa! I’m putting that on the menu!” Who knew, I invented it!
JP: Do you think you were a rebel?
RC: I didn’t break any laws; I just did my thing, I did everything people taught me. I was never rebellious when it came to surfing the way I was taught.
JP: But what about your Skeletor trip?
RC: That was just a nickname Dave Parmenter gave me. I just wanted to be different, I saw Mr. T and the Bos’s attitude and I loved it! They didn’t give a rat’s ass about anything. It was all about them and nobody else and that was me! They weren’t rebels, they were badasses!
JP: So how do you justify being a Christian and violence?
RC: You name me one Christian for thousands of years who wasn’t violent besides Jesus Christ, and even Jesus Christ got violent once. I’m only human. That excuse has been going on for who knows how long, but you know what? That’s why Jesus came to Earth and why he died, because if he didn’t, we’d all be going to hell.
On Bruce Jenner
RC: What the hell, dude? I don’t mind dressing up like a chick every once in a while. I love women! I love everything about women! But dude! You’re like my idol, you’re my hero…he’s dead now, he’s gone! I will remember everything about him from back. But if he thinks he’s that, so be it. I don’t condone it or approve of it whatsoever. All you Hollywood friggin’ weirdos, go ahead, do whatever you want; you guys are all a bunch of freaks anyway!
Closing thoughts
RC: Anything I can say to piss you off, it’ll make you try harder. That’s my whole concept; if you can’t handle it, beat it!
Posted by: ghetto juice at: 16 Sep 2015 15:44
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