Jason Collins
Resides: Santa Cruz, CA
Sponsors: O'Neill, Vans, Stretch Surfboards
Other interests: Hooking big fish and golfing
Favorites Moves: Love it all! Big long cutties, big snaps, anything that is functional and good surfing. Getting barreled and trying to launch higher keeps me coming back for more!
Food: Sushi and healthy stuff that makes you feel good
Jason "Ratboy" Collins is one of the original nonconformists. He was able to take what Christian Fletcher did before him and dominate the air surfing world in the mid nineties. Ratboy took the air surfing community on his back and progressed it to the next level using creativity and style. Double grabs, reverses, three sixty airs and an entire gamut of technicalities that up to this point didn't exist. He landed a backside air three-sixty at the Coldwater Classic, when other competitors were doing top turns and roundo's thinking they were ripping. By landing that air, Ratboy defined his persona in the surfing world. From that point forward his status grew. He dominated air shows, graced magazine covers, was featured in his own video, and has pro model boards, which resulted in Rat becoming one of the most popular surfers to ever come out of Santa Cruz.
In 2001, Ratboy competed in and won numerous events on the Vans Air Show series eventually taking the overall crown. Labeling Ratboy as just an air guy is a complete understatement. He is complete well rounded surfer who can throw down the meanest carves and ride the barrel as good as anyone. He has more natural ability in his little toe than half the surfing populace and he is nowhere near the end of his progression.
Ratboy's surfing is perhaps more sharp now than ever because of his experience. Presently residing in Santa Cruz, he does not show any signs of slowing down. Ratboy surfs whenever he can and still goes to sleep at night wondering what kind of new maneuver he'll do next.