P A D D L E R P r O f i l e
likes rockies a lot. a lot like rocky.
PHoto mark Basso PHoto colleen gentemann
The ulTimATe fighTer
UNDEFEATED PRO CAGE FIGHTER shON COttrill HAS A SOFT SPOT FOR RIVERS
FORMER NATIONAL FREESTYLE MEDALIST and longtime Ottawa River safety boater Shon Cottrill is racing, yet it’s not fear that grips you, but
swapped his sprayskirt for sparring gloves to conquer the world of Ultimate Fighting. Now he’s knocking heightened senses. If you lose focus for one
them down and cleaning up in roadhouse cage matches, small town hockey arenas and cavernous second you end up getting hurt. The crowd is
2,000-seat civic centres across western Canada. With four matches already in the bag this year, Cottrill like the noise of the river—you don’t really hear
is undefeated in Alberta’s fighting leagues. A roadside breakdown in his temperamental ’91 Landcruiser it. When you come out of the bottom of the rapid
pinned down Cottrill long enough to talk with Rapid about paddling, photography and life in the ring as or the cage door opens you feel a great sense
FLEx—the Ultimate Fighter. of accomplishment.
hypothetical—you get into a dispute on the
how did you get the name fleX? moved to Fernie, B.C. and a friend asked me to
river and…?
My old river manager on the Ottawa gave it to me. teach him how to cage fight. Soon after, I started
There might be a black eye involved! I’m pretty
I guess I showed up kinda buff… and maybe my the Fernie Fight Club to train aspiring fighters in
good with river etiquette, though. I’ve got some
personality too. Alberta and Central B.C. Now I compete profes-
scars and a broken nose, so people pretty much
sionally in sanctioned fights throughout the West.
know not to mess with me.
tell us about your kayaking career.
I was born in Temagami, Ontario, surrounded by
What is ultimate fighting?
What’s your day job?
rivers, so when I started kayaking in my twenties, It blends jujitsu, kickboxing, wrestling, boxing
I’m a professional videographer and photogra-
it felt like going back to my roots. I worked sum- and a few other martial arts. Fights are held in
pher. I freelance for rafting and ski companies
mers as a safety boater and videographer for a a ring or cage. Most people think that Ultimate
and even shoot weddings.
rafting company. I travelled the world and com- Fighting means no-holds-barred, but there are
peted for five years at the freestyle nationals. I do lots of rules—it’s a bit of a chess game.
What’s next, pro golfer?
more creeking in the Rockies now.
I think fighting, kayaking, skiing, biking and film-
Compare paddling and fighting?
making are enough for anybody. Fernie is a great
how did you get into ultimate fighting? They can both be very graceful and technical,
place and I enjoy my lifestyle here.
I used to streetfight a lot as a teen, but paddling yet very violent. Running class V is the same
stole away time from fighting. Then, last year I feeling as jumping in the cage. Your heart
—Virginia Marshall
1 Rapid
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