A wolf by any other name

By Kristin Wright

Corran Addison is no normal person. I have interviewed many people from all walks of life, and he certainly stands out as one of the most original. We meet in a quiet park, and he is already sitting at a small table, with a tall dark bear in hand, Hawaiian shirt completely unbuttoned, dark fashion glasses covering his eyes, and low cut bell bottom jeans running to his bare feet. He removes his glasses to greet me, and I am frozen momentarily by his amazing blue eyes and smile as he greets me in his thick South African accent. He has noticed my flushed face, and his smile broadens before offering me a seat.

This is how my first of five interviews with him began. It sounds a little like an Ann Rice novel, but how else would you begin a story about one of extreme sports most animated characters. Slightly embarrassed I order a drink and cover my own eyes with my sunglasses before pulling out my tape recorder. I have done my homework on this man, for while I am an avid rock climber and skier, I am not an experienced kayaker, though I am very familiar with whom he is. Typing his name on an Internet search engine brings up nearly a thousand hits, and the mention of his name seldom brings a reaction of indifference.

Corrans contribution to the sport of whitewater kayaking is indisputable. In fact, it would be more accurate to suggest that it was essential, for without his contribution, it is certain that kayaking would not be the sport that it is now.

His contribution extends into almost every aspect of the sport, from designs, to paddling innovations, from his marketing techniques to his revolution of the sports image. However, there is one aspect that stands out beyond all others: his conviction in himself. Without this undaunted belief in everything he does to be better than what preceded it, the countless and endless opposition would have stopped him short a long time ago.

As with many that have come before him, genius is not only feared, but also repelled. It is not until the genius has proven itself over and again that people begin to listen, rather than rebel any idea that does not conform to our perceived norms, or follow the set and proven rules.

This is not to say that he is never wrong in his ideas or direction, though having him admit this is next to impossible. No, rather the total conviction he has in himself has allowed him to think almost always outside of the barriers that define our sport, without fear of rejection, or of ridicule. He has chosen an avenue to expand his intellectual and athletic prowess that is in itself non conformist, and within his field he has reached levels that compare with our worlds greatest thinkers, and sportsmen. What separates him from all those before him, is that he has managed to accomplish both, consecutively. He is an intellectual and an athlete, a rare commodity indeed.

It is most unlikely that Corran will ever receive a Nobel Prize for his contributions to the sport of kayaking, or that he will ever receive the pay of an NBA player. Yet his leap from conformity, within his industry, is as significant as those of our worlds other great thinkers, and controversial men, such as Tesler or Tucker. His abilities as an athlete rival those of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, with a track record spanning over a decade as the most innovative, consistent and inspiring paddler of our times. As a leader, he is unquestionably controversial, often forcefully bringing change to a sport that didn"t ask for it, and didn't want it. Punk rock music, photogenic naked athletic bodies, loud fashion, and a constant drive for newness and change that while implemented and certainly very much a part of our sport today, brought with it a scorn usually reserved for the Kennedy's, Churchill's and De Gaul's.

He is one of the most original graphic designers within the industry, not only conceiving the advertising concepts and programs for his company, but actually doing all the catalog and advertising work itself, from action and product photography, to photo manipulation, graphic design and lay-out. He is scriptwriter, actor, stunt man, cameraman, editor and producer for his numerous kayaking films. In business, he is plant manager, marketing director, designer, rotomolder, salesman and customer service all at once, multitasking between each position, wearing each hat.

However, what he is most well known for, are his designs, and paddling innovations. Moves like the Blunt, Airblunt, Olli Oop, Clean Spin, Shuvvit, Flipturn, Pan Am are his inventions. And these moves would not be possible today if he hadn't invented the planing hulled river kayak. He shy's away from the term invent, because as he insists, boogie boards, snowboards, surfboards and even surf kayaks already had them. But it was Addison, who in the late 1980's began to think about bringing planing hull technology to the river kayak.

Every one he talked to thought he was mad. Every known paddler, designer or manufacturer insisted he was barking up the wrong tree. Top designers from the major companies publicly ridiculed his efforts, and categorically stated that the concept would never work. Less than a decade later, almost every kayak designed is based on the principles he developed. As the inventor of the technology, he was able to patent several of the key aspects that make the modern kayak function, an unfortunate reality ever present to the designers worldwide earnestly trying to catch him and his continuously evolving theories. In fact, his patents are the key; they effectively stop anyone else from designing a kayak that can compete in performance with his.

Combined, Corran and his revolutionary kayaks, have changed the sport of kayaking. For years, all the new freestyle moves were coming out of the Riot camp, from either Corran or his team. Not until two years ago was there any innovation in techniques or tricks from the rest of the field. And this for a simple reason; thinking from within the established rules, rather than thinking how to break the rules. In fact, so far advanced was Corran and his team of paddlers, that in 1997 they had developed skills and were paddling a design so advanced that it was clear that the World Championships would be a Riot sweep in all classes. In desperation, the rest of the paddling community pulled together and voted in a rule change just two days before the championships to "level the playing field" and remove Addison’s "unfair" advantage. Rather than compete in the farcical event, he chose to abandon his dreams of the world title, and publicly protested the play by abstaining from his run.

This is more than enough for any mans résumé for a lifetime of achievement. He has accomplished all this in just 30 years. Olympian, multiple world champion medalist, successful business owner, design revolutionary and artist. Amazingly, this is just the beginning. His talents extend well beyond the realm of kayaking. His vast knowledge on just about any subject betrays his almost photographic memory. In-depth discussions on European and World history, genetics and human nature, physics and astrology in remarkable detail expected only in those holding university degrees in each subject. I learn later that rather than holding a multitude of degrees, he in fact barely graduated from High School.

He pears out from behind those piercing eyes, which dart about our surroundings. At first I think he has a problem keeping his attention on the topic at hand, but gradually I learn that he notices everything around him. It's like his brain is constantly taking snap shots of his surroundings and filing them for future reference. His action photography is well known, but not until recently has another side of his abilities behind the camera surfaced. He has an eye for composition, for movement, light, and beauty. His photography, while not visible on the world stage, is certainly comparable to the best that I have seen. It is almost sure, that in whatever arena this man as a boy might have launched himself, he would have excelled beyond the measure of all other men.

With this extraordinary mental and physical ability, comes a self-assuredness that is often brash. His complete certainty that he is always right, meaning that all others are wrong, has the undesired effect of creating enemies where there aught to be none, antagonisms where friendships should be, and jealousy where respect should reign. If he weren't so insistent on pointing out that he, above all, has been responsible for changing the sport of kayaking, and bringing it into the 21^st centaury, his peers would probably give him the credit he deserves.

But like most geniuses, his social skills, and sensitivity to the frail human nature is perhaps less attune than most. "If you can't handle the truth, then don't listen," he says, and smiles. "If you can't handle constant change, then leave." That's fine unless of course you're one of those people that doesn't like what he has to say, or are one of those people that doesn't like change, but wants to stay.

But despite his questionable social skills, he seems to have a way with people. He is charming, very quick witted, and dashing to look at. He tells stories with flair and emotion, holding the complete attention of all that are within earshot. I have sat and watched him have an entire group cramped with laughter, or silent in awe. I have seen women unwittingly swoon before him, and men scramble to have their pictures taken with him. Despite his reputation for rashness, he seems to bring out the best in those about him, and instills confidence. His casual signing of autographs, and real inquisitiveness into the adventures and happenings of those about him, no matter who they are is a refreshing attitude in a sport where so many of its top athletes consider themselves celebrities beyond reach.

Corran Addison will in all likelihood never adorn the playing cards of young boys, or as he says, probably never be World Champion despite consistently being the most likely person to win the title in over ten years. He'll never get rich from kayaking, and never reach a level of fame that lesser athletes in more common sports have reached. But I do notice, that after his 27 years of kayaking, he appears to be as much in love with what he does, and whom he does it with, as anyone just starting out, and that is a prize few have to hold.

Reprinted from "Sweet" magazine