Ursula Profanter

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Ursula "Uschi" Profanter (born March 22, 1968 in Graz ) is a former Austrian canoeist . She won three world championship titles in white water racing . Uschi Profanter was a versatile canoeist who achieved international success in canoe racing and white water racing.

White water racing

She began her career in 1986 by winning the junior world championship. In 1989 she won the World Cup for the first time, at the World Championships she was defeated by the German Sabine Kleinhenz . In 1991 she repeated her victory in the overall world cup, at the world championships she received the bronze medal behind the two Germans Karin Wirz and Sabine Kleinhenz.

From 1993 to 1995 Profanter won the overall World Cup three times. She also won three times in a row at the world championships in 1993, 1995 and 1996. At the home world championships in 1996 in Landeck , Uschi Profanter also won bronze with the Austrian team. In 1998 Profanter took second place behind the German Claudia Brokof . In 2002 Profanter again received a bronze medal behind the Czech Michala Strnadova and the French Nathalie Leclerc . In the first sprint she won the silver medal behind Michala Strnadova.

Canoe racing

Uschi Profanter competed in shallow water, especially in the Olympic years, as the white water races were not Olympic. Uschi Profanter reached the Olympic finals in a single kayak at three Olympic Games: in 1992 she finished fifth, in 1996 she came sixth, and in 2000 she finished eighth.

In 1992 Uschi Profanter won the silver medal behind the Swede Susanne Gunnarsson at the world championships in the kayak marathon . In 1997 she also competed at the World Championships on the Olympic courses and won bronze in the 500 meters and the 1000 meters behind the Canadian Caroline Brunet and the Italian Josefa Idem .

Others

Uschi Profanter is a trained bookbinder, but was a professional athlete until 2003 after completing her training. In 1995 she was elected Sportswoman of the Year , 41 years after Fritzi Schwingl as the last canoeist and 30 years after Kurt Presslmayr as the last canoeist. Before Uschi Profanter, winter athletes had won the election for ten years.

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personal data
SURNAME Profanter, Ursula
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Profanter, Uschi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian canoeist
DATE OF BIRTH March 22, 1968
PLACE OF BIRTH Graz