Ursula Profanter

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

Whitewater racing

She began her career in 1986 by winning the Junior World Champion title. In 1989 she won the World Cup for the first time, at the World Championships, she defeated German Sabine Kleinhenz. In 1991, she repeated her victory in the World Cup, the World Championships she won the bronze medal behind the two German Karin Wirz and Sabine Kleinhenz.

From 1993 to 1995 Profanter won the World Cup three times. Also three times in a row she won at the World Championships in 1993, 1995 and 1996. At home 1996 World Championships in Landeck Uschi Profanter additionally won bronze with the Austrian team. 1998 Profanter then took second place behind the German Claudia Brokof. 2002 Profanter again received a bronze medal behind the Czech Michala Strnadova and the Frenchwoman Nathalie Leclerc. In the inaugural Sprint they won the silver medal behind Michala Strnadova.

Canoe Racing

Uschi Profanter occurred particularly in the Olympic years intensified in shallow water, since the whitewater races were not olympic. In three Olympics Uschi Profanter reached the Olympic finals in each one kayak: 1992 finished fifth, followed in 1996, a sixth rank, in 2000 she finished eighth.

In 1992, Uschi Profanter at the World Championships in kayak marathon silver medal behind the Swede Susanne Gunnarsson. In 1997 she took up also at the World Championships at the Olympic distances and won over 500 meters and 1000 meters respectively bronze behind Canada's Caroline Brunet and the Italian Josefa Idem.

Others

Uschi Profanter is a trained bookbinder, but was after the training to 2003 professional athlete. In 1995, she was voted Athlete of the Year, 41 years after Fritzi Schwingl last canoeist and 30 years after Kurt Presslmayr as the last canoeists. Before Uschi Profanter had won in the election for ten years winter sportsmen.