Gisela GROTHAUS

Whitewater canoeist Gisela Grothaus won the silver medal in the K-1 at the 1972 München Olympics, where canoe slalom events were held on the Augsburg course for the first time at the Olympics (and for the last time until 1992). In 1973, 1975, and 1977, she was World Champion in the K-1, and in 1979, 1981, and 1983 she won the silver medal. With the West German K-1 team she claimed World titles in 1973, 1977, 1981, and 1983, and in 1979 the team won silver. Domestically, she won eight West German titles between 1973 and 1982.

Grothaus became a sports administrator within the North Rhine Westphalian Canoe Association for whitewater canoeing. She was also inducted into the German Canoe Slalom Hall of Fame and was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, the highest sports award in Germany. In 2006, she was also inducted into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame. She has been an instructor, including for the Madawaska Kanu Centre in Canada, for young up and coming athletes and remains active working as a coach for the German Canoe Federation.