Louisa Gurski
{{Short description|British kayaker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Louisa Jane Gurski
| image = Louisa Sawers in Action at National Regatta in Nottingham.jpg
| caption = Louisa Gurski racing at National Regatta in Nottingham
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|5|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Chertsey, Surrey, England
| nationality = British
| country = {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
| sport = Flatwater Kayak
| event = K1, K2, K4 Sprint and Marathon
| club = Elmbridge Canoe Club
| coach = Miklos Simon
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2014 Moscow|K-1 5000 m}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2013 Montemor-o-Velho|K-1 5000 m}}
{{MedalBronze|2009 Brandenburg|K4 200m}}
}}
Louisa Jane Gurski (née Sawers, born 26 May 1988) is a London 2012 Olympic Games finalist who competes in Sprint Kayaker for Great Britain. She was brought up in Walton-on-Thames and started Kayaking at Elmbridge Canoe Club, Weybridge at the age of 10.{{cite web |url=http://www.gbcanoeing.org.uk/gbc/index.cfm/athletes/sprint-athletes/sprint-gb-podiuum-programme/louisa-sawers/ |title=Louisa Sawers – GB Canoeing |author=GB Canoeing |accessdate=4 August 2012}}
International results
Early success saw her win the 2006 World Junior Marathon Championships in both K1 and K2 events with Jessica Walker. She then moved to Marlow, Buckinghamshire to train with the Great Britain Kayaking team at Dorney Lake and Bisham Abbey.
=2009=
2009 was a breakthrough year in the Senior sprint events for Louisa, where she won a Bronze Medal at the 2009 Canoe Sprint European Championships in the K4 200m, 5th in the K4 500m at the same event.{{cite web |url=http://www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/canoe-sprint/result-archive/2009-eca-championships-brandenburg-ger |title=Results archive |author=Sportscene |accessdate=4 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230210128/http://www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/canoe-sprint/result-archive/2009-eca-championships-brandenburg-ger |archive-date=30 December 2014 |url-status=dead }} Another 5th at the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, Canada confirmed the results were not a fluke.{{cite web |url=http://www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/canoe-sprint/result-archive/2009-eca-championships-brandenburg-ger |title=Results archive |author=Sportscene |accessdate=4 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230210128/http://www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/canoe-sprint/result-archive/2009-eca-championships-brandenburg-ger |archive-date=30 December 2014 |url-status=dead }} She finished the year with a Silver at the Under 23 Canoe Marathon World Championships in Gaia, Portugal.
=2010=
A solid year for Louisa in the Sprint event where she came 9th (K2 500m) at the 2010 Canoe Sprint European Championships in Trasona, Spain{{cite web |url=http://results.trasona2010.com/Pdfs_EUR10/Domingo/95.pdf |author=Trasona 2010 |accessdate=4 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054614/http://results.trasona2010.com/Pdfs_EUR10/Domingo/95.pdf |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=dead }} and then another 5th (k4 500m) at the 2010 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships,{{cite web |url=http://www.gbcanoeing.org.uk/gbc/index.cfm/news/six-medals-and-a-new-world-champion-at-the-2010-world-sprint-championships/ |title=Six medals and a new world record at 2010 Sprint World Championships |author=GB Canoeing |accessdate=4 August 2012}} gaining time on the medal positions.
=2011=
Remaining in the GB Women's K4 500m event throughout the year, Louisa was 6th at the 2011 Canoe Sprint European Championships{{cite web |url=http://www.ec-belgrade2011.com/ |title=European Senior Canoe Sprint Championships |author=Canoe Federation of Serbia |accessdate=4 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713151941/http://www.ec-belgrade2011.com/ |archive-date=13 July 2017 |url-status=dead }} in Belgrade, Serbia and this was followed by a 4th and Olympic qualification at the 2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary.{{cite web |url=http://results.sportline.hu/competition/16777217/race/471 |title=2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships |author=The Hungarian Canoe Federation |accessdate=4 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330221852/http://results.sportline.hu/competition/16777217/race/471 |archivedate=30 March 2012 }}
File:Louisa Sawers London 2012 Olympic Womens K4 500m Final.jpg
=2012=
Louisa started the season at the 2012 Canoe Sprint European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, with a 4th in the Women's K4 500m event.{{cite web|url=http://www.eczagreb2012.com/event-information/results/?no=58 |title=ECH Zagreb 2012 – Results |author=The Hungarian Canoe Federation |accessdate=4 August 2012 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230232856/http://www.eczagreb2012.com/event-information/results/?no=58 |archivedate=30 December 2013 }} At the London Olympics 2012 in August she came 5th in the Women's K4 500m final, competing with Rachel Cawthorn, Jess Walker and Angela Hannah.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/athletes/6cc62f46-2b03-418c-a9f2-7da41303ffe4 |title=BBC Sport London – Louisa Sawers |publisher=BBC|work=BBC Sport |accessdate=8 August 2012}} She came 11th in the K2 500m event with Abigail Edmonds.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18913353 |title=BBC Sport London – Louisa Sawers |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |accessdate=8 August 2012}}
2014
Sawers won the K-1 5000 m at the 2014 World Championships.{{Cite web|url=http://www.results.imas-sport.com/imas/race.php?competition=wettkampf_112&race_id=189#oben|title=Race 202 - K1 W 5000 - Long distance|last=Wettkampf-Exporter|first=IMAS|website=results.imas-sport.com|access-date=2017-08-08}}
2016
Competing as Louisa Gurski, she was part of the Great Britain women's K-4 500 m team finished 7th along with Jess Walker, Rachel Cawthorn and Rebii Simon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/canoe-sprint-standings-cf-womens-kayak-four-500m|title=Women's Kayak Four 500m|date=2016-08-26|access-date=2017-08-08|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826095438/https://www.rio2016.com/en/canoe-sprint-standings-cf-womens-kayak-four-500m|archivedate=2016-08-26}}
Support and sponsors
She is supported by the UK Sport Olympic Podium Programme and sponsored by Sweaty Betty, Shock Absorber and Tesco.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web |url=http://www.gbcanoeing.org.uk/gbc/index.cfm/athletes/sprint-athletes/sprint-gb-podiuum-programme/louisa-sawers/ |title=Louisa Sawers – GB Canoeing |author=GB Canoeing |accessdate=13 August 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.teamgb.com/athletes/louisa-sawers |title=Louisa Sawers – Team GB |author=Team GB |accessdate=13 August 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.london2012.com/athlete/sawers-louisa-1162086/ |title=Louisa Sawers – Canoe Sprint Olympic Athlete London 2012 |author=London 2012 |accessdate=13 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826184149/http://www.london2012.com/athlete/sawers-louisa-1162086/ |archivedate=26 August 2012 }}
- {{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/louisasawers |title=Louisa Sawers (LouisaSawers) on Twitter|author=Louisa Sawers |accessdate=13 August 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/leisure/olympics/louisasawers.htm |title=Louisa Sawers|author=Elmbridge Borough Council |accessdate=13 August 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/athletes/6cc62f46-2b03-418c-a9f2-7da41303ffe4 |title=BBC Sport – Louisa Sawers |author=BBC |accessdate=13 August 2012}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/canoe-sprint/athletes-coaches/louisa-sawers |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130418190705/http://www.sportscene.tv/flatwater/canoe-sprint/athletes-coaches/louisa-sawers |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2013 |title=Louisa Sawers – Sportscene |author=Sportscene |accessdate=13 August 2012 }}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/Team-GB/competitors/8662321/Louisa-Sawers-Team-GB-London-2012-Olympics.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427201049/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/Team-GB/competitors/8662321/Louisa-Sawers-Team-GB-London-2012-Olympics.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 April 2012 |title=Louisa Sawers – Team GB- London 2012 Olympic Games – Telegraph|author=Sportscene |accessdate=13 August 2012}}
{{Footer World Champions Canoe Sprint K-1 5000 m Women}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurski, Louisa}}
Category:English female canoeists
Category:Canoeists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Canoeists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic canoeists for Great Britain
Category:Sportspeople from Surrey
Category:British female canoeists
Category:Canoeists at the 2015 European Games
Category:European Games competitors for Great Britain