Ursula Grobler
Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls
Birthplace: Pretoria, South Africa
Hometown: Seattle, Wash.
Current Residence: Seattle, Wash.
Club Affiliation: Lake Union Crew
Began Rowing: Green Lake Crew, 2003
Date of Birth: 2/6/80
Height: 5’7”
Weight: 132
High School: Willowridge High School, Pretoria, South Africa
Undergraduate Education: University of Pretoria, B.A. Information Design, 2002
Occupation: Graphic Designer
Employer: Self-employed, Grobler & James LLC
Training Location: Seattle, Wash.
Current Coach: John Parker
Years on National Team: Two – 2010-11, Senior
International Results: Finished fourth in the lightweight single sculls at the 2011 World Rowing Championships...Finished ninth in the lightweight double sculls at the 2011 Rowing World Cup stop in Lucerne...Won silver in the lightweight quadruple sculls and finished eighth in the lightweight double sculls at the 2010 World Rowing Championships...Won the lightweight double sculls at the 2010 Rowing World Cup stop in Bled…Finished fifth in the single sculls at the 2010 Holland Beker Regatta…Won the open lightweight single sculls at the 2009 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta…Took silver for Spain in the lightweight double sculls at the 2009 Rowing World Cup stop in Banyoles…Won gold in the lightweight double sculls at the 2009 Memorial Paolo d’Aloja in Piediluco, Italy…Won the lightweight single sculls and lightweight double sculls at the 2009 FISA Team Cup in Spain…Won the senior lightweight single sculls at the 2008 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta…Won gold in the single, double and quadruple sculls at the 2007 Catalunian Championships in Spain.
National Results: Won the lightweight single sculls at the 2011 Senior World Championship Trials...Finished second in the lightweight double sculls at the 2011 National Selection Regatta #2...Finished eighth in the single sculls at the 2011 National Selection Regatta #1...Won the lightweight double sculls at 2010 National Selection Regatta #2…Won the lightweight single sculls at the 2010 National Selection Regatta #1... Won the lightweight open division at the 2010 C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints…Won the open single sculls at the 2009 Head of the Charles…Won gold in the single sculls at the 2009 USRowing National Championships…Won the lightweight single sculls at the 2009 Spain Open Selection Trials…Won the lightweight women’s division at the 2009 Spanish Erg Championships…Won gold in the quadruple sculls at the 2007 Spanish National Championships…Won gold in the A single sculls at the 2006 USRowing Masters National Championships.
Personal: Ursula chose rowing because she was curious about the sport…In high school, Ursula was named Senior Victrix Laudarum for sports, captain of the athletics and cross-country teams, and made the junior national teams in triathlon and netball…As a member of the South African Junior Triathlon Squad, Ursula won bronze at the 1996 All-African Games in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe…She lists winning the single sculls at the 2009 Head of the Charles as her most memorable sporting achievement…Ursula enjoys design, painting and coffee…Her cousin, Gary Swemmer, is famous for his 4x4 expeditions through Africa on the television show Voetspoere.