Ronald Rauhe
Encyclopedia
Ronald Rauhe (born October 3, 1981 in Berlin
) is a German
sprint canoer
who has competed since 1997. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won a complete set of medals in the K-2 500 m event (gold: 2004
, silver: 2008
, bronze: 2000
). Rauhe has won 13 world championship gold medals (21 overall) in the men's kayak discipline, the most among all kayakers, breaking the tie he shared with Torsten Gutsche
in 2010.
, Finland at the age of just fifteen years nine months. Competing against paddlers up to three years older he won two medals - gold in the K-4 500 m and silver in the K-1 500 m, an unprecedented achievement for a fifteen-year-old. After winning more three gold medals at the next edition of the world junior championships in Zagreb
, Croatia, in 1999 he stepped up to the senior German national team.
the same year.
Since 2000, the Rauhe/Wieskötter partnership has enjoyed unrivalled success, winning the major K-2 500 m race every year (six world titles and the 2004 Olympic
gold). The pair have also won seven straight European championships over 500 m.
Rauhe also dominated the K-1 200 m individual sprint, winning three consecutive golds in both the world and European championships before losing out to Spain's Carlos Pérez in 2005.
If Rauhe's rivals hoped this marked the beginning of a decline in the German's fortunes they were to be disappointed. In 2006 Rauhe was back on top form and won more titles than ever before. At the European Championships in Račice
, Czech Republic he won three gold medals, retaining his K-2 500 m title, regaining the K-1 200 m crown from Pérez and winning the K-2 200 m for the first time in his career.
These three victories were repeated at the World Championships in Szeged
, Hungary. Rauhe's dominance was best illustrated by his victory in the K-2 200 m final in a race that was scheduled just twenty minutes after his K-1 final (and against a field of rested opponents none of whom had competed in the earlier race).
At the World Championships in his home-country Germany in 2007 he and his partner Tim Wieskötter won again the K-2 500 m and came second in the K-2 200 m.
On national level he has won 50 national titles at the German Championships. His 50th title were the 500 m in the K-1 on the 2nd of May 2009 in Duisburg.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
sprint canoer
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
who has competed since 1997. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won a complete set of medals in the K-2 500 m event (gold: 2004
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, silver: 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, bronze: 2000
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
). Rauhe has won 13 world championship gold medals (21 overall) in the men's kayak discipline, the most among all kayakers, breaking the tie he shared with Torsten Gutsche
Torsten Gutsche
Torsten Gutsche is an East German-German sprint canoer who competed from the late 1980s to the late 1990s...
in 2010.
Early Sports Career
Rauhe was selected for the 1997 World Junior Championships in LahtiLahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, Finland at the age of just fifteen years nine months. Competing against paddlers up to three years older he won two medals - gold in the K-4 500 m and silver in the K-1 500 m, an unprecedented achievement for a fifteen-year-old. After winning more three gold medals at the next edition of the world junior championships in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia, in 1999 he stepped up to the senior German national team.
Senior Sports Career
Still aged only fifteen, he enjoyed immediate success, taking the bronze medal in the men's K-1 200 m World Championship final1997 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 1997 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada on Lake Banook.The men's competition consisted of nine Canadian and nine kayak events. Eight events were held for the women, all in kayak...
the same year.
Since 2000, the Rauhe/Wieskötter partnership has enjoyed unrivalled success, winning the major K-2 500 m race every year (six world titles and the 2004 Olympic
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
gold). The pair have also won seven straight European championships over 500 m.
Rauhe also dominated the K-1 200 m individual sprint, winning three consecutive golds in both the world and European championships before losing out to Spain's Carlos Pérez in 2005.
If Rauhe's rivals hoped this marked the beginning of a decline in the German's fortunes they were to be disappointed. In 2006 Rauhe was back on top form and won more titles than ever before. At the European Championships in Račice
Racice
Račice is a village in Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic. It is located 8 km northeast of Roudnice nad Labem or 41 km north of Prague and has a population of 308. It is the major rowing and flatwater canoeing venue in the Czech Republic. Račice hosted the 1993 World Rowing...
, Czech Republic he won three gold medals, retaining his K-2 500 m title, regaining the K-1 200 m crown from Pérez and winning the K-2 200 m for the first time in his career.
These three victories were repeated at the World Championships in Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Hungary. Rauhe's dominance was best illustrated by his victory in the K-2 200 m final in a race that was scheduled just twenty minutes after his K-1 final (and against a field of rested opponents none of whom had competed in the earlier race).
At the World Championships in his home-country Germany in 2007 he and his partner Tim Wieskötter won again the K-2 500 m and came second in the K-2 200 m.
On national level he has won 50 national titles at the German Championships. His 50th title were the 500 m in the K-1 on the 2nd of May 2009 in Duisburg.