Helena Konanz

Helena Konanz
Konanz in 2019
Penticton City Councillor
In office December 2011 – December 2019
Penticton City Councillor
Incumbent
Assumed office December 2020
Personal details
Born	(1961-02-01) February 1, 1961 Santa Barbara, California
Tennis career
Country (sports)	USA
Plays	Right-handed
Prize money	$26,589
Singles
Career record	26/37
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 214 (December 21, 1986)
Doubles
Career record	17–27
Career titles	1
Highest ranking	No. 228 (August 3, 1987)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	1R (1984, 1985)
Wimbledon	1R (1984)
US Open	1R (1982, 1983, 1984)

Helena Konanz (née Manset) is an American tennis player and Canadian politician.

College career

Manset attended UCLA for her undergraduate. In 1982, Manset as well as her partner Kathy O'Brien were defeated in the finals of the NCAA Women’s Doubles and in 1982 and 1983 she was named as an All-American. She graduated from UCLA in 1984 with a degree in political science.

Professional career

After being narrowly defeated in the NCAA Women's Doubles Finals Manset began to compete professionally. Manset had competed across the world including in the US Open and Wimbledon. She reached her peak in 1987 when she was ranked 228 overall in women's doubles. She retired from professional tennis on August 17, 1987 after 5 years as a pro player.

Political career

After she retired from tennis Manset began working for Nike which eventually lead to her moving to Canada to work in the sport equipment uniforms. After spending some time in the private sector, Manset (now Konanz) ran for the Penticton City Council and won with 3,737 votes. Konanz was re-elected in 2014.

In 2018, Konanz opted not to seek re-election and instead announced her candidacy for the Conservative Party of Canada for the 2019 Canadian federal election for the district of South Okanagan—West Kootenay. In September of the same year Konanz won the nomination and was formally announced as the riding's candidate by the Conservatives. In the election, held in October 2019, Konanz finished a close second to New Democratic Party incumbent Richard Cannings. In 2021, a rematch resulted in Cannings winning with an increased majority.

Personal life

Manset married Adam Konanz and changed her name to Helena Konanz in 1995. The couple have two children.

ITF Tour finals

Doubles (1–2)

Result	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	Mar 1987	Fresno, CA, US	Hard	Lisa Seemann	Debbie Graham Cinda Gurney	6–3, 1–6, 7–6(5)
Loss	Jul 1985	Schenectady, NY, US	Hard	Cecilia Fernandez-Parker	Linda Gates Lynn Lewis	7–6, 6–4
Loss	Oct 1983	Tokyo, Japan	Hard	Micki Schillig	Chris O’Neil Pam Whytcross	7–6, 6–4

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: South Okanagan—West Kootenay
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Richard Cannings	27,595	41.3	+4.9	$90,281.81
	Conservative	Helena Konanz	23,675	35.5	+0.3	$133,978.75
	Liberal	Ken Robertson	8,159	12.2	-5.0	$29,578.37
	People's	Sean Taylor	4,866	7.3	+4.9	none listed
	Green	Tara Howse	2,485	3.7	-4.6	$7,900.41
Total valid votes/Expense limit			66,780	99.4	–	$137,054.79
Total rejected ballots			434	0.6
Turnout			67,214	65.6
Eligible voters			102,433
	New Democratic hold		Swing		+2.3
Source: Elections Canada

2019 Canadian federal election: South Okanagan—West Kootenay
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Richard Cannings	24,809	36.4	-0.88	$121,393.67
	Conservative	Helena Konanz	24,053	35.2	+5.36	none listed
	Liberal	Connie Denesiuk	11,705	17.2	-10.93	$60,410.04
	Green	Tara-Lyn Howse	5,672	8.3	+4.11	$10,551.96
	People's	Sean Taylor	1,638	2.4		$6,237.32
	Independent	Carolina Marie Hopkins	359	0.2		$77.17
Total valid votes/expense limit			68,196	100.0
Total rejected ballots			381
Turnout			68,577	69.56
Eligible voters			98,589
	New Democratic hold		Swing		-3.12
Source: Elections Canada

External links

• Helena Konanz at the International Tennis Federation