DENVER – The top of the podium in women's Nordic skiing in the western United States has been dominated by a select few athletes over the last years.
 
So when the opportunity presented itself for Lea Wenaas to grab her first win, the graduate student on the University of Denver ski team took it and sprinted to the finish.
 
"Everything has to be weld together when you're skiing," Wenaas said. "You can't not have the day and you can't not be fit if you're a little sick; any little thing like that."
 
Wenaas' (pronounced Vey-nawss) first-ever individual race victory came in the 10-kilometer freestyle on Feb. 9 on home snow at the DU Invitational at Maloit Park in Minturn, Colorado. She put herself in a good position after placing fourth the previous day in the 7.5K classic interval start, got help with classic-winner Erica Laven of Utah not starting in the freestyle and then made up 32 seconds by posting the fastest time of the day.
 
It was the first win by a Denver women's Nordic skier since Eveliina Piipo in the 5K freestyle at the 2020 NCAA Championships.
 
"It felt good, especially on the home course where all of the parents were," Wenaas said. "I think in the altitude, I know I work well, and it was nice to see all the puzzle pieces come together on the weekend."
 
The Oslo, Norway, native had six top-10 finishes this season prior to that pursuit race, and she said she would have been happy to just make it on the podium for the first time this season with the Pioneers after spending the previous four years with the University of New Hampshire.
 
On the final lap of that sunny February day in the Vail Valley and having already dropped two University of Colorado skiers, Wenaas saw a third Buffalo ahead of her and decided to go for it.
 
"I kept getting splits saying that you're 10 seconds, you're eight seconds, five seconds," Wenaas recalled. "I could see her and she looked so tired that I thought I just had to go for it. So I sprinted right in front of her so she couldn't keep up on the downhill and it worked all the way to the end."
 
She had been a part of one other win in her career, as she helped the relay team at UNH to victory in the 3x5-kilometer race at last year's Williams Carnival. This time, after 28 top-10 finishes—22 of which were with New Hampshire—and two previous podiums, her name was called last to take the No. 1 spot on the stage.
 
"It feels really good," Wenaas said after the win. "I feel like I have been very close to the podium a couple of times (this season). I've had some falls. I've had some things happen during races, so it's always been a bit bittersweet. I know I'm in good shape, but it's always been around fourth or fifth. So having my first podium out here felt really good, nevertheless a win—I haven't done that individually at all."
 
Wenaas had a slow start to her senior season at UNH after getting sick early in the collegiate campaign, but she finished the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association regular season strong with six straight top 10s and earned a spot on the Wildcats' NCAA team.
 
After the 2024 campaign, she still enjoyed skiing and wasn't ready to call it quits to her collegiate career. With an extra year of eligibility available due to the COVID-19 season in 2021, Wenaas decided to explore her skiing opportunities out west on the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association circuit.
 
She knew several of the Pioneers' Norwegian athletes previously, and Denver had the perfect combination of high-end skiing, city culture and team atmosphere. Wenaas also had a personal connection to the school as well.
 
"My top choice was Denver because I knew a lot of the Norwegians here, and my godfather actually went here. So throughout the years I have heard a lot of good things, and he's so proud of Denver," she said. "When I finally got the spot, I was like, 'this is my No. 1. This is where I want to go.'"
 
She has been one of the Pioneers most consistent Nordic skiers, as she enters this year's NCAA Championships as the team's top women's qualifier with 134 points this season and owns four top-five finishes and top-10 results in each of her eight previous races.
 
At the RMISA Championships last weekend in Anchorage, Alaska, Wenaas placed seventh in the 7.5K classic interval start before earning her second podium of the season in third place in the 20K freestyle mass start. Both results marked her best performances in conference championship races of her career.
 
"I think I have had the trend of not declining during the season. I usually kind of ski into it and get better and better, and having a long season really fits me and having a lot of races," Wenaas said. "I feel like I regenerate my energy pretty quickly. I do think I work really well at altitude… I'm getting more and more fit throughout the season."
 
Wenaas has been two-feet in on the collegiate lifestyle ever since she joined New Hampshire as a 19-year-old and true freshman in 2021.
 
She always wanted to do an exchange program when she was in high school, and she learned about the possibilities of NCAA skiing during a national championship race in Norway that was attended by a UNH coach.
 
"At that point, I knew I wanted to keep doing academics and skiing, and the U.S. is the perfect place for that," Wenaas said. "I kept talking to a couple schools, and the UNH coach was really, really helpful in helping you apply—it is quite a process when you're coming internationally.
 
"The more I thought about it, I would way more combine academics and skiing and be on a team in the U.S. then try to just ski or just do school in Norway. It is the perfect opportunity to combine them and get the full experience."
 
At New Hampshire, Wenaas served as an ambassador for the school's International Club and went on to be named to the National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team each of her four years (2021-2024) and was named to the College Sports Communicators' Academic All-District Team as both a junior and senior.
 
Wenaas graduated with her bachelor's degree in business administration finance at UNH last spring and is presently working on getting her master's in marketing at DU. She loved her time with Wildcats, but she is also enjoying being a Pioneer.
 
It has been a smooth transition for Wenaas and the Pioneers, and the fit has been beneficial for both sides.
 
She added key depth to the team's women's Nordic squad, and the Norwegian has enjoyed the nicer weather and being a part of a smaller group with more hands-on attention from the coaching staff.
 
"I feel like it's a very mature team, and I absolutely love the vibe," Wenaas said. "Everyone is super respectful, and everyone is on the same page with skiing. You do the best you can, and If you don't have the day, you're still fit, you're still part of the team. I'm so happy. This has been the best decision I've done."
 

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