Saying goodbye to the World Cup and hello to long-distance skiing. It turned out to be tougher than she expected.

The 31-year-old from Östersund is stepping away from the World Cup after 11 years. Now, she is giving her career a final chance on a different stage: long-distance skiing. 

“It’s very exciting and inspiring. Even though it’s still about cross-country skiing, it feels different. The competitions are not the same type, and they demand different things from the athletes,” says Lisa Vinsa to Expressen.

Brutal break

At the same time, Vinsa admits that the break from the Piteå Elit ski club was much tougher than she had anticipated. 

“It was more emotional than I thought it would be. I became quite sad and very touched. It’s just a ski club, but it has meant so much more to me,” says Vinsa. 

She recalls how significant it was to join Piteå Elit as a teenager. The club was filled with Olympic and World Championship stars, including Charlotte Kalla, Magdalena Pajala, Jennie Öberg, and Mia Eriksson, with Sweden’s former national team coach Joakim Abrahamsson as the coach.

Later, peers like Jonna Sundling, Ebba Andersson, and Emma Ribom joined. The camaraderie felt like family, she says. 

“Coming in at 19 years old, barely knowing what it all meant. It was wonderful to grow into it through them. And now I realize that I have also been a role model for the younger ones in the club. I think that has been one of the most beautiful things over the years, that we truly help and uplift each other,” says Vinsa and adds: 

“We have sat together, smiling and crying with joy. It’s all those memories that have meant everything.”

Competed at Vasaloppet and Birkebeinerrennet for Northug

Now, Lisa Vinsa is leaving traditional cross-country skiing for Ski Classics, but she hasn’t revealed which Pro Team she will be joining. 

Last winter, the Swedish skier competed at Vasaloppet and Birkebeinerrennet for Petter Northug’s Ski Classics Pro Team, Team Burger King Northug. She finished 37th and 45th, respectively.

Solid results

During her 11 years at the World Cup level, Vinsa achieved a top-10 finish and two 14th places in the World Cup, all in the Tour de Ski, as well as a silver medal at the Swedish Championships – behind her club mate Ebba Andersson – marking her best results at the senior level.  

Vinsa has also competed in two U23 World Championships and one Junior World Championship for Sweden. 

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