Leah had a very active childhood, starting cross-country skiing with the Red River Nordic Jackrabbits at the age of 5 and racing by 12. There was no hiding inside during Winnipeg's cold winters!
Leah began her cycling career at the age of 13 when she joined the Kids of Mud program in Winnipeg. Very competitive by nature, she was soon hooked on mountain bike racing. The MB provincial coach soon had her out racing a road bike as well.
She split her time for years racing nationally on skinny skis during the winter months, and traded in her skis for a bike during the summer months. She had her first taste of international racing in 2008 racing both the Junior Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sol, Italy, and the Junior Road World Championships in Cape Town, South Africa. These experiences opened her eyes to the exciting world of international cycling and left her very motivated to keep improving.
She spent a year in 2008 on Callaghan Valley Training Center ski team in BC. She was quite busy with a full school schedule along with training and racing for both xc skiing, mountain and road cycling. It was after this season that she decided to make road cycling her main priority.
Leah broke into the professional cycling racing scene in 2011 when she signed with Colavita-Forno d'Asolo. She learned a ton racing in a great supportive team environment, and finished the season as the second ranked rider on the US NRC circuit.
Leah is currently in her 4th year at Quest University Canada in Squamish, BC, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Sciences with a focus on public health nutrition. She loves the program, and especially appreciates how the school's block program gives her the flexibility to work classes around her competitive schedule. She also appreciates the proximity of campus to the best mountain bike trails in Canada.
Years spent riding into fierce prairie headwinds, enduring cold winters and racing against the boys have turned Leah into a tough competitor, and one to especially watch out for in the sprints.
