Baena has declined to name the woman with whom he fell in love in Queenstown on Saturday night while celebrating his win in the Snow Farm's 7km Merino Muster.
The race was not a Winter Games event, but Baena was so happy with his victory he spent the next three days celebrating and failed to turn up to any of his races at the Games.
Peruvian surfer and runner Roberto Carcelen (39) now has the bragging rights to being the top South American cross-country skier, after a Brazilian entrant did not show up for yesterday's race.
Carcelen was delighted with his skiing at the Winter Games as he believes he has qualified for the Vancouver Olympics next year - and is the only Peruvian to have done so in any winter sport.
"It was really fun. I had fun all along the way. I kept right below the average points and I didn't kill myself, so I feel great. I can race," said Carcelen, who lives in the United States.
Peru's qualifying standard is 300FIS points and Winter Games NZ race organisers have given Carcelen a balance of 244 points. Carcelen said all he needed to do now was compete in two more races and not break a leg.
Baena did turn up as a spectator yesterday, but confessed he had a hangover.
His absence came to officials' attention during the first day of racing on Sunday.
A brief search was conducted on the Snow Farm course before it was realised Baena's bib number had been allocated to someone else and he had not started the race.
Baena said he hoped to qualify for Venezuela in races in Norway and Russia in November, or Japan in December.
"I will fight very hard for it."
