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Arctic Edge skaters cap season with hardware

Four members of Whitehorse's Arctic Edge Skating Club finished the season on a high note over the weekend. All of them won a medal and posted a personal best score at the 2016 Super Series Victoria Day competition in Surrey, B.C.

Four members of Whitehorse’s Arctic Edge Skating Club finished the season on a high note over the weekend.

All of them won a medal and posted a personal best score at the 2016 Super Series Victoria Day competition in Surrey, B.C.

“I think they all had highlights. In the interpretive they all skated with more speed and their presentation was really good,” said Arctic Edge coach Trish Pettitt. “Though they didn’t medal in those, they all skated wonderful programs and certainly covered the ice nicely. In their free skates they all had goals and they all achieved their goals ... I would say they all had a great end to their season.”

Arctic Edge’s Alissa Russell skated to silver out of 12 skaters in pre-juvenile under-13 with a score of 20.21. She also placed fourth in silver interpretive, registering a 30.27.

Teammate Jamie Nickel grabbed a silver in STAR5 under-13 and finished fourth out of 11 in bronze interpretive (36.53).

Bronwyn Hays claimed bronze in STAR5 under-13 and took fifth in bronze interpretive (35.65).

“Because Ali went into pre-juvenile, hers was definitely a personal best,” said Pettitt. “I believe, for Jamie and Bronwyn, they were both personal bests in the free skates…

“They all had a great time and ended the season in a real positive note.”

Also representing Arctic Edge was phenom Rachel Pettitt. The 17-year-old picked up a bronze in the senior women short with a 50.19.

“She had a clean short. There were a few deductions on her spins, but clean jumps,” said Trish. “She was the only person to do the long (program). A lot of them at the senior level aren’t doing both programs when they go to Victoria Day because they are getting new programs and don’t have everything together yet. So her free program was just an exhibition and it was a good start.”

As an elite-level skater, Rachel will continue to compete during the summer months. Rachel, who trains with the Kelowna Skating Club, captured Yukon’s first-ever gold at the National Skating Championships in 2015, a month before winning Yukon’s first-ever figure skating gold at the Canada Winter Games - both in novice ladies. Rachel placed sixth in junior women at this season’s national championship in January.

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com