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Pettitt continues successful first season in junior

National figure skating champ Rachel Pettitt is prospering in her first season at the junior women level. The Whitehorse skater added another medal to the count at the Autumn Leaves competition over the weekend in Chilliwack, B.

National figure skating champ Rachel Pettitt is prospering in her first season at the junior women level.

The Whitehorse skater added another medal to the count at the Autumn Leaves competition over the weekend in Chilliwack, B.C.

The 16-year-old won bronze at the Super Series event.

“My short program wasn’t the best, but I got my jumps done,” said Pettitt. “I lost a few easy points in spins, which were costly. But overall I was happy with my short program.

“My free program wasn’t too bad. There were a couple errors and there is definitely room for improvement, which I’ll be training for leading up to sections.”

Pettitt, who became the first Yukoner to win gold at the National Skating Championships in January, placed fourth in her short and third in her long to finish with a combined score of 115.44 over the weekend.

She capped her final season in novice ladies by winning gold at the Canada Winter Games in February - another first for Yukon.

“I’m feeling pretty good. It’s nice to know I can still pull out some medals in a higher level,” said Pettitt. “I definitely have stuff I want to improve on before Sectionals and hopefully Challenge and Canadians. But I’m really pleased with how everything is going so far.”

Pettitt wasn’t the only Yukon skater from the Arctic Edge Skating Club to compete over the weekend - or to win a medal.

Alissa Russell skated to bronze in pre-juvenile women (U13) with a score of 19.14. It was her first time competing in the division

Arctic Edge also secured four fourth place finishes in Chilliwack.

Mikayla Kramer finished fourth in pre-novice women with a combined score of 76.26. Kramer, who also competed at the Canada Games, was in first place following her short program.

Tessa Moore posted a fourth place results in pre-juvenile women (U13) with 19.09. Moore also grabbed eighth in bronze interpretive with a score of 18.84. In both cases she was competing in the divisions for her first time.

Arctic Edge teammate Alissa Russell landed fourth in introductory interpretive with a score of 18.41.

Pettitt, who trains with the Kelowna Skating Club in B.C., started off her first junior season winning the short program at the Super Series Victoria Day meet.

She then collected gold in the Wenatchee Apple Classic in Washington State in June.

Pettitt didn’t win a medal at the Glacier Falls Summer Classic Anaheim, Cali. in July, but did set a personal best combined score of 130.

She also picked up a bronze at the B.C. SummerSkate 2015 in August.

She’ll be aiming for a top-four placing at the B.C./Yukon Section Championships early next month in order to once again qualify for the Skate Canada Challenge in December - the final stepping stone to a return to the nationals early next year.

“My goals for the future competitions are to lay out a good score consistently and just do my stuff,” said Pettitt. “I don’t have to skate amazing, just get my easy stuff done and whatever happens happens.”

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com