Whitehorse Daily Star

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BACK AT IT – Tessa Moore of the Arctic Edge Skating Club performs at Autumn Leaves in Kamloops, B.C., last weekend. Moore finished third in her age group.

Pettitt claims gold for Yukon at Autumn Leaves

Despite training out of Kelowna, B.C., figure skater Rachel Pettitt continues to hold fast to her Yukon roots.

By Marcel Vander Wier on October 24, 2014

Despite training out of Kelowna, B.C., figure skater Rachel Pettitt continues to hold fast to her Yukon roots.

Representing Whitehorse’s Arctic Edge Skating Club, the 15-year-old added another gold medal to her extensive collection last weekend in Kamloops, B.C.

Pettitt placed first overall for novice women at the 2014 Super Series Autumn Leaves competition with a combined score of 109.92.

Pettitt’s teammate in Kelowna, Ajsha Gorman, was second with 105.49 points.

The young Yukoner started the event by scoring a whopping 44.08 points in her short program – her best skate yet.

“My short program was a personal best by almost seven points,” Pettitt said yesterday. “It was really good. I pretty much had a clean skate, landing my triple toe-double toe, as well as my triple salchow and a double axel.

“Everything went smoothly and as planned. I think I had really good components this competition because 44 points is quite a lot for a short program for me.”

Pettitt went on to record 65.84 points in her long program, second to Gorman, but good for an overall first place finish.

While she admittedly didn’t skate as well as she had hoped, Pettitt did get credited for four triples in her routine.

Pettitt said her performance helped erase the memory of SummerSkate in Burnaby where she placed sixth in August.

“After SummerSkate, I was a little bummed out,” she admitted. “I just had a good mindset going into this competition. I wasn’t going in expecting to win ... and I think that really helped me.

“I want to keep that mindset for the next three weeks because I have sectionals coming up.”

Training in Kelowna for the past two years, Pettitt has made a personal choice to continue representing her home club in the Yukon.

“I love the Yukon so much and of course it’s awesome to represent it,” she explained. “It’s so cool going to competitions and have people tell me: ‘I can’t believe you’re from the Yukon placing first. That’s crazy.’

“For now, we’ll keep it like that. That’s how I like it.”

Four other Yukon skaters also competed at Autumn Leaves, performing only their free programs.

Among Star 4 U-13 girls, Tessa Moore finished third in her group, Bronwyn Hays was fourth and Jamie Nickel was seventh.

Alissa Russell finished ninth in Star 5 U-13 girls competition.

Hays, Nickel and Russell spoke with the Star yesterday after their Arctic Edge practice.

The three 10-year-old girls – all in Grade 5 at Ecole Whitehorse Elementary School – said their skates went as expected in Kamloops.

Hays admitted she performed three combination jumps instead of two, which may have pushed her off the podium.

Russell, meanwhile, was competing for the first time since graduating to Star 5, which was difficult, but special, she said.

The girls were met in Kamloops by long-time Arctic Edge coach Trish Pettitt, who has joined her daughter this season in Kelowna.

The Whitehorse community will have an opportunity to see the local skaters compete Dec. 6 and 7 when the Yukon Gold Nugget competition is held at the Canada Games Centre.

Comments (2)

Up 89 Down 87

Heather Kerr on Nov 3, 2014 at 12:50 pm

Congratulations to all the skaters for working hard at this skate. Special congratulations to my niece Tessa, Auntie is very proud!

Up 97 Down 89

Debbie Walsh on Oct 24, 2014 at 9:41 pm

I am a born and raised Yukoner - and figure skater -representing the Yukon in Canada Games and in Arctic Winter Games - as well as at Canadian qualifying competitions. For the Yukon to be represented in Figure Skating at Canadians, let alone a Yukoner who has the potential to go on to worlds - is unheard of!! And Rachel has a chance...But Arctic Edge raises no money - gives no support to her!! This is the most expensive time of her career - and her mother the "long time Yukon coach" you mentioned (and father) - with one Yukon Sports Grant - strives to pay the rest. The club itself could raise finances as my club did to support me - only a minor representation of the Yukon - her career has potential to major in the world of figure skating.

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