The Arctic Edge figure skating club received a boost earlier this year which has paid dividends to skaters over the summer.

Arctic Edge received $23,000 in funding from Lotteries Yukon, enabling the club to offer a full-time four week summer school that provided all levels of skating access to an off-ice jumping class, cardio or pilates class and two on-ice sessions daily.

Last year, the club received $16,000 from Lotteries Yukon.

That extra $7,000 provided the funds necessary to make such a jump in training sessions, particularly the extra on-ice session each day, Arctic Edge publicist Cheryl Van Blaricom said.

"Why that's so important is because skaters, when they advance in their capability, need more than one on-ice sessions a day.

"Senior skaters can't stay here to train unless there is a minimum of two sessions per day.

"That's why it's enabled some of our senior skaters to stay and train here versus going out for the summer,” Van Blaricom said.

"It really did help skaters get home for the summer.”

The newfangled summer school was a major achievement, since offering multiple on- and off-ice sessions per day gave experienced skaters the chance to participate in the program rather than spending the entire summer attending camps Outside.

The extra sessions have paid off, Van Blaricom said.

"We now have two of our younger skaters landing double axels and working on triples, and that's the first time I can remember that in a decade,” Van Blaricom said.

"Just developing younger skaters … that's fantastic, that's a real change, and I attribute that to the seminars, the guest coaches, the real emphasis on developing and delivering

To cap off the summer and to start the season, Arctic Edge brought in guest coaches Zdenek Pazdirek and Kelly Champagne from the Coquitlam Skating Club in British Columbia to train with Yukon figure skaters at Takhini Arena.

With 20 registered, the focus on the seminar was jumps and spins. Skaters landing axels and above worked with Zdenek and Arctic Edge coach and skater Michelle Gorczyca to develop their jumping technique using a fishing pole harness.

Champagne worked with skaters to develop their spin quality, technique and levels.

"They really worked on skill development, edges, turns, stroking, posture, those basic skill development things that it seems like you should learn early.

"But it's really important to develop and advance those throughout a skating career.”

Funding from the City of Whitehorse Recreation Grant, Yukon Sport for Life and Yukon Recreation Grants contributed to the seminar, as well as seminars at Christmas and in the spring.

Originally, the club wanted to offer a six-week summer school.

But that plan was difficult to execute because of the unavailability of ice so early in the summer.

Ideally, Van Blaricom explained, the club would start the six-week summer school mid-to-late June and run until the end of July.

In August, skaters and coaches start heading south for Outside competitions and clinics.

Three Arctic Edge skaters competed in the BC SummerSkate competition held from Aug. 18-21.

Kelcy Armstrong placed 19th in the senior bronze ladies event, while Rachel Pettitt took ninth and Bryn Hoffman finished 16th – out of 80 skaters – in the pre-novice ladies event.

Several Arctic Edge skaters also attended summer skating schools Outside over the summer, including stints in Calgary, Kelowna, Coquitlam and Montreal.

"We're starting to see progress,” Van Blaricom said. "We're starting to see results.”

For more information on the Arctic Edge Skating Club's fall schedule and results, visit http://www.arcticedge.ca/.