Arctic Edge figure skaters overcame reduced ice-time in Whitehorse this fall to earn top-10 finishes at the Skate Canada BC/YT Sectionals held in Kelowna from Nov. 10-13.

To train for Sectionals, Arctic Edge skaters Rachel Pettitt, Bryn Hoffman and Michelle Gorczyca adapted to a shuffled schedule at Takhini Arena after a June fire closed the Canada Games Centre, including its ATCO and Northwestel rinks.

Gorczyca, who is also Hoffman's coach, pointed out that the new schedule put Arctic Edge skaters on the ice from 6 a.m.-7:30 a.m. five days per week at Takhini Arena, with a couple afternoons and time on Saturdays.

"It was really cut down from what we usually get,” Gorczyca said.

But the Yukoners adapted.

Pettitt placed seventh overall in pre-novice women after taking sixth in the short program (27.68) and sixth in the free skate (49.07). Hoffman took ninth overall by placing 10th in the short (26.17) and eighth in the free (47.85) in the same event.

"To see two Yukon skaters in the top 10 out of 61 girls was huge,” Gorczyca said of Pettitt and Hoffman.

Pettitt, 12, made the jump from juvenile ladies at last year's Sectionals, when she won gold, to pre-novice this year. Hoffman missed last year's Sectionals but competed in 2009.

Apart from adjusting to a restricted training schedule, Hoffman returned to form following a concussion that kept her off the ice for nearly three weeks in October.

"I was happy that she was there and that she pushed through, and she made a

fantastic comeback,” Gorczyca said.

Hoffman was pleased with her performance.

"I performed well for me,” Hoffman said

"I get kind of nervous before I compete, and this competition I didn't, and I kept under control, so I think that had a part in my good performance. I was having fun,” she said, adding of her ability to settle before taking the ice: "It's just the way it worked out.

Hoffman's strength is in her short program, she said. At Sectionals, however, she surprised herself with a better free skate.

The 14-year-old also landed her double axle, a jump she has been working to improve, but was docked full points because of under-rotation, Gorczyca explained.

"But it was nice to see her stay on her feet,” Gorczyca said.

"I thought she performed really well. She was very composed; she skated more mature this time around. She showed really awesome maturity and how she handled herself and she skated a clean performance in the long, and I couldn't ask for more than that. She did a very good job. I was very proud of her.”

Gorczyca, 21, took sixth overall with sixth-place finishes in both the short program (31.44) and free skate (58.03). Yukoner Amelia Austin, who travelled from Montreal to represent Arctic Edge, finished 10th in the short program (31.74) and eighth in the free skate (56.59) for 10th overall in the junior ladies.

Gorczyca, who finished sixth out of six skaters, said that she is trying to find a balance between coaching and competing.

"For as much as I can train, aside from coaching, I thought I did well,” Gorczyca said. "I only skated about four hours per week. Most girls in my category would skate that in a day and a half. I was there more for me; obviously, yes, to compete against the other girls – but I love skating, and it was a bit of a last-minute decision to go as a skater. I was preparing Bryn for it; but I thought, why not? I've got nothing to lose.

"I still love to compete; it's just finding the time to balance both, because I have started to get heavily involved in teaching, and especially with the lack of ice we had, due to the fire. So there was a whole bunch of factors this year that kind of played into lack of training on my part.”

Next up for the Arctic Edge skaters is the Arctic Winter Games trials and the Yukon Gold Nugget Championships from Dec. 3-4 at Takhini Arena. As many as nine skaters will compete for spots on the team in the Ladies 2 category.