Members of the Arctic Edge Skating Club put a nice stamp on the 2008-09 season at a recently held meet in Port Alberni, B.C.

Sixteen Yukon figure skaters attended the Vancouver Island Skate International Competition, held earlier in April.

The team didn't come back empty handed, bringing home an impressive 13 medals. The club's medal count included six gold, five silver and two bronze.

"What stood out for me was how well the girls bonded, how well they supported each other," said Cheryl Van Blaricom, publicist for the Arctic Edge Skating Club.

"Overall they did really well as a club in terms of performing, some of their best performances ever, many of them, it was really nice."

The most gold medals for the Arctic Edge Skating Club came in the interpretive events. The team won a total of three golds, thanks to Maya Austin, Rachel Pettitt and Bryn Hoffman.

Austin finished first in the Pre-Introductory Interpretive category, while Pettitt took gold in Introductory Interpretive and Hoffman claimed the number one spot in the Bronze Interpretive event.

Kelcy Armstrong also had a solid showing for the Arctic Edge Skating Club, finishing with a silver medal in the Pre-Introductory Interpretive category.

Van Blaricom said the interpretive category is more about the creativity that goes with the music than it is about spins and jumps. She said Arctic Edge Skaters are typically strong in this category.

"I think the coaches put a lot of effort and focus into it," Van Blaricom said.

The Yukon team also had plenty of success in the elements events, finishing with a total of five medals. The medals included two golds, two silvers and a bronze.

Maddison Jarvis and Bryn Hoffman locked down first place in Preliminary and Senior Bronze elements respectively, while teammates Kayla and Kelcy Armstrong each earned a silver medal in Pre-Preliminary and Jr. Bronze elements.

Rasheeda Slater claimed bronze in the Pre-Preliminary elements events, finishing just ahead of teammate Brittany Au who came in fourth.

"We had lots of people participating in elements and they did very well, it was really nice," said Van Blaricom.

The Yukon club swept the medal count in the Senior Bronze Skills event, winning a gold, silver and bronze medal. Bryn Hoffman, Kelcy Armstrong, and Nikita White earned gold, silver and bronze respectively.

Kelcy, 10, said out of all of the medals she won, the second place in interpretive meant the most to her.

She added it was encouraging with how well the team did.

The club's lone freeskate medal was taken by Millie Austin in what was a very tough Junior Ladies category. Van Blaricom credited Austin's silver medal to her skating a very strong short program. She added Austin has improved her technical abilities tremendously this season.

"Junior Ladies is a category that competes at the Canadian national championships," she said. "So it's difficult not in terms of numbers of skaters, but difficult in terms of very capable skaters skate at that level."

Austin's goal in Port Alberni was centered more on getting experience than it was on winning a medal.

"It's my first time in that particular level, so it was more just like getting experience."

She said it was nice having so many of her teammates attend the competition.

"It is so much nicer when you have your friends there to support you and you can go support them," said the 16-year-old.

Yukoners Maddison Jarvis and Nikita White just missed out on the podium in Preliminary women 11 and over and Junior Bronze women 12 and under freeskate events. The two skaters finished in fourth place.

A number of the Port Alberni skaters, along with many others, took part in this past weekends test day, performing in front of judges.

The event took place Saturday and Sunday at the Canada Games Centre and included 26 passed tests.

Among the highlights were two gold dances by Ellen Bohmer and gold skills by Carrie McLelland.

The Arctic Edge Skating Club season wraps up May 4 when the ice at the Canada Games Centre is removed.

However, a few of the club's competitive skaters are planning to attend the Victoria Day Interclub competition, before beginning the intensive summer training season.

Complete test and competition results from this very successful season are available at www.arcticedge.ca.