Whether you're switching professions or just switching locations, making a career change is never an easy decision.

Leaving behind everything you're familiar with for something relatively unknown can either turn out to be the best decision you've ever made, or in some cases, a huge mistake.

Thankfully, for Yukon weightlifters Emily Quarton and Jeane Lassen, a change in clubs this past summer seems to be exactly what they needed to get the ball rolling again. The improved results, for both lifters, have been immediate.

Lassen won a silver medal at the world weightlifting championships and finished third overall in the 69-kilogram category her best finish yet at a senior worlds.

While Quarton may not have received a medal at the championships she finished 21st overall in the 58-kg class she still achieved personal bests. And this past weekend, the young Yukoner was named Best Lifter at the Quebec senior championships in Montreal, an event that actually has more competitiors than the national championships.

Quarton lifted 83-kg in the snatch and 104-kg in the clean and jerk in Quebec, beating her previous personal best for total by four kilograms.

'I was quite happy with how it went, because it was so soon after the worlds,' said Quarton, in an interview from Montreal on Tuesday. 'I wasn't really sure how I would do, but obviously I'm very pleased.'

While the Quebec championships aren't necessarily mandatory Lassen took on a coaching role at the event and sat out the competition they were very important for Quarton, in terms of funding.

The top eight lifters in Canada, men and women combined, are eligible for funding from the federal government's Athlete Assistance Program. There's only one more competition, in December, for the lifters to try and reach the top eight.

'I wasn't really pleased with where I was ranked going in, so I want to improve on that,' explained Quarton. 'As of right now, I'm in a really good position, at sixth.

'So now I'm really confident and comfortable going into the December competition and there won't be as much pressure.'

If Quarton does get the funding, she will be able to just train and go to school over the next year and not have to worry about working part time or finding money elsewhere. That puts her in a good position to prepare for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

'I'm just trying to focus on one competition at a time, but the more you start thinking of yourself in the top three or four female lifters in Canada, you do start to think about the Olympics,' she admitted.

Quarton attributes most of her success this year to her new environment. Now that she's switched to the Montreal Weightlifting Club, from Les Club Geants du Montreal, she's training with two of the best lifters in Canada Lassen and Francis Luna-Grenier.

It's a huge team atmosphere, she said, pointing out she was so excited to lift at the Quebec championships this past weekend because everyone else on her team had already done so well.

'Everyone encourages each other a lot. It's the best environment I've been in since moving here (to Montreal).

Quarton was also quick to acknowledge none of her success would be possible without the support she's received from back home.

'I find after every competition, especially when it goes really well, I think back to when I first started and the support I've had, especially in the past two years. I realize how blessed and greatful I am for the help of Scott (McCarthy, a former Yukon weightlifter and now coach) my family and the whole Yukon community.

'I think its amazing how the Yukon community works and only people from there can truely understand that.'

Over the next six weeks, Quarton will be training hard for the final competition of the year. No matter what happens, though, she feels like she accomplished everything she set out to do last winter.

'I've improved so much in the last few months, mentally especially. The mental aspect of competition has always been a bit tougher for me, more than the physical. As we get closer to the qualifying events for the Olympics, it's going to be closer to a mental fight than physical.

'I finally realize, I am one of the best in Canada.'