Young figure skaters from Whitehorse and Juneau spent the weekend twirling, jumping and displaying their acquired artistry at the Yukon Gold Nugget Championships.

The main event was held Saturday at the Canada Games Centre, following the local skaters Arctic Winter Games trial skates Friday night.

A panel of seven officials was flown in from British Columbia to grade the 21 Yukon skaters and four Alaskans.

"I was impressed and amazed by how far skaters have come since last year's competition,” said Arctic Edge Skating Club's publicity director Stacey Hays, pointing at Star 1 skaters who didn't even compete last year and are now completing several programs at the Star 3 and 4 levels.

"Other skaters have really developed their artistry, making their programs graceful and elegant, or fun and exuberant. It has been a real pleasure to watch our skaters grow and advance over the year.”

The Gold Nugget meet gives skaters a chance to display their skills in a fun, supportive setting. This year's event saw six Arctic Edge skaters compete in their first official meet.

"This was an ideal way to introduce them to the experience,” Hays explained.

"The skaters were having a good time, cheering each other on and supporting each other. Everyone had a really enjoyable weekend.”

Alongside regular competition, the meet included two exhibition events – a performance to ‘Jingle Bell Rock' by Special Olympics skaters and a similar pairs exhibition that saw skaters perform programs created from music of their choice.

Skaters from Juneau performed alongside their Yukon counterparts for the third year.

"It's exciting for the girls,” said Juneau Skating Club coach Debbie Roberts. "They get to watch others and see what they're doing. It was also good for them to get practice, because now we're going to gear up for our competition.”

Roberts said she was proud of her group for continuing to set new limits to achieve.

"Just to challenge themselves to come up and skate against people they don't see on a regular basis, this is an accomplishment,” she said.

Friday's skates determined the Yukon's figure skating team for Arctic Winter Games, which will feature eight Whitehorse skaters.

The team will include Level 1 skaters Landyn Blisner, Tessa Moore and Meghan Birmingham, Level 2 skaters Jenelle Clethero and Kayla Armstrong, and Level 3 skaters Mikayla Kramer, Kelcy Armstrong and Morgan Madden.

Kelcy Armstrong, who competed last year in Whitehorse, is the only veteran of the group.

Clethero, 16, said she is looking forward to the competition at the 2013 Arctic Winter Games in Fairbanks, Alaska.

"It's very exciting,” Clethero said Saturday. "I was very happy with my Arctics tryouts. We work hard to prepare for this weekend and it's nice to skate our programs in front of family and friends.”

In the first three Star program levels, skaters are evaluated according to a standard, rather than against one each other.

All other competitive events rank skaters and identify the gold, silver and bronze recipients.

Several skaters achieved the gold standard, including Bronwyn Hays (Star 3, Pre-Introductory Interpretive), Alissa Russell (Star 4, Elements 1), Katherine Fritsch (Elements 1), Mikayla Kramer (Elements 2, Senior B Creative Women), Anika Kramer (Junior Creative Women), and Juneau's Josephine Zuelow (Senior A Creative Women).

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Full results are as follows:

STAR 1:

Anika Kramer (AESC) – Silver

Sarah Milton (AESC) – Silver

Emma Riske (AESC) – Silver

Adrian Lau (AESC) – Bronze

Queenie Lu (AESC) – Bronze

Phoebe Qiu (AESC) – Bronze

STAR 2:

Emilie Perreault (AESC) – Silver

Lenneah Timmermans (AESC) – Bronze

STAR 3:

Bronwyn Hays (AESC) – Gold

Kara Hort (Juneau) – Silver

Jamie Nickel (AESC) – Silver

Michaela DeCook (AESC) – Bronze

STAR 4:

Alissa Russell (AESC) – Gold

Josephine Zuelow (Juneau) – Silver

Katherine Fritsch (Juneau) – Bronze

Meredith Fritsch (Juneau)

Pre-Introductory Interpretive:

Bronwyn Hays (AESC) – Gold

Alissa Russell (AESC) – Silver

Josephine Zuelow (Juneau) – Bronze

Kara Hort (Juneau)

Meredith Fritsch (Juneau)

Elements 1 – Group 1:

Alissa Russell (AESC) – Gold

Tessa Moore (AESC) – Silver

Emilie Perreault (AESC) – Bronze

Elements 1 – Group 2:

Katherine Fritsch (Juneau) – Gold

Michaela DeCook (AESC) – Silver

Meghan Birmingham (AESC) – Bronze

Lenneah Timmermans (AESC)

Elements 2:

Mikayla Kramer (AESC) – Gold

Jenelle Clethero (AESC) – Silver

Morgan Madden (AESC) – Bronze

Junior Creative Women:

Anika Kramer (AESC) – Gold

Emma Riske (AESC) – Silver

Sarah Milton (AESC) – Bronze

Senior A Creative Women:

Josephine Zuelow (Juneau) – Gold

Alissa Russell (AESC) – Silver

Jamie Nickel (AESC) – Bronze

Meghan Birmingham (AESC)

Tessa Moore (AESC)

Meredith Fritsch (Juneau)

Kara Hort (Juneau)

Bronwyn Hays (AESC)

Senior B Creative Women:

Mikayla Kramer (AESC) – Gold

Jenelle Clethero (AESC) – Silver