Members of the Fireweed Figure Skating Club returned home with 18 medals Monday, after competing at the Vancouver Island Skating Invitational (VISI).

Thirteen skaters made the trip to Victoria, grabbing four gold medals, four silver and a bronze. The athletes also took another eight fourth to sixth place medals.

'The kids are doing really well,' said head coach Trish Pettitt in an interview this morning. 'Every time we go out, we're seeing more improvement.

Pettitt said she witnessed great performances from every member of the team.

'Where we did really well that we maybe haven't done as well in the past is, we really excelled in presentation,' she said. 'To me, we really excelled in that. We brought that up quite a bit.'

Pettitt said a few of the athletes 'skated up' at the competition, which means they jumped up at least one category from previous competitions. VISI offered the chance for skaters to be graded for the next level while they performed their routines in competition.

Kevin Caron is one of the Yukoners who took advantage of the opportunity, moving up to Pre-Novice and finishing sixth.

'He's now qualified for the Canada Games in 2007,' said the coach. 'He did exceptionally well, skating two clean performances. He really has improved immensely over the last year.'

Caron also placed fifth in Introductory Interpretive.

Kayla Hollonquist and Teneil Caron also skated up in Victoria. They were in the Preliminary Ladies category but competed in the Pre-Juvenile Ladies division. Caron and Hollonquist placed fifth and seventh respectively, out of 16 skaters.

'They're going to fit in very nicely (in Pre-Juvenile) next year,' said Pettitt.

Teneil Caron also picked up a gold medal with brother Kevin in the Introductory Pairs competition, as well as a silver in Introductory Interpretive.

Hollonquist was 15th in the Bronze Interpretive.

Colleen Kormos took her Novice Ladies test during the competition and ended up with a silver medal in that category. Kormos was second in both her short and long programs, though Pettitt pointed out the skater received a first place ordinal in her short.

Chantal Emond took first place in Gold Skills, as well as a silver medal in Junior Bronze Ladies. Emond finished fourth in Bronze Interpretive.

'She did exceptionally well,' said Pettitt. 'She was a little bit upset because it wasn't her best performance. It was good for her though because even though it wasn't her best, she still placed well. It shows she can make a few mistakes.'

Christina Coombs brought home a gold medal in Preliminary Skills and a bronze medal in the Pre-Preliminary Ladies category. Coombs was also fifth in the Pre-Introductory Interpretive skate.

Pettitt was really impressed with the performance of Kristin Glass, who grabbed a gold medal in Bronze Interpretive ó, out of 18 skaters ó, and a silver in Gold Skills. Glass also placed sixth in the Junior Silver Ladies division.

'She skated probably one of the best programs I've ever seen her skate,' said the coach. 'So for me, that was a personal best for her, and she felt really good about it.'

In other Fireweed results from VISI, Marissa Bacon took her Senior Bronze Ladies test and placed fifth out of 14. Bacon skated in the Junior Bronze Ladies category previously. Jodi Neufeld was seventh in Junior Bronze Ladies and ninth in Introductory Interpretive while Karin Sederberg finished sixth in the Junior Bronze Ladies category.

Markie May Bailie placed 10th in the Pre-Introductory Interpretive skate and 11th in the Pre-Preliminary Ladies division. Jennifer Mackeigan was 13th in Preliminary Ladies and 16th in Introductory Interpretive while Jade Reed finished 10th in Pre-Preliminary Ladies. Aprile Hanrath rounded out the Fireweed competitors, placing 15th in Introductory Interpretive.

'This was a really good thing for our club,' said Pettitt. 'We all know Canada Games is coming and we're all shooting for that. Some of the skaters have been placing at Outside competitions and some have already made it (qualified for CWG). And we still have three years to go.'

Pettitt had projected roughly ten skaters from her club for the 2007 Games, both current competitors as well as 'up-and-comers.

'Give them three years,' she stated. 'They're really willing in their desire. Give them three years and who knows what they can do.'

The final competition of the year for Fireweed will be the Victoria Day competition in Victoria May 14-16. Six skaters from the club will be attending the event, thanks in large part to the Best Ever Program, in preparation for the 2007 Canada Winter Games. Funding from that program will pay for more ice time for both the Fireweed and Whitehorse skating clubs, so skaters will be able to practice until May 17.

'Had we not had that May ice, we wouldn't have this opportunity,' said Pettitt. 'Everyone will skate. We've only opened up the doors for everyone with May ice.'

Kevin and Teneil Caron, Hollonquist, Reed, Bailie, Bacon and Emond will all travel to the Victoria Day event. After that, the skaters will get a month off before some head to summer camps down south. Fireweed also runs a four-week summer school in August.

All of this year's competitive skaters will be returning for at least one more year in the fall.

'At the beginning of the year, we do yearly goals,' said Pettitt about this season. 'With everyone of these kids we have exceeded the goals. Each competition we've assessed, they've continually done better.

'Compared to skaters from down south, we're just on a continual movement upward.'