Donald Fortune approached the starting line on the Atco ice surface at the Canada Games Centre on Monday night, looked up at the crowd and took a deep breath.

The local speed skater was one of two Yukoner's in the junior men's 1000-metre final. Fellow Whitehorse Speed Skating Club member Shea Hoffman also joined him in the race. The field was rounded out with three N.W.T skaters, Simon Austin, Cullen Tate Kakiana Mcleod and Eric Chalker.

The skaters traveled in a tight pack in the initial laps with some passing that was too close for comfort.

Fortune was the recipient of an elbow to the jaw in an early pass, a factor he said motivated him for the rest of the race.

"That made me slightly agitated,” he said. "Full of vengeance would probably be too strong of a term but it definitely motivated me for the rest of the race.”

Fortune ended up capturing the silver medal in the final, trailing Austin, the gold medal winner, by two seconds.

Hoffman finished the race in fourth position.

"I don't think I could have run that race any better with the level of training I've had,” Fortune said after the race. "I think it went really smoothly.”

Two more Yukoner's joined Fortune on the podium. Hannah Wirth won bronze in the juvenile 777m final while Heather Clarke, Yukon's flag bearer, took home the silver medal in the junior women's 1000m.

Phil Hoffman, who coaches the local team along with Stacey Pennington, said he was happy with the team's results.

"Overall, it went very well,” he said. "Three medals is a pretty good accomplishment but we were hoping one would be gold.”

Hoffman said he was impressed with the team's resilience and ability to adapt to a shortened season after June's fire in the Canada Games Centre.

"The most challenging factor we faced all season was the fire that happened here,” he said.

"Losing all the mats really set the team back, it prevented us from getting to a few competitions in the fall and we just didn't have the time to get properly prepared.”

Fortune also noted the impact the fire had on the season but said he was grateful for how quickly the community responded to replace the damaged mats.

"I was disappointed that people set our mats on fire but I'm thankful we were able to get it repaired.”

Fortune said there were some nerves raising at home but praised the conditions of the ice at the Canada Game Centre.

"The track is set up perfectly,” he said. "If I had the power, I think I could break the sound barrier on that track. The air temperature and ice temperature are perfect.”

Fortune said the right mix of temperatures allows for a better grip on the ice surface and gives the skaters confidence to test their limits.

"You're willing to push it on that ice because it grips so well,” he said.

Hoffman also noted the effect racing at home had for the skaters.

"I think there were a few nerves,” he said. "You could tell before we started just because it was a big competition at home and they never really get to perform at home in front of a crowd like this.”

For most of the local skaters, the Games are the culmination of an eventful season but a select few will be moving on to further competitions.

Wirth will be competing in Winnipeg at the Canada West Championships while Fortune will travel to Richmond, B.C. for the Canadian Short Track Championships.