Rachel Pettitt has won many medals during her young figure skating career.

Her latest is the biggest yet.

Despite a minor groin injury, the 15-year-old Yukoner twirled her way to a silver medal in the novice women category at Skate Canada Challenge yesterday in Montreal.

Along the way, Pettitt pulled off a personal-best score of 112.06 after earning 41.87 points in her short program followed by 70.19 in her free skate.

Two Quebec skaters joined Pettitt on the podium. Justine Brasseur won gold with a stellar score of 120.88 while Amélie Hervieux earned bronze with a score of 109.02.

Reached late last night in Montreal, an ecstatic Pettitt said she wasn’t sure how to put the moment into words.

“It’s really hard to explain,” she told the Star. “Standing on that podium, it kind of hit me that this is Challenge. ... It felt so good. It was so amazing.”

The moment was “definitely” the top moment of her career, she added.

Pettitt was at her consistent best in both skates, finishing second to Quebec’s Alicia Pineault in the short and third behind Brasseur and Kelowna’s Ajsha Gorman in the long.

Her short was flawless, save for one spin she couldn’t complete due to her injury.

“That cost me a couple of points,” said Pettitt. “But my coaches said it was probably the best skate I’ve ever had.”

The Arctic Edge Skating Club skater then watched as 46 other competitors performed their free skates before hitting the ice for her own.

“I was definitely feeling a little bit of pressure,” she said. “I fell on one of my jumps but was still able to score a personal best of 112.06.”

Pettitt said she plans to spend this weekend resting at home in Whitehorse, before taking some time off to heal before heading back to Kelowna to begin training for next month’s nationals.

The Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will take place in Kingston, Ont., from Jan. 19 to 25.

“It was such a fun experience at nationals,” she said. “My hotel was filled with athletes and I felt so much support.”

Last year, Pettitt placed fourth in the pre-novice category at Challenge.

Fellow Yukon skater Bryn Hoffman didn’t fare as well in her skates, finishing 38th overall in the junior women class with 95.10 points.

Hoffman earned 35.88 points in her short program and 59.22 in her free skate.

Regardless, the 17-year-old Hoffman and pairs partner Bryce Chudak will qualify for nationals as a duo.

In local action, figure skaters will take to the ice tomorrow for the 2014 Yukon Gold Nugget Championships at the Canada Games Centre.