Six-year old Yukoner Rachel Pettitt recently returned from the 26th annual Autumn Leaves Freeskate Competition, in Kamloops, B.C.

She placed seventh in the Pre-Preliminary Ladies category and second in the Pre-Introductory Interpretive events. This is an amazing accomplishment for someone her age, facing stiff competition from athletes several years older than her.

Coach Trish Pettitt, who is also her mother, was thrilled with the performances.

'We now know that she needs five rotations in each spin and an axel to get higher at the Pre-Preliminary Ladies level, and that is what I wanted her to get out of this competition,' said Trish.

Other local skaters have also had outstanding results this past month. Kevin Caron placed fourth overall in the prestigious Whistler Challenge Competition, held October 7 9 in Whistler, B.C. He skated a great long program, placing third in that portion of the competition. The result was even more impressive considering he and teammate Katie Blaker had competed as part of the B.C./Yukon provincial team in the SaskSkate Invitational/ Open Competition in Saskatoon the previous weekend.

Blaker finished third in both short and long programs in the Pre-Novice Ladies category while Caron was third in the short and fourth overall in Pre-Novice Mens.

The next big competition for the Arctic Edge skaters is the 2006 B.C./Yukon Sectional and Sub-Sectional Championship, Nov. 9-13 in Prince George.

Blaker and Caron will be joined by local teammates Chantal Emond and Amelia Austin at the sectionals early next month. This is perhaps the biggest event of the year for the skaters, and they are working really hard to get ready.

The public can see these and many other Arctic Edge club members in action any day of the week at the new Canada Games Centre.

Even though it's in its infancy, the new club already has 239 paid members in a wide range of programs, from learn to skate to advanced levels of figure and power skating.