Whitehorse figure skater Rachel Pettitt is a Canadian champion.

The 15-year-old struck gold in the novice women’s category at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships last night in Kingston, Ont.

Dressed in an elegant white outfit lined with fur, Pettitt skated a clean long program to the music of Lara’s Theme from Doctor Zhivago – good for 75.87 points.

A confident Pettitt moved smoothly around the ice, deftly leaping into, and landing, her jumps in a mistake-free performance.

She smiled widely post-skate, before joining her coaches, Jason Mongrain and Karen Mongrain, to await her scores.

She was clenching a stuffed giraffe and a small teddy bear when her results came in.

Pettitt’s score rocketed her into first, and then all she could do was watch and wait as Quebec skaters Alicia Pineault and Justine Brasseur hit the ice behind her.

“I was ecstatic with how I skated – a clean program. I had six points to make up (on Brasseur), so I was thinking second,” Pettitt told the Star shortly after coming off the ice.

But after her two rivals logged subpar performances – Brasseur fell three times – Pettitt quickly realized a dream long in the making.

Her points total of 112.87 was more than three points ahead of runner-up Pineault.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “It’s amazing. I never thought I’d be on top of the podium at Canadians in novice.”

Earlier in the competition, Pettitt fell after under-rotating her triple salchow and finished her short program ranked third with a score of 37.00, behind both Brasseur and Pineault.

Pettitt is the first Yukon figure skater to win gold at nationals, and congratulatory messages began pouring onto the young Yukoner’s Facebook page shortly after her victory.

Yukon junior Matthew Powers previously skated to silver at the Canadian championships, which have been held annually since 1914.

However, the celebration would be short-lived, Pettitt noted, as she had to begin cramming for an upcoming provincial math exam.

The gold is also the first in the novice women’s category for the Kelowna Skating Club, said Jason Mongrain.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” he said, adding that it was the first clean free skate he’d seen from Pettitt in two years.

“She’s run it clean before in practice, but it’s hard to do it in competition.”

Mongrain piled praise on his star pupil, calling the victory a reaffirmation of the values hard work and sacrifice bring to sports.

“Rachel’s personality embodies the qualities you expect in a champion,” he said. “Had she not won today, I still would have said that.

“To know Rachel is to love Rachel. She’s a great role model and I don’t think this could have happened to a nicer kid.”

Meanwhile, local Arctic Edge Skating Club coach Charlene Donald said Pettitt’s gold medal win is “absolutely huge” for the Whitehorse program.

“I’m not surprised,” she said. “Rachel has shown the work ethic and dedication to get to this point since she was 10 years old. She always had a smile on her face, but she was always on a mission.

“She has the skater’s build, but there’s also a desire there. There’s balance, control and determination.”

As for her current crop of skaters, Donald said their teammate’s victory will “definitely pump them up and let them know that anything is possible.”

Last year, Pettitt’s season ended in disappointment, as she failed to make it to Skate Canada Challenge – the qualification event for nationals.

This season, her mother and longtime coach, Trish Pettitt, moved to Kelowna, B.C., where she took on a coaching role at the local skating club.

“I’m very proud that she was able to go out and do what she was capable of,” Trish Pettitt said moments after her daughter’s gold medal victory.

“She works hard day-in, day-out and when she can go out and show what she can do – regardless of where she places – that’s what you want as a parent and a coach. That’s all you can ask for.”

Rachel Pettitt isn’t the only Yukon skater competing at nationals this season.

Bryn Hoffman, 17, and partner Bryce Chudak of Alberta are skating as a junior pairs duo.

The two scored 39.07 in their short program and are currently ranked seventh of 10 teams heading into the free skate portion of the event today.