Rachel Pettitt can't wipe the smile off her face.

After stringing together two of the best skates of her career last weekend at the 2014 Super Series Victoria Day meet, the 15-year-old Yukon figure skater's confidence remained sky-high when reached by the Star yesterday.

Pettitt tallied a whopping 109.15 points in her short and free skates, earning a first-place finish in the novice women category.

"It wasn't so much about the placing I was worried about, it was more my scores and just how I skated,” Pettitt said. "I was super-happy with how I skated.”

Pettitt's point total was nearly 20 points higher than runner-up skater Ajsha Gorman of the Kelowna Skating Club.

Pettitt nailed all five of her triple jumps at the event held at the Fleetwood Arena in Surrey, B.C.

She followed up last Friday's strong short program score of 35.63 with a dominating performance in the free program Saturday that earned her 73.52 points – 15 points higher than her previous best.

"It was so exciting,” Pettitt said. "My training has been really good and I wasn't really nervous going in. What calmed me down was just how I skated. Because I landed everything, I was like ‘Whoa. This is a lot easier than I think it is.'

"I'm really happy right now. Even before I competed, I was just in a great state. Skating's going awesome. I just want to keep it this way. It feels good.”

Pettitt went from landing none of her triple salchow or triple toe jumps last year to nailing all five.

"It's crazy,” she said. "I'm still celebrating it. Literally, every night I watch my program and I'm like ‘Oh, that was so good.' I'm so happy.”

The performance proved to be a remarkable turnaround from Pettitt's final skate of last season.

Last November, she fell twice in her short program at the British Columbia/Yukon Sectional Championships in Richmond, eliminating her from contention for the Skate Canada Challenge – the final qualifier before nationals.

Kelowna Skating Club coach Jason Mongrain said Pettitt's free skate Saturday was one of the best he's ever seen.

"For this time of year, it was (near-perfect),” he said of the rare score over 73.

"She basically nailed everything. It kind of feels like we have to up the difficulty of her training even further going forward.”

Pettitt continues to persevere, despite last season's hardships. Despite missing her shot at nationals, her consistently strong skating did help her pick up a third-place finish in the novice women's Pond to Podium Super Series, an award based on the final standings from each of the events in the provincial series.

"Her last season didn't culminate into what we were hoping for,” Mongrain admitted.

"But she definitely started this season with a score that puts her in an elite group of skaters.”

While Pettitt's exceptional skating has always made her stand out, the quality execution of each of her elements – including the most difficult – is what sets her apart, Mongrain added.

Pettitt has trained out of Kelowna for the last three years, but remains a member of Whitehorse's Arctic Edge Skating Club.

While Pettitt was the lone Yukoner competing, she was one of 13 from the Kelowna club to earn medals during the three-day event.

Mongrain said his star pupil continues to be a great role model for the club's younger skaters.

"I'm a believer that good things happen to people who work hard,” he said.

Pettitt's mom, Patricia, was also on hand to catch her daughter's brilliant performances last weekend.

A long-time instructor with the Arctic Edge Skating Club, Patricia helped lay the foundation for her daughter's skating.

Seeing Pettitt land each of her newly-incorporated triple jumps was special, Patricia said.

"It was a pleasure to watch,” she said. "She's been landing those jumps for a while and they've been consistent in her programs when she practises, so to see her lay that down under pressure is awesome.

"It's such a confidence-builder. She's worked really hard in training, doing everything she's supposed to.”

Pettitt's resilience and hard work could mean more top results are awaiting her.

"She continues to push herself and push what she can do,” Patricia said.

"There's definitely more. She wants to do more and she will.”

Pettitt said kicking off her Super Series with a performance like this will only raise expectations going forward.

"It gives me something to strive for, which is perfect,” she said. "That's kind of what I need.”

Pettitt added her goal continues to be representing the Yukon at the national championships – something she hopes to achieve this season.

She will need a top-18 finish at the Skate Canada Challenge to earn her place at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

"If I keep training and skating like I am, it shouldn't be too hard,” Pettitt said.

In 2012, Pettitt placed fourth in the pre-novice category at the Skate Canada Challenge in Regina, the highest placement for a Yukoner at the event.

That year, she also earned a gold medal at sectionals and in the Pond to Podium Super Series.