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INUVIK - Inuvik figure skaters sharpened up their skills at a clinic last Sunday afternoon.

Organizer Kristen Wenghofer said the camp is the third annual session hosted by the skating club.

From left, Rachel Watters, Chelsey Greenough and Nicole Ellsworth strike a pose during the figure skating clinic this past weekend. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

She explained the club brings a coach North to work with the young skaters.

"The coach brings them through the different skills they need to learn," said Wenghofer.

The visiting coach also offers private lessons while in town.

Wenghofer said finding qualified coaches can be difficult because of the requirements of the governing CanSkate program.

"We have some coaches who are going through the training right now," she said.

"They need a certain number of hours mentoring with a certified coach as well."

She said the visiting coaches are doing double-duty, first with the participants and then with the coaches looking for hours.

Danielle Ellick of Ontario was brought up to coach for the clinic this past weekend.

Wenghofer said she is grateful for Ellick and the time she dedicated to the Inuvik club.

"She's got a busy schedule - she's a full-time coach as well," she said.

"She took a week away from her own students to come and help out with our club."

Wenghofer said the children are enjoying the experience.

"You see their faces and you can tell they're enjoying it a lot," she said.

She said it was good for the students to have private lessons from the visiting coach as well.

"We're not fortunate enough to have weekly private lessons, so some little mistakes might not be caught," she said.

"I think the coaches here are doing great, but it's always good to get a bit of extra help."

Registration chair Trish Allen said the clinic was well attended.

"We have about 40 participants out today," said Allen on Saturday morning.

Paisley Van Vliet said she had a fun time.

"I'm learning not to travel with my spins and my positioning," said Van Vliet.

"The key is to try and stay in the same place in a spin."

Rachel Watters was practising Axel jumps.

"I'm learning about one and a half rotations," said Watters.

Chelsey Greenough said she was having a good time with her friends and learning how to master a double-flip.

"It's two whole rotations in the air," she said.

Annika Krizan said she liked dancing the most.

"We learned the Dutch waltz, the canasta and baby blues," she said.