Kenai Peninsula, Alaska (Mar 08/06) - The first gold of the 2006 Arctic Winter Games came from NWT speed skater Marie Christine Auger of Yellowknife.

And she broke a record to do it.

Marie Christine Auger is awarded her gold medal in juvenile womens individual speed skating by Ian Legaree, technical director of the AWG International committee. It was the NWT's first medal of the 2006 Arctic Winter Games in Alaska. - Chris Woodall/NNSL photo

To date, Northwest Territories athletes are in second place in the medal standings with 29: 10 golds, seven silver and twelve bronze. Alaska is on top with 38 medals. Nunavut has 14 medals, five of them gold.

But between them, the NWT and Nunavut were conquerors of the speed skating track, scooping up all but three medals, and those went to Team Yukon. Auger's gold medal performance in juvenile womens individual speed skating saw her whistle around the Soldotna Sports Centre ice rink three times in 51.56 seconds. Stephanie Bourgois, also of Yellowknife, earned NWT the silver. Sarah Ali of Team Nunavut scored the bronze.

"At this meet, these kids are going into the corner (the turn at each end of their circuit) at up to 40 km/h," said speed skating coach Dave Gilday.

NWT veteran speed skating star Jill Gilday of Yellowknife didn't just get the second gold medal for the NWT, but she broke a record as well.

Gilday was on her own from the beginning of the medal final, jetting around to finish in 49.1 seconds. Teammate Mackenzie Bentley-

Little skated for bronze. Yukon's Tara MacKinnon split the duo to win silver.

As for the rest of Team Nunavut's speed skating medal haul, Keil Hillis took the bronze ulu in juvenile mens.

Jill's earthquake in the guts was not pleasant.

"I was sick this morning. It was definitely a stomach flu," a triumphant Jill said, her golden ulu reflecting the relief in her smile.

"It's been a real quick and dirty thing," said coach Gilday. "They throw up for a little while and have one real lousy day and move on."

Jill was reminded that hall of fame hockey NHL goalie Gump Worsley revisited his breakfast before every game in his career. "I'm glad I'm not him!" Gilday said with a laugh.

Her strategy through the day was to build a certain momentum, in speed as well as to overcome her illness.

"The first race was basically just do the heat without falling down and passing out. I really wasn't feeling well," she said. "The second race I felt a little better, so I decided to push a little harder to see what I could do.

"Then by the third race I wanted to go out there and give it everything I've got."