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The Yukon ski team wrapped up nationals with a fourth-place finish Saturday in Thunder Bay, Ont.

The team competed against 69 ski clubs across the country at the 2015 Haywood Ski Nationals last week, finishing behind powerhouse Nakkertok (Ontario), Skibec (Quebec) and Team Hardwood (Ontario).

In total, the Whitehorse ski club took home eight medals, a far cry from last year鈥檚 second place finish where they earned a best-ever 19 medals in Corner Brook, Nfld.

鈥淟ast year was more classic than skating,鈥� coach Alain Masson explained. 鈥淭hey alternate the styles. This year was more skating than classic, and we seem to do better as a team in classic.

鈥淚 think this year, having the Canada Games in the mix, we had quite a few skiers who did really well last year, not skiing as well.鈥�

Despite that, Masson said the troupe of young Yukon skiers impressed him with their poise and technique.

鈥淲e did get some personal bests,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not medals, but we had quite a few top-10s, so that always bodes well for the future. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e looking at.鈥�

Fresh off the World Cup, 25-year-old Emily Nishikawa skied just two races, but managed to win medals in both of them.

She earned a silver in Saturday鈥檚 30-kilometre free mass start race, finishing in 1:23:02, and was followed by fellow Yukoner Dahria Beatty six seconds behind her in the bronze-medal position.

The 20-year-old Beatty went on to earn the title of top U23 female skier at the event.

She claimed the Yukon鈥檚 first gold last Sunday in the five-km skate race.

Nishikawa said competing at nationals is very important to her.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a personal choice, but I鈥坱hink it鈥檚 important that I鈥檓 there competing alongside the other athletes from the Yukon,鈥� the Olympian said from Canmore, Alta., today.

鈥淚鈥坙ove seeing the team grow as it has over the past few years. It鈥檚 just so inspiring, and it鈥檚 always fun to end the season at nationals and see everyone after a long season on the World Cup in Europe.鈥�

Nishikawa added she was happy to see the next generation of competitive skiers in action.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really inspiring to see how far our club has come,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to see so many young kids at nationals, and cool to see them getting amazing results.鈥�

A total of 18 skiers represented the Yukon at nationals, going up against more than 600 rival skiers from across the country.

Next year鈥檚 Canadian championships are scheduled to be held here in Whitehorse in late March with an emphasis on classic skiing.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be able to have a lot of younger kids,鈥� said Masson.