Squad members of the Otago gymnastics team assembled at the Caledonian Gymnasium on Saturday in preparation for a busy few weeks.
The artistic section of the team set off for Blenheim yesterday for the national artistic championships.
The championships start tomorrow and go through until Sunday.
Next week, in Dunedin, the Lion Foundation Arena will play host to the rhythmic, aerobics and trampolining national championships.
More than 500 participants from around the country, and a representative team from Australia, will be lining up at the championships.
It will be the first time Dunedin has hosted a gymnastic national championships. It was the South Island's turn and, with no suitable venue available in Christchurch, Dunedin won the nod.
Gymsport Southern region relationship manager Fiona Jenks said the high roof at the arena would suit the trampolinists and it also had good spectator facilities.
Junior world trampolining champion Dylan Schmidt, from Auckland, will be competing at the championships, along with Charlotte Bass, from Auckland, a New Zealand representative in aerobics.
Grades from the lower levels to international category make up the competition.
