Top gymnasts at Emerald event.

Byline: ROB MOSELEY The Register-Guard

The Emerald Team Gymnastics Challenge, which draws some of the best young gymnasts from around the Northwest, will be held today and Sunday at Marist High School.

Hosted by Springfield's National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics, the challenge will feature some 650 gymnasts from 32 teams and four states competing for individual and team prizes in the four traditional disciplines of beam, floor, vault and uneven bars.

Competition will be held at seven skill levels during 12 sessions over two days, beginning today at 8:40 a.m. The National Academy's level 10 gymnasts, Jami Lanz and Casey Jo Magee, will compete today at 5:30 p.m.

Also scheduled to perform this weekend is Portland's Jacey Draper, who competes at the elite level. That's one step below the international elite gymnasts who perform in the Olympics and world championships, making this a choice opportunity for local fans of the sport.

"If they want to see elite gymnastics, this is the chance," meet director Gerri West said.

The team challenge boasts a unique format. Not only will awards be distributed to the top athletes at each level on each apparatus and all-around - as well as to the top teams at each level - but six teams paid $100 each to enter in a competition that tests the overall strength of a program.

Each of the six teams will take their highest score from each discipline at five of the seven skill levels and add them to get a cumulative score. The highest-scoring team at the meet's conclusion wins $1,000.

Tickets for the event are $5 per session for adults, $3 for seniors and children 6 and older, and free for children 5 and younger, with day passes also available.