MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Most of Canada’s top gymnasts in the running to win a spot at the 2012 Olympics are expected to be in action at this weekend’s Elite Canada meet February 17-19, one of two major annual national events.

Most of the Canadian women who earned a full team berth for Canada last month at the final qualification meet in London will get things going with the women’s all around competition on Friday.

Leading the way are two-time Canadian champion Kristina Vaculik of Whitby, Ont., current Canadian senior champion Madeline Gardner, junior champion Victoria Moors and Mikaela Gerber, all of Cambridge, Ont., former Ottawan Talia Chiarelli who now resides in Boston, and Brittany Rogers of Coquitlam, B.C.

All six competed at the London Olympic qualifier where Canada placed second in the field of eight teams in the women’s competition to nail down one of just 12 full team berths at the Games this summer.

Peng Peng Lee of Toronto, the other member of the team in London, elected to skip this year’s event to focus her preparations on upcoming Olympic selection meets.

“There’s no big pressure as far as the Olympics go at this meet but this will be a chance for some to try out some new things in their routines and to get ready for the Canadian championships in the spring,” says women’s program director Kyna Fletcher of Vancouver.

Six women gymnasts, including one reserve, will be named to the Olympic team following a selection process in the coming months.

The men’s Elite Canada senior all around has a different flavour this year with many of the veterans taking a break while a group of younger gymnasts working towards the 2016 Olympics take centre stage.

“This will be the first major step for a lot of the younger guys towards the 2016 Olympics,” says Canadian men’s program director Jeff Thomson of Vancouver.

“We’ve been working with the next generation for years but now the focus will really start to shift to the team for 2016.”

Although Canada failed to earn a full team berth in men’s gymnastics for the 2012 Games, there is one spot up for grabs in the individual competition, also to be determined after a selection process.

Two-time Olympian Nathan Gafuik of Calgary and current Canadian all around champion Jackson Payne of Edmonton are the only two members of the 2011 world championship team competing this year at Elite Canada.

Among the next generation eyeing the 2016 Games are Curtis Graves of Saskatoon, Tariq Dowers of Mississauga, Ont., Robert Watson and Jason Scott of Richmond, B.C., and Mathieu Csukassy of Montreal.

Elite Canada also includes age group competitions in the tyro and argo classes for boys and novice and junior for girls.

Competition venue is the Hershey Sport Zone, 5600 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga, Ont.

Web address: www.hersheycentre.com