deaths and injuries

[golfdane]

There's a good deal of truth in DJ's words. Nailing the plant, makes it so much easier to get the rest of the vault better and safer.

It's a bit of a dilemma: One of the qualities that is desirable, is a bit of fearlessness. OTOH, is it often fearlessness, that makes a vaulter invert on the really bad plant and take-off. It's a delicate balance.

I've posted a question on a danish board, on whether a referee could disallow a vaulter, if he/she feels the vaulter is a danger to himself (and the sport). I've had experiences, that almost warranted a change of batteries in the pacemaker

[KirkB]

Here's a morbid piece of trivia from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1900

May 3, 1900 (Thursday)
...
Harry Burke, captain of the University of Cincinnati track team, was fatally injured while practicing the pole vault. The pole snapped and the fall broke Burke's thoracic spine. He died four days later. [8]

So vaulters have been DYING while practicing PV for OVER 100 YEARS!

I've been working on an invention that MIGHT improve PV safety ... and save lives.

If it saves a single life (or serious injury) then it will have been worth it.

Stay tuned, but don't ask ... and don't hold your breath ... I've been working on this idea for a few years already ... I'm making progress ... slowly. I'll announce it when it's ready to be announced ... could still be years away ... we'll cross that brydge when we come to it.

Kirk