POLE VAULT
(Rule 7)

A.     GENERAL RULES

1.     The weight of each competitor, verified by the coach, must be recorded on the scoring form next to their name.

2.     A maximum of three trials at any one height.

3.     Competitor is eliminated as soon as there have
been three consecutive unsuccessful trials, regardless of the height or heights at which the unsuccessful trials were attempted.

4.     Contestants in the pole vault are required to take a second attempt at the same height or pass (in case the first attempt is a miss) immediately after the first attempt. The option also is provided to take the third attempt (in case the second attempt is a miss) immediately after the second attempt.

Note: The decision to pass must be communicated to the event judge immediately after the miss.

5.     A  competitor who has passed three consecutive heights after the competition has begun, should be permitted a warm-up vault without the crossbar. The allowed warm-up vault must be taken before any competition starts at the entered height.

6.  Trial Time Limitation
    a.     Contestant is charged with an unsuccessful  attempt if a trial is not earned to completion
or passed within two minutes after being called, unless excused by the event judge to
participate in some other event.
    b.     When three competitors remain, four minutes is allowed and when one competitor
remains, up to six minutes is allowed between trials.
    c.     The decision to pass must be communicated to the event judge when called for the trial
prior to the start of the clock.

7.    Excused To Participate - Time limits for competitors excused to compete in another event are determined by meet management.

8.    To place, a competitor must have had at least one successful vault.

9.    Breaking Ties
    a.     The competitor with the fewest number of trials for the height at which the tie occurs, is
awarded the higher place tthe last height successfully cleared).
    b.     If the tie still remains, the competitor with the lowest total number of unsuccessful trials
throughout the competition (up to and including the height last cleared) is awarded the higher place.
    c.     Passed trials do not count as misses.
    d.     If the tie remains after applying (a) and (b) and:
            (1)     If it concerns first place, the competitors tying shall make one more attempt for the height at which they failed and, if no decision is reached, the bar shall be lowered (if tying contestants fail to clear the height) or raised (if two or more of the tying contestants cleared the height) by intervals of 3 inches, and each competitor shall try once at each height until the winner is determined.
                        Note: a) If the height where the tied competitors last attempted is not the same cause of a passed height) the bar is lowered to the lowest height last attempted by any of' the remaining competitors to begin the jump-off.
                                b) No passed heights are permitted in the jump-offs.
            (2)     If it concerns any place other than first place, the competitors shall be awarded the same place in the competition.
    e.     A competitor shall be credited with their
best achievement if it occurs in a jump-off for first place.

10.     At the conclusion of competition there should be no further practice allowed.
 

B.     COMPETITION

1.    Competitors in the pole vault cannot use any weights or artificial aids.
2.    Competitors may not wear a shoe(s) which incorporate or contain any device that gives the
competitor an unfair advantage.
3.    No taping of any part of the hands or fingers is permitted, unless there is an open cut or wound that must be protected by tape.
4.    Taping of the wrist is permissible.
5.    Gloves are not permitted.
6.    Chalk, rosin, or similar adhesive substances are permitted on hands.
7.    Competitors Pole
    a.     A training pole or a pole not properly marked can not be used in warm-ups or
competition.
    b.    The coach must verify the vaulter's weight and pole rating.
    c.    The vaulter's weight must be at or below the manufacturer's pole rating.
    d.    The manufacturer pole rating must be visible in a one-inch contrasting color.
    e.    A one-inch circular band must be visible to the maximum top hand-hold position.
    f.     The pole rating marking must be located above the hand-hold balld.
    g.    A competitors pole not meeting all of the above regulations (a-d), is illegal. It can not
be used in warm-ups or competition.

8.    Taping Of The Pole - It may have a binding of no more than two layers of adhesive tape of uniform thickness in the hand area. Tape does not have to be continuous.

9.    No participant is allowed to use the pole of another individual without the consent of the owner.

10.    Broken Pole - It does not count as a trial if a competitor's pole is broken during an attempt.

11.    A competitor must have the standards or uprights set to position the crossbar from a point 12 inches beyond the vertical plane of the top of the stopboard, up to a maximum distance of 30 inches in the direction of the landing surface.

12.    Crossbar - Mark the crossbar with an arrow indicating "top of the crossbar." Always identically replace the crossbar with arrow pointing "up."

13.    A cloth marker may be placed on the crossbar for sighting purposes.

14.    Marking Material - No mark or marker may be placed on the runway, but it is permissible to place markers at the side of the runway.
    Note: Meet management may locate permanent  check marks on the runway.
 
15.    The planting box cannot contain any foreign materials .

16.    After competition has started, the crossbar cannot be lowered, except to determine a first place winner when a tie for that place is involved.

17.    Starting Height - Meet management must be realistic in regard to the competition. Weather can change starting height the day of competition.
 

C.     FOUL IF THE COMPETITOR

1.    Displaces the crossbar from the pins on which it originally rested, with the body or the pole.

2.    Leaves the ground in an attempt and fails to clear the crossbar.

3.    During the vault, raises the hand which is uppermost when he or she leaves the ground to a higher point on the pole, or if the hand which was underneath is raised to any point on the pole above the other hand.

4.    Allows any part of his or her body or the pole to touch the ground or the landing pad beyond the vertical plane of the top of the stopboard, without clearing the bar.

5.    Fails to initiate a trial that is carried to completion within the defined time period after being called and after the crossbar and standards have been set.

6.    After clearing the crossbar, contacts an upright and displaces the crossbar.

7.    Clears the crossbar with the uprights positioned incorrectly.

8.    Steadies the crossbar with a hand(s) or arm(s).

9.    Grips the pole above the top hand-hold band.

Penalty: An unsuccessful trial is charged, but not measured.
 

D.     MEASUREMENT

1.    If a tail wind is blowing and a correctly released pole blows into the crossbar, displacing it after the vaulter clears the crossbar, it is a successful trialÑ judgment call.

2.    No person is allowed to touch the vaulting pole, unless it is falling back and away from the crossbar. However, if there is a tailwind which might cause a properly released pole to fall forward, the referee should authorize an official to catch the pole after it has been properly released.

3.    If the bar is blown off the standard before an attempt can be completed, the vaulter shall be allowed another full time allotment.

4.    A foul vault is not measured, but counts as a trial.

5.    Measurement of the official height shall be from a point on the same level as the takeoff to the lowest point on the upper side of the crossbar.

6.    Record heights are recognized only if an accurate measurement is made before each record attempt.
 
Pole Vault Area