heaviest pole

A forum to discuss everything to do with pole vaulting equipment: poles, pits, spikes, etc.

Moderator: Barto

User avatar
birdi_gurlie
PV Pro
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:34 pm

heaviest pole

Unread postby birdi_gurlie » Tue May 12, 2009 12:11 am

What's the heaviest pole you've ever seen/heard of?
[And I mean weight class, not ACTUAL weight.]

This is just a random question...I thought it was interesting. :)
"That's how God's Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset" Psalm 19:6

User avatar
rainbowgirl28
I'm in Charge
Posts: 30435
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2002 1:59 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, I coach and officiate as life allows
Lifetime Best: 11'6"
Gender: Female
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Casey Carrigan
Location: A Temperate Island
Contact:

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Tue May 12, 2009 2:24 am

When they get really big (like what the elites use) the weight ratings aren't really meaningful, it is all about the flex numbers.

User avatar
birdi_gurlie
PV Pro
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:34 pm

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby birdi_gurlie » Tue May 12, 2009 5:39 pm

yeah...I just kind of wanted to know the weight rating...it'd be kind of interesting.
A shotputter joked about vaulting, so my coach was like, "oh we could find a pole..." [semi-joking]
And that got me to wonder just how large they actually make the poles.
Last edited by birdi_gurlie on Tue May 12, 2009 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Split
PV Master
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 12:10 pm
Expertise: Former HS Vaulter, lifetime enthusiast
Lifetime Best: 11'0"
Favorite Vaulter: Giovanni Lanaro
Location: Westwood
Contact:

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby Split » Tue May 12, 2009 10:01 pm

Doesn't Jack Whitt use like a 205 pole?
I never met a pole I didn't like.

User avatar
vault3rb0y
PV Rock Star
Posts: 2458
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:59 pm
Expertise: College Coach, Former College Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 5.14m
Location: Still Searching
Contact:

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby vault3rb0y » Wed May 13, 2009 12:31 am

get me a list of all 5.90+ vaulters. Find the fattest one, and ill wager you find your highest weighted pole. ;)

I've heard of 215 poles, thats minimum. I honestly think that the flex scale probably gets skewed when you go much higher. Eventually, a 15.0cm flex is going to be a higher and higher rating as the length increases.
The greater the challenge, the more glorious the triumph

User avatar
IAmTheWalrus
PV Pro
Posts: 298
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:31 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, Current College Coach, Aspiring to be Elite Vaulter
Lifetime Best: 5.06m

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby IAmTheWalrus » Wed May 13, 2009 8:50 am

According to the 6m club chart Okert Brits has the stiffest 5.20m pole, with a 10.4 flex. Bubka's is listed 10.6, and I have heard his pole referred to as being a 100kg (220lbs) by some, though this is merely hearsay. It is also interesting to note that Bubka's weight is given as 80kg (176lbs) while Brits' weight is given as 88kg (193.6lbs). Brits is also the tallest vaulter in the club at around 6'5". There are bigger vaulters out there, and I think there are some 5.30 and maybe larger poles out there (which would make the "biggest" pole harder to identify since comparing flex between length is very difficult), but I imagine Bubka and Brits' poles are some of the biggest (combination of length and weight) that were used
-Nick

User avatar
birdi_gurlie
PV Pro
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:34 pm

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby birdi_gurlie » Wed May 13, 2009 5:55 pm

I meant weight-class, not length!
But yeah, thanks!
"That's how God's Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset" Psalm 19:6

VTechVaulter
PV Lover
Posts: 1312
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 8:00 pm
Expertise: Current Elite Vaulter, College Volunteer Coach, HUGE FAN

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby VTechVaulter » Wed May 13, 2009 7:32 pm

they get way bigger than 220, i have some 215s and 220s and they are in the 12.0 flex range

id guess to say that bubkas/brits were more like 230-240. but like becca said the weight ratings don't mean much on the longer scales
Brian Mondschein
Philadelphia Jumps Club, Coach and Co-Founder
www.phillyjumpsclub.com

kev44000
PV Pro
Posts: 447
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:23 pm
Favorite Vaulter: Jack Whitt & Mark Hollis
Location: norman oklahoma

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby kev44000 » Thu May 14, 2009 11:47 am

Steve Chappell from UCS made a 530 pole for Bubka and said it was around a 235' weight but he never could jump on it and went back to a 5.20. Jacob Davis jumped on some hugh poles at Texas. UCS was not weight rating any poles 200lbs or larger until Jack had to have this done for high school. Even on smaller poles flex is the key not weight that is the reason so many high school kids are jumping on the wrong poles. There is a pole at Bell Athletics that Bubka gave to Earl it is a monster.

kev44000
PV Pro
Posts: 447
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:23 pm
Favorite Vaulter: Jack Whitt & Mark Hollis
Location: norman oklahoma

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby kev44000 » Thu May 14, 2009 11:52 am

Split wrote:Doesn't Jack Whitt use like a 205 pole?



Jack weighs 180 and yes uses a 5 meter 205 13.5 flex 25 lbs over his weight not many high schoolers can do this.

LHSvaulter
PV Whiz
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:36 pm
Expertise: Former High School Vaulter, Current College Vaulter, Huge Fan!
Lifetime Best: 13-6
Favorite Vaulter: Renaud Lavillenie
Location: Moore Fieldhouse @ SCSU
Contact:

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby LHSvaulter » Sat May 16, 2009 8:54 pm

UCS currently produces a 5.20 meter 220 pound pole, but as previously mentioned, weight ratings become negligible at that length http://www.ucsspirit.com/vaulting-poles/product-detail.cfm/category/Spirit-Poles/product/520-Series-Spirit-Poles

LHSvaulter
PV Whiz
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:36 pm
Expertise: Former High School Vaulter, Current College Vaulter, Huge Fan!
Lifetime Best: 13-6
Favorite Vaulter: Renaud Lavillenie
Location: Moore Fieldhouse @ SCSU
Contact:

Re: heaviest pole

Unread postby LHSvaulter » Sat May 16, 2009 9:08 pm

There is a pole at Bell Athletics that Bubka gave to Earl it is a monster.

Is this --->http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=74869&id=512042293&l=f101323559 that pole by chance? :P


Return to “Pole Vault - Equipment”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests