Rule 6-4. 3b

[drcurran]

Just got notice of this "new" rule. There is no tie breaker if separation (high and low pits) is used in the PV or HJ.

[PV2020]

Do you have a link to the new publication or how it is written?

I would assume they mean the lower pit, because a win is not really for 1st place. But this only really happens at big meets where a score is not being kept, so place really does not matter. Only thing it hurts is people trying to get that extra 4th attempt at a bar.

[drcurran]

http://www.ncaapublications.com/product ... s/TF16.pdf That is the link (I hope) for the 2015 /2016 rule book, and the rule in question is Rule 6 Sec 4. the part that is new has been highlighted. As I understand the new rule if you have separate pits (or separate flights) no matter where the tie is you do not break it. Even if the tie is two athletes on the same pit.

[PV2020]

I see this as a rule with good intentions that will only be misinterpreted from how it was intended. They are obviously trying to find a way to better organize larger fields. The common way to do this at most non scored meets is 5 alive, but there is no rule requiring it. So this rule offers two options (a and b) that make the fields smaller, or the third option (5-alive). These are all good options, although a and b and not really good options at most meets due to only having one pit or having time restraints. The only problem I see this creating is an official going by the 'wording of the rule' instead of the 'intent of the rule'. Something like this would be where there was a field of 19 and they refused to use 5 alive. This also may lead to minor differences in interpretations at large meets like NCAA Prelims where there are 48 athletes and two pits of 24. The rule says when more than 20 you select one of the options. They already selected B by breaking it into 2 sections, so someone may argue they can not chose c as well and run 5 alive. If you want to follow the rule exact as well, NCAA Prelims is just that, a prelim, and they are also using rule a.

The rule is outlined for when a field has more than 20 athletes competing at the same time. It only applies if there are more than 20 athletes and the games committee chooses to use two pits.

When the number of competitors exceeds 20, the games committee shall
select one of the following options:
a. Utilize a qualifying competition, Rule 6-2.4, following the normal order of
competition;
b. Utilize two flights following the normal order of competition. The overall
placing is determined by combining the results of both flights. Ties for first
place shall not be broken; or
c. A rotating flight (five-alive method) may be used until there are nine or
fewer competitors remaining at a bar height.