http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/story/768354.htmlElite jumpers on display at 'Pole-apalooza'
By Ken Robison / The Fresno Bee
07/31/08 23:00:04
Bob Fraley's been doing street vaults for 15 years, so you could imagine him being a bit jaded by the time this year's North American Pole Vaulting Championships rolled around.
Au contraire.
Fraley was at his usual spot in front of the microphone Thursday, presiding over a news conference for this year's Clovis street vault, which begins at 5:30 p.m. today amid the bustle of the downtown farmer's market.
It's for the fans, Fraley exhorted his vaulters, sounding as much like a preacher as a track and field impresario. In fact, for the past decade or so he's been both, touting the gospel of pole vault as an entertainment medium from New Orleans to Reno.
His ministry is paying off, as cities and towns across America -- and overseas -- are staging street vaults such as the one Tye Harvey staged during the Stockton Asparagus Festival in April.
Harvey is one of six elite jumpers for tonight's "Pole-apalooza" event that Fraley has staged on Pollasky Avenue since 1995 -- and one of the favorites, with a personal best of 19-51/4.
Also in the field are Olympians Giovanni Lanaro and Leila Ben-Youssef and old-timers Steve Hardison and Kay Glynn. Chelsea Johnson, ranked No. 2 in the U.S. this year, and two-time NCAA champion Tracy O'Hara are favorites among the women.
They'll all be sprinting the runway to loud music and cheers from the crowd that gathers around the pit. The louder the better, according to the Gospel of Fraley: When your sport gets to the point that normal conversations are drowned out, you know it's arrived.
Here's a look at a few members of tonight's cast:
*Leila Ben-Youssef leaves Tuesday for the Olympic Games in Beijing, where she will vault for the Tunisia, her father's home country. Ben-Youssef grew up in Montana, competed for Stanford and now teaches human biology there. Goal: A personal best (it's now 14-11/4) at the Olympics.
*Giovanni Lanaro will arrive in Beijing as a member of the Mexican Olympic team for the second time. The Southern Californian has the sixth-best mark in the U.S. this year, and believes he can do better than simply reaching the Olympic finals. Goal: To break the Clovis vault record of 18-10.
*Kay Glynn, a 55-year-old from Iowa, has been vaulting for just five years but already owns the 55-59 age group world record of 10-11/4. She practices in her backyard with the bar balanced between two trees. Goal: "Anything over the world record is good," she said, with an eye on 10.6.
*Steve Hardison, a 58-year-old Fresnan who vaulted at Fresno Pacific, said injuries have kept him from practicing the past couple of years but he has big plans for tonight. Goal: Break the 55-59 world record of 14-1.
The North American Pole Vaulting Championships is free to the public. It is staged on Pollasky Avenue in Old Town Clovis.
The elite vaulters are expected to begin after the opening ceremonies at 6:30 p.m.