European Team Championships adopts lame rules

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.european-athletics.org/index ... 1&Itemid=2

Final Regulations for European Team Championships announced
31.10.2008

After a summer spent conducting trials for the inaugural European Team Championships which will make their debut in June 2009, European Athletics is pleased to announce the final regulations for the Championships.

The new Championships, which will replace the European Cup competitions have a number of exciting innovations added to the programme where the final result will comprise of one single competition where men's and women's results are combined.

In the vertical jumps (High Jump & Pole Vault) each competitor shall be entitled to a maximum of 4 (four) fouls only throughout the whole field event. All the other relevant IAAF Rules for the vertical jumps will apply.

The divisions for the 2009 European Team Championships which will take place on the weekend of June 20/21 are as follows:

Super League: Leiria, Portugal:

Russia, Great Britain, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Ukraine, Greece, Sweden, Czech Republic, Portugal

First League, Bergen, Norway:

Belarus, Slovenia, Romania, Turkey, Belgium, Hungary, Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Switzerland, Serbia, Norway

Second League: Banska Bystrica, Slovakia:

Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Austria, Cyprus

Third League: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Moldova, Israel, Denmark, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Armenia, AASSE, Albania, Andorra, FYR of Macedonia

[Andy_C]

Ouch, that stinks.

What would make them want to do this? Maybe they don't want pole vault competitions going for several hours?

[Bubba PV]

It will just make people come in earlier (to be careful) and thus take more jumps. This has been studied in the past. I've officiated 6-7 jumps meets at the D1 level and that never works either. I had a girl once in a 6 jump meet that was attempting a PR and only had one attempt left.

I've also seen large groups be given 6 jumps until 6 were left and then they reverted back to three misses. All bad decisions. A one minute rule works for the athletes but sometimes the official's crossbar/standard teams aren't efficient enough. I think that's where the drag is. We always had our vaulters or masters do the bar/standards. Bubba

[mjaubbs40]

Or have tougher qualifying standards, with less athletes, higher starting heights and larger height increments. I'm sure some will complain that philosophy is elitist, but championships aren't for everyone unless it's "everyone gets a trophy" day.

[Bubba PV]

Actually, that IS the best answer. Good call. Bubba

[VTechVaulter]

Someone needs to be shot...

i mean come on, hooker had 6 misses in 3 heights! why not leave the rule the way they were designed and STOP MAKING THE EVENT HARDER. short pegs and less clock have already done that

on that note.. i have another great idea. no competitor can use any pole bigger than 15' 160, and maximum approach length is 50 ft! now we can not only shorten the amount of time it takes, but the amount of space and height needed to vault indoors! its flawless

[VaultPurple]

the 15'160 rule... then no one over 5'8 would ever win an international meet.

[VTechVaulter]

correct. ... that was a sarcastic comment

[mjb]

I wonder how much Mr. BUBKA has to do with this. I have read articles on how he wants to make the event faster so it is more appealing for TV. That just sucks for the euro champs. If this goes into effect worldwide I would hate it. How far are you going to go to protect a record?

[VTechVaulter]

actually i dont think bubka had anything to do with this. i was a euro decision not an IAAF decision.

i remember steve rippon telling me about a few meets in europe trying it. no one jumped real well. im quite suprised this is going into effect. i predict after a terrible championship meet... it will be abolished

[Bubba PV]

Not like it's real easy to jump in Europe anyway. LOTS of rain, cold and swirling winds. Night meets only make it worse. Bubba

[VaultPurple]

correct. ... that was a sarcastic comment

yeah i know ... but it was a misstype, I meant "IM FOR the 15'160 rule... then no one over 5'8 would ever win an international meet"