PoleVaultPower.com

Can I get a list of the top 10 best technical vaulters ever?

Four come to my mind, Bubka, Tarasov, Hooker, and Mike Tully

Dean Starkey is a s close to Bubka as anyone !

charlie wrote:Dean Starkey is a s close to Bubka as anyone !

Perhaps in height, but imo not even close in technical model. He was a great athlete though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe_3_HiBMtU
Dean's technique is pretty good he just did not have as nice of a take off but I would not say he is not even close.

I think Brad walker and Michael Stolle and Greg duplantis are also great technicians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btxGsIWQ2uk (walker)

http://www.stabhochsprung.com/ click on michael stolle you will have to scroll down to find him I like the first 5.80 jump

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN81WrPYHz8 (greg duplantis)

--Kasey

I ranked by the ability to execute the technique of their choice and effectively create and transfer energy in their vault.

1) Maksim Tarasov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1EwqxKPxOI)
2) Sergey Bubka (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-UwBaf8f98)
3) Greg Duplantis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN81WrPYHz8)
4) Steve Hooker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT6YkcfTibA)
5) Evgeniy Lukyanenko (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FrureAG8rI)
6) Brad Walker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_XIhp4R ... re=related)
7) Renaud Lavillenie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14OTSJeM ... re=related)
8) Mike Tully (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA7Dapjsh9A)
9) Jacob Pauli (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpg5-R3r ... re=related)
10) Lawrence Johnson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45RBZehn2Cc)

Honorable Mention

Toby Stevenson
Okkert Brits
Jeff Hartwig
Scott Huffman

I would switch Tarasov and Bubka to be honest. Bubka has a much more efficient takeoff (at least according to a study on the pole vault in the 1997 World Championships). I think Tarasov's jump is prettier from the takeoff on (he definitely comes off the pole more under control), but I think Bubka creates and utilizes more energy throughout his run and vault. Also I think Aleksandr Gripich deserves a mention too. He apparently runs about 8.8m/s coming into the takeoff and jumps 5.75m. Here's the only video I could find of him. He jumps at about 3:30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64nL4cm7pQ0

Kjell Isaksson
Mondo Duplantis

Did bubka actually use steroids as means of improving his record. I cant seem to find any clear evidence and i could imagine that he might do it to recovery from injuries, etc. but id lose a lot of respect for him if his success was due to steroid use. How long was he proven to be using roids anyway?

zachwinters156 wrote:Did bubka actually use steroids as means of improving his record. I cant seem to find any clear evidence and i could imagine that he might do it to recovery from injuries, etc. but id lose a lot of respect for him if his success was due to steroid use. How long was he proven to be using roids anyway?

I have never heard any allegation of steroids against Bubka, and I know Becca does not like allegations of steroids discussed on polevaultpower because it is a worm hole you can't dig yourself out of.

IAmTheWalrus wrote:I would switch Tarasov and Bubka to be honest. Bubka has a much more efficient takeoff (at least according to a study on the pole vault in the 1997 World Championships). I think Tarasov's jump is prettier from the takeoff on (he definitely comes off the pole more under control), but I think Bubka creates and utilizes more energy throughout his run and vault.

I feel as if Tarasov executed the best technical model for his level of athletic ability. He was tall, lanky, and not as fast as Bubka, and on top of that he still managed to have probably the best looking vault of all time. Bubka was fast, explosive, and could jump like crazy, I feel like like when he started to jump higher his technique was not as good as it could be but he was more aggressive and got over bigger bars (frankly he did not need the good technique any more because he cleared every bar by a mile). So if I was gonna show someone what their vault should look like when done right, I would show them Tarasov. But if I wanted to show them how aggressive and fast I wanted them to be in the vault, I will show them Bubka.

A great topic to draw interest and liven up the board! But - three points.

First. Tarasov had a major technical weakness that prevented him from jumping the 6.20 his physical ability suggested was possible.

Secondly is this not all a bit sexist? Some of the great vault technicians have been female!!!!!!

Third. In the vault technique is a means to an end - unlike gymnastics where technique is the end. While form should follow function, there are no prizes for 'style' in the vault. The question must always be - how closely does an athlete match the biomechanical imperatives of this event -which are now beginning to understand.