Trivia Quiz! Who was the 1st Olympic fiberglass vaulter?

[KirkB]

dj, Gerard is France French, not Quebec French.

At a mall vault in Montreal, there would naturally be many Quebec French athletes and coaches.

But I'll ask him. Pole vault is his life. If there was a pole vault event anywhere in Canada, anytime in the past 50 years, it would not surprise me if Gerard was there.

If you need Bruce Simpson's email, I can give that to you. Yes, he's an attorney in Toronto. In Canada, we call them lawyers.

I'm quite sure that I can come up with the names of the 5 Canadian vaulters from 1979. Simpson would be one of them. I may have coached several of them.

I have sources. But I'll give you first crack at this.

Kirk

[KirkB]

Hmm ... So Dumas didn't actually say that Roubanis used fiberglass in 1960. He does say that Roubanis COMPETED in the Olympics that year (but failed to make the final). So after using fiberglass in 1956, did he go back to steel in 1960?

I'll have to ask Dumas. Stay tuned.

Kirk

Here's what Gérard told me today ...

... As far as Roubanis using a fiberglass or a metal pole in Rome I must admit that I can’t remember and I never noticed it at the time.
I was there filming with a small “8” camera and I do not have his jumps. I can only say that the pole he was using did not bend more than the ones
used by the other guys.

Gérard..

I guess we'll never know, unless someone digs up archive film of the 1960 Olympics, or PVStudent digs deep and discovers the answer.

But heck, once YOU used fiberglass, would YOU ever go back to steel? It just doesn't make any sense.

OK, that's it! Between dj and PVStudent, whomever can answer this question is the winner of the jump-off!

And just to make this wide open to all participants, we will allow anyone else to chip in and answer it too! Since I'm head judge, I get to make up the rules as we go along!

However, I will allow protests.

Kirk

[dj]

hello

i think someone said France French... i remember this guy having the Vigneron "look" same size and build.. same hair but a litle longer.. and about my age at the time.. 33 ish or a little older...

bruce didn't jump since he was getting ready for the meet.. but the others did.. I put the pit facing right into the end of the second floor.. the jumpers were as high as the viewers... it was very kool.. that meet is where i filmed volkov from "crossbar" level, from the upper deck in the "end zone" stands and wrote an article called 19+plus.. it was published in 81' in the British Athetics..? something and i think ? Track Technique which was edited by Vern Gambette? names form the past.......

dj

ron still does not remember anyone using fiberglass in 1960.. he said none of the poles bent... the brownings, the first real bending fiberglass was the one used in 1964.... and were first used by Tork and Uyllses......in 1962

[rainbowgirl28]

dj, Gerard is France French, not Quebec French.

I didn't know that. Learn something new every day!