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Does anyone know which colleges have two sided pole vault pits (you can go from either side without turning the mats around)?

Also what kind of designs do they have on top of them and do any of them have two coaches boxes (one for each side)?

Thanks

Cal State Northridge has one. The coaches box is a flagged off area that can be located either direction used.

University of Oregon, Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon. Two doubled ended pits, side by side. Can run two competitions at the same time with approach run either from north or south. I can't remember for sure, but I think there is a big "O" in the center of the top cover.
http://www.goducks.com/pics17/0/JF/JFFBKQNBAGAEUWK.20080521162302.jpg

BYU has a double sided pit. Its blue and has a white box on top. They also have an insert that you can put on the side that you aren't using.

The new Univ. of Wash. facility has a multitude of PV runways, but unlike Oregon, changing the running direction seems to require dragging the pit about 40 yards, i.e. instead of two opposite-facing boxes about 15 ft apart like at Oregon, the boxes are far apart.

Can anyone explain the pros and cons of each type of layout? I cannot figure out any advantage for the UW layout.

From an official's and vaulter's standpoint, a pit with runways on either side is preferable. The pit and standards in each direction can be adjusted pursuant to the rule book and the runway direction can be changed prior to the event with little delay.

From a facility standpoint the placement of runways, boxes and pits is dependent on many factors. Mainly the size of the track facility, the location of all the other field events and costs to construct the facility.

gnut wrote:The new Univ. of Wash. facility has a multitude of PV runways, but unlike Oregon, changing the running direction seems to require dragging the pit about 40 yards, i.e. instead of two opposite-facing boxes about 15 ft apart like at Oregon, the boxes are far apart.

Can anyone explain the pros and cons of each type of layout? I cannot figure out any advantage for the UW layout.

They built the track over what is basically fill dirt, and had to spend a fortune putting huge pylons or whatever underneath all sections of the track and runways so they won't sink over time. It's possible that there was some sort of limitation with that that affected the runway placement.

Well, since I posted this a few months ago and it has resurfaced I figure I'll post what we ended up going with:



I think we will enjoy it

Gorgeous!

WOW ! really sweet!!!

More on the new UW T&F layout: There are 2 parallel tracks infield of the track along the backstretch (north side). The 2 serial runways toward the infield are both for running west; the 2 serial runways closest to the track are both for running east. Reversing the direction of any of the 4 runways due to a change in wind will require moving a pit, unlike at Hayward Field. This seems to be a bother that could have been avoided, so there must be something I don't understand. I do note that running two flights simultaneously can be accomplished with only about 6 inches spacing between the parallel runways. However, there seems to be no shortage of available space in the vicinity of these runways, no issues with other events, nor is there any limitation from the build site atop the old city dump. There are also PV runways in the west "D" end, running north or south.

I could not figure out how to include my photo taken Oct. 13. The track is Beynon BSS 2000; purple for the track and runways, and gray for the non-runway portions of both "D" ends and alongside the straightaways.