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Question for anyone who knows the USATF rules:

At NB Outdoors, twice a vaulter went up, and bailed when discovering they were going to be short, and came back down: one landed just right of the box on the buns (didn't break the plane), one a crash back on the runway (she held on to the pole, but for too long!)). Note: in both cases the vaulter's pole was nearly straight vertical: these were clearly *NOT* cases where they left the ground only after deciding to abort before their takeoff. In both cases the officials allowed them to run back up the runway and try again, since their time had not expired.

Under NFHS rules these would clearly have been failed attempts despite time remaining. Correct procedure under USATF rules?

Not a jump. Dragila got an unratified world record at a beach vault because of this rule. She thought she missed a 3rd time, but since she didn't break the plane, she was still on the clock and cleared the bar.

Remember that USATF has different rules for youth and open competitions. You can view the rulebook online at http://www.usatf.org/about/rules/2010/2010rules.pdf

Both the Indoor and Outdoor National Scholastics are contested under USATF "OPEN" rules.

However, the rule in this case is the same for all levels of USATF including the Masters division. You have to touch
something beyond the zero point before it becomes a failed jump.