PoleVaultPower.com

just returned from watching the german national championships. wow... first off the crowds were awesome.

the men started yesterday, and part way through 5.30 the rain picked up even worse. after waiting on and off for 2 hours, they cancelled the event, and let everyone come jump the next day.

the rain managed to hold off during the morning, however the head wind was not so kind to most vaulters. later on it got a bit better. anyway heres the results

Danny Ecker - 5.70 (1st attempt)
Bjoerne Otto - 5.70 (2nd attempt)
Alexsander Straub - 5.50 (2nd attempt, no previous misses)

Tim and Lars both NHed
and Richard Spiegelberg struggled with his run it seems, only managed 5.50.

http://www.iaaf.org/WCH07/news/Kind=2/newsId=39905.html

Ecker takes German title and ticket to Osaka
Monday 23 July 2007

Erfurt, Germany - There was plenty to celebrate for Danny Ecker last night. On the day after his 30th birthday he took the Pole Vault at the German Championships in Erfurt with 5.70m and thus gained one of the two tickets at stake for Osaka.

The championships were the decisive qualifying event for the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, starting on 25 August.




Franka Dietzsch calls out after a discus release at the German Champs - She secured her 10th title!
(Bongarts / Getty Images)

After day one of the German Championships was literally washed away by rain – click here for first day report – the weather was much kinder on Sunday. It was mainly dry apart from a shower and some rain at the end of the programme and temperatures were much warmer than the 17° Celsius on Saturday.

There had to be drama in the men’s Pole Vault since five athletes had reached the qualifying mark for Osaka of 5.70 metres in recent weeks. The Pole Vault had originally been scheduled for Saturday, but the rain was so strong that the officials cancelled the event when 5.40m were reached. Due to rain breaks athletes had been in the stadium for three hours.

On Sunday in windy but dry conditions the competition took a surprising early turn in favour of Danny Ecker and Björn Otto, when Tim Lobinger and Lars Börgeling were unable to match their opening height of 5.50 metres.

“This is absolutely disappointing for me. I should have taken harder poles,â€Â