Top Ten Vaulters of All Time

[Soar Like an Eagle]

Do not forget about Steve Smith first man over 18 feet indoors and 18’5" in pro track and was the best pole vaulter in the world from 1973-1975 but because he was in pro track I do not think he reached his full potential at the time. In 1972 he made 18'0" gripping 14'10'".

If I'm not mistaken, he also jumped 17' off of a skateboard. There was a pic of it in one edition of the Mechanics of the Pole Vault.

Steve did jump 17'0" on a skateboard and Charlie Brown (former Jr college record holder 17'4", 1977) jumped 15"6" the same day. Steve ran the 100 yard dash in 9.7 in flats in the Superstars competition in 1975 or 1976.

[rainbowgirl28]

Do not forget about Steve Smith first man over 18 feet indoors and 18’5" in pro track and was the best pole vaulter in the world from 1973-1975 but because he was in pro track I do not think he reached his full potential at the time. In 1972 he made 18'0" gripping 14'10'".

If I'm not mistaken, he also jumped 17' off of a skateboard. There was a pic of it in one edition of the Mechanics of the Pole Vault.

Steve did jump 17'0" on a skateboard and Charlie Brown (former Jr college record holder 17'4", 1977) jumped 15"6" the same day. Steve ran the 100 yard dash in 9.7 in flats in the Superstars competition in 1975 or 1976.

Does video exist of this 17' skateboard vault?

[SlickVT]

I second that Billy Olson should be up there.
He is the last person to hold an indoor world record before Bubka took it away.
He had a SWEET looking vault and an amazingly powerful approach run.

Put Olson on the list!

[achtungpv]

Does video exist of this 17' skateboard vault?

Ask Jan, if anyone does it'd be him. I vaguely remember him being in one of the pics. Not sure if he carried the pole on the skateboard or someone held it in the box for him to grab onto.

[newPVer]

Someone should fabricate up a little point system. Every time they jumped and how high in comparison to the WR at the time. Give points for world championships, national titles, and olympic medals.

Like when Tim Mack won the 2004 Olympics, he would get lets say 100 points for that, plus 97 points for his 595 jump, because its right at 97% of the world record at the time. So who ever jumps a world record gets 100 points for that day, plus extra if its at a big meet. I know I dont have the time or information to make something this grand, but it would be a way to decide who really is the best, other than Bubka of course...

[vault3rb0y]

thats a good idea, but its difficult to judge someone like hartwig who has jumped 19'+ over 100 times, correct? The longer you are in it, the more points you would have. It should be relative to the time you spend as a professional.

[Soar Like an Eagle]

Do not forget about Steve Smith first man over 18 feet indoors and 18’5" in pro track and was the best pole vaulter in the world from 1973-1975 but because he was in pro track I do not think he reached his full potential at the time. In 1972 he made 18'0" gripping 14'10'".

If I'm not mistaken, he also jumped 17' off of a skateboard. There was a pic of it in one edition of the Mechanics of the Pole Vault.

Steve did jump 17'0" on a skateboard and Charlie Brown (former Jr college record holder 17'4", 1977) jumped 15"6" the same day. Steve ran the 100 yard dash in 9.7 in flats in the Superstars competition in 1975 or 1976.

Does video exist of this 17' skateboard vault?

I do not think there is a video of his jumps. He carried the pole like was running, had a double leg swing and the skateboard was 4 feet long with big wheels (3 inches). There is a picture of him in Mechanics of the Pole Vault on the skateboard. Also, he was on a game show trying to jump over a semi truck back in 1978 or 1979. If I recall, it was like a truth or dare chance game show.

I agree about Billy, he was awesome and great for the pole vault in the 80s.