Paul Litchfield in Holland

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.pbholland.com/nieuws.php?id= ... ntext=Alle

[ashcraftpv]

I remember watching a competition of this somewhere a long time ago. it was nuts! Guys were sprinting down a pier, jumping up and grabbing the poles and climbing them as they were riding them across the water. If you were good enough, you could ride it clear to the other side, then crash on the opposite shore. If not, then you fell into the water.

[vaulterpunk]

yeah he told me that it was pretty fun playing around with those things

[VaultNinja]

I was the only one to stay dry that day too

[rainbowgirl28]

I was the only one to stay dry that day too

Aww c'mon, tell us more about what was going on!

[VaultNinja]

I was the only one to stay dry that day too

Aww c'mon, tell us more about what was going on!

Well I was staying with Laurens Looije in Holland this summer doing some meets and one of the athletes at his club (Pelle Rietveld: Decathlete) has always dreamed of doing fierljeppen (canal jumping). He told me all about it and showed me some pictures and I was intreged to say the least. I told him I had to try it before I left the country. The Dutch National team was very happy to have us. Polsstokverspringen VS. Fierljeppen (pole vault vs. canal jumping) a debate that has gone on in Holland for a ling time I guess......which is more difficult? And who are the better athletes?
The short version is you run down an elevated runway as fast as you can, jump off the end, grab a huge pole (10-18 meters in length) in mid-air and climb for your life. First of all its a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. The hardest thing for me was to jump directly into the center of the pole rather swing to the right side like in vault. Alot of the fierljeppen technique goes against what we are taught as vaulters, but once you get past all of that it gets much easier.
At their training facility they have one warm up pit with no water, then you graduate to the small canal (where I am pictured), then on the big canal they have the womens runway (shortest) junior mens (middle) and elite men (longest).
Once we got the ok to do the womens gap thats when things got serious. That run-up is like 8 feet off the ground and 10 or so feet above the water, it was a commitment to charge down that thing and climb even higher knowing that on the other side (if you make it) your going to smash into the ground with the force of what ever hieght you climb. So of course being pole vaulters after we cleared the womens gap a few times we looked to the elite gap and decided to go for it.
The elite gap is around 12 meters from the end of the run-up to the sand. Just shy of the sand is a concrete wall, so if you short it your going to be hurting good. The pole we used was 14 meters long made of aluminum. (The best guys in the world use poles 18 meters long!!! And they can climb all the way to the top and then pull and push off for more distance and land in sand!!!)
First an elite guy decided he would show us what to do. During his atempt he made a mistake and hit the water. Laurens went next and failed to make the gap, the second swimmer of the day, then Pelle atempted it and went for a swim as well. After seeing this my confidence was shattered. Knowing I was going swimming I took my shirt off swallowed hard and climbed on the runway. I told them to set the pole out far because I'm coming in hot. After growing some balls, I took off down the runway at full speed, jumped hard, climbed even harder, and didn't look down......somehow I just made the sand crashing into it with great force I busted out a 13 meter feirljeppen. I was so excited I ran around celebrating like I had PR'd in the vault.
It was a super cool experience, I'm so glad I go the opportunity to try it.

[Mecham]

I've always wanted to do it too. Ever since i got some video with a competition like that on it, i've wanted to try it.

[CB]

Video of "fierljeppen /canal jumping"
http://www.pbholland.com/moving/20050618_jaco_1885.wmv

[Azbeachboy1]

Video of "fierljeppen /canal jumping"
http://www.pbholland.com/moving/20050618_jaco_1885.wmv

holy crap!!! I'm in, just telll me when and where!!! Maybe we can have it at the summit this year!!! Ehhh?

[rainbowgirl28]

Video of "fierljeppen /canal jumping"
http://www.pbholland.com/moving/20050618_jaco_1885.wmv

holy crap!!! I'm in, just telll me when and where!!! Maybe we can have it at the summit this year!!! Ehhh?

Into a snowbank!!