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Pole vaulters hit Grand Haven beach
Thursday, July 12, 2007
By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press
It's the perfect event for Steve Owen.
The sixth annual Grand Haven Beach Vault takes place Friday and Saturday at the Grand Haven City Beach. Owen's passion for pole vaulting and knowledge of smoothing the land are a useful combination.
The Holland resident owns his own excavating company, Owen Excavating, and for the past four years, has helped set up the two pole vault runways and pits used for the event that draws more than 250 competitors.
"My kids were pole vaulters and I got to know (event organizers and East Kentwood and Rockford pole vault coaches Dave Emeott and Kevin Patterson) through that. I thought they needed a hand setting up. They didn't the first year, but I've helped ever since."
Getting the runways and pits flat for the event is no easy task.
"Four hours on Thursday morning with a bulldozer grading it out for the runway and pits," Owen said. "Then I bring front loader to bring the equipment to the beach, and help bring it back after everything is done."
In between the work, Owen is a competitor, competing in the men's 55+ division.
"I jumped in high school at West Ottawa and went 13 feet, 4 inches in high school," Owen said. "I think it's a great sport. Now I just do it to try and stay in shape a little. It's fun, I do it because I enjoy it."
His best jump in Grand Haven is 10 feet.
West Ottawa senior Barb Mellstead competes for her school's track team, but will enter her first Beach Vault this weekend.
"I've haven't been able to make it, but I have seen the pictures online," Mellstead said. "I'm excited, but kind of nervous. This is different, and that's what makes me nervous. I hope to get nine feet. That would be nice."
Mellstead's best is 8-8.
No matter what height they achieve, Patterson says the event is a lot fun for everybody, as seen by the Beach Vault's number of participants each year.
"We are up to 227 right now," said Patterson, who jumped at East Kentwood and Central Michigan University and now coaches at Rockford. "We will probably get another 30 to 50 before the event. It's really taken off. This is the second biggest pole vault event in the nation, whether it's indoor or outdoor.
"Every year we increase it. We do a good job of promoting it, and I think the word spread. People come from all over the nation to jump."
Said Owen: "I heard its biggest ever, and more and more people are coming to watch. It use to be just vaulters watching, now people on the beach come to watch. That's cool."
The youth and high school jumpers take to the beach Friday.
The college, high school elite, masters and elite jumpers compete Saturday.
Vaulting each day starts at 9:30 a.m. and will run to about 7:30 p.m