http://www.hometownlife.com/article/201 ... 03/6240460Top pole vaulters on Spree runway
BY BRAD EMONS • OBSERVER STAFF WRITER • JUNE 24, 2010
Amid the carnival rides, cotton candy booths and circus shows during Livonia's Spree 60 six-day celebration at Ford Field, another event may catch the fancy of attendees.
Diamond No. 2 will become a haven Friday and Saturday for some of the state's elite and up-and-coming pole vaulters with the annual Spree Vault competition.
“We expect 50 or more to compete,” said Livonia Churchill assistant track and field coach Vern Williams. “It's one of the only pole vault competitions on this side of the state.
“It should be lots of fun and the weather so far looks like it will be perfect.”
A portable pole vault pit and runway will be brought in for the competition and placed on Ford Field's main softball diamond.
“It's a wood runway, 8 inches high, 130 feet long, 3 feet wide,” Williams said. “To set it up only takes an hour. It's more springy. It feels better, because of that spring when you're going down the runway and take off. We keep it at the school (Churchill). We use it at the summer pole vault camp.”
College and high school vaulters will vie for age-group titles along with open events for both men and women.
The two-day competition starts at 3 p.m. Friday with the masters age level (40-and-up) going first followed by the 14-and-under girls at 4 p.m. and the 14-and-under boys at 5 p.m.
Action continues at noon Saturday with ages 15-16, 17-18 followed by the College Open and Elite competitors later the evening.
“We decided to start a little later in the day this year so that we can have some competitions during the evening time under the stadium lights,” Williams said. “Of course, we're trying to draw a larger crowd by the evening when the college and elite vaulters compete.”
Current Spree record holder Max Babits of Fowlerville, who set an MHSAA Division 2 state record earlier this month (16 feet, 0.5 inches), returns to defend his title after clearing 16-0 a year ago.
Babits, who comes from a long line of family pole vaulters, will compete next season for Eastern Michigan University.
Former Churchill standouts Derik Peterman (Michigan State) and Joe Tesner (EMU) will also be in the field.
Peterman has a best of 16 feet, while Tesner has gone 15-7.
Two Division 1 girls All-Staters, Michelle Steslicki (Northville), headed to MSU, and Kaitlyn Shelar (Novi), bound for West Virginia, are also expected to compete in the USA Track & Field sanctioned event.
Canton High jumps coach Matti Kilpelainen will also compete in the men's over-60 competition.
Vaulters can still sign up the day of event each day by going online at livoniaspreevault.com
For more information, e-mail Williams at
coachvern@livoniaspreevault.com.