Controversial Placing at Divisionals

[Sean/vaulter/naeS]

Yesterday at divisionals there were two vaulters left in at 13' one made it on his first attempt(vaulter 1) The other Made it on his third attempt. Because there were fewer then six competitors the hieght then moved up three inches at a time. Vaulter 1 believing he had a high height in him that day passed to 13' 6", because that is what he normally vaults next. Vaulter 2 went to 13' 3" and made it on his third attempt barely. The bar then moved up to thirteen six and vaulter one told the official his standards. He was told that the standards were set and that his time had started. He then proceded to vault and clear the height by 9-12 inches easily. That vault put him in the lead by misses as well as height. Then the official tells Vaulter 1 that the height was only at 13' 3" , they had forgotten to move the standards to the next height. The official tells vaultert 1 that that is not an attempt at thirteen six nor does it count as a 13' 3" jump because he passed that height. Vaulter 1 then has to immediatly try for 13'6" because he is up again, with no break. He misses because he is still concentrating on the official's mistake. The other vaulter clears the height after bouncing it off the standards and having it land back on them on his third attempt. Vaulter 1 does not clear the height, which he would have easily had he not let that mentally affect him. this cost the vaulter first place and a second straight divisional title. I was wondering if this has ever happened before where the jump was apealed and turned over to count as a 13' 6" vault, because that is what the official said it was and that is what the performance sign said and everyone was under the impression that it was that height.

[VaultMarq26]

It wasn't 13'6", so it doesnt' count.......the vaulter should have had some recovery time, but the officials made a mistake, it happens, the vault does not count. The vaulter was mentally affected by it. It would mess me up to, but that doesn't change the rules. The vault should not be counted for or against the vaulter.

[decanuck]

The official should have counted his clearance of 13'3" as a clearance of 13'3" regardless of whether he passed on it or not or if his attempts were out of order with the other guy's. I think when you goof something up as an official, it's up to you to accomodate as much as possible and that wouldn't have been an unreasonable thing to do.

That said, you can't and shouldn't be credited with a height you didn't clear. and officials do make mistakes and you have to be prepared and can't really use it as an excuse. I know I've made a couple goofs in the meets I've ran.

[Vaultref]

The appeal process failed miserably in this unusual case.

No way can "they" justify giving credit for a 13'-6" when the vaulter cleared only 13'-3" based on your description.
Just because the performance board said the height was "X" when in reality, it was 'X-3". Talk about componding an error.

Whose to say it really was 13'-3" in the first place unless the height was measured?

So, lets assume it really was 13'-3". I would first say to the vaulter and his coach that the jump was a no-vault since the height was passed. I would then say we're moving to 13'-6", (measure it if possible) and tell the vaulter/coach to have file an immediate protest first to the Field Referee. If that jumper was first to jump at this now 13'-6" height, I would skip him for one trial or possibly hold all jumps until a decision from the Referee was reached.