2012 Olympian Becky Holliday returns for her second run down the elevated runway on 4th Street downtown, and she has been on a hot streak lately.
For the 3rd straight year, Explosion Athletics is hosting the Winston-Salem StreetVault on the block of 4th Street between Cherry and Marshall. The downtown setting is perfect, as crowds can set up along the sidewalks and congregate in the numerous restaurants along the block. and the surroundings (small trees and tall buildings line the street) provide one of the most stunning visual backdrops you can imagine. Add in the potential for vaulting after sunset, lit by streetlights, and you have something special brewing!
What does it take to set up a StreetVault in downtown Winston-Salem? Check out our video from last year's event:
StreetVault Set-Up
Elite Women (6 PM Friday night)
Age is just a number, and so is 15 feet. Want to guess which one has been more important to Becky Holliday this year? At the age of 35, the 2012 Olympian is having her best season ever, going over 15 feet for the first time since 2011 and setting a new PR of 4.65 meters (15' 3"). Although she wasn't able to parlay that momentum into a spot in the world championship, she will certainly be looking to continue making progress toward a second Olympic appearance. Fellow pro Katy Nageotte will be looking for the first 15-foot mark of her career, with Brazilian athletes Joana Costa rounding out the international field.
For the high school fans, the top two returning girls in the state will compete with the pros, as well as with a recent NC graduate. Juniors Zoe Early (Apex) and Chesney Ward (Ragsdale) both cleared 12' 6" this spring, and both will be threats to break 13 feet at some point. The state's only 13-footer this year, UNC recruit Anna Eaton (Apex), would love to improve her 13' 3.5" PR.
Elite Men (following women Friday night)
There are no former Olympians among the men, but there ARE several strong candidates to break the meet record and give the event its first 18-foot performance. Scott Houston, who set the all-time state record while at Northwest Guilford before moving on to Indiana University, is currently ranked 28th in the world at 18' 5.25". The real wild card in this competition is Darren Niedermeyer, who has a PR of 18' 8.75" from way back in 2010 but hasn't doesn't have anything on his profile from the last 3 track seasons (which could be due to errors on our end). Former Oklahoma vaulter Chip Heuser has also been over 18 feet, but it was in 2007 - his best this year is 17' 5.5".
There will be a ton of current and former North Carolina high school athletes competing with the pros, as well. Recent grads Tristian Shaver (Ledford, NC #12 all-time) and Drew Pedersen (Apex, NC #2 all-time), will be joined by a pair of East Forsyth alumni: Austin Vegas (UNC, NC #9 all-time) and Aaron Zakula (ECU, NC #10 all-time). In addition, Kevin Calhoun (North Davidson/UNCC, NC #12 all-time) will join the party, as will current Wake Forest jumper Mike Cyphers. All told, including the competitors in the Open sections Saturday, 14 of the top 25 male vaulters in state history will be present!
Open Competition (3 flights starting 10 AM Saturday)
There are a number of current and former NC high schoolers in the three Open flights:
- Tess Rogers (North Stokes/Radford)
- Kendall Jones (Swansboro)
- Kathleen Brandes (Ravenscroft)
- Sofia San Miguel (Cardinal Gibbons)
- Savannah Creed (South Johnston)
- Leslie Boney (Broughton)
- Kyle Wolfe (Queens University)
- Dallas Vann (Corinth Holders)
- Ben Finger (North Gaston)
- Dillon Kopec (Chapel Hill)
- Jackson Widener (Charlotte Country Day)
- Carter Mathis (Cary Academy)
- Carter Clasper (Marvin Ridge)
- Justin Richard (Lake Norman)
- Jose San Miguel (Cardinal Gibbons '13)
- Garrett Anderson (Ravenscroft '14)
- Elijah Cole (Millbrook)
- Bailey Frederick (Marvin Ridge)
- Marshall Shank (East Rowan)
- Corey Ginley (East Henderson/Western Carolina)
- Ian West (Fike, NC #4 all-time)