USC Pole Vaulters Conquer Two Summits In Tahoe - VIDEO
For the weekend of Jan. 18, the USC pole-vaulters and I (ex-pole vaulter) took a trip up to the winter wonderland of Tahoe and Reno where it got down to 11 degrees. The competition was the UCS National Pole Vault summit, a rather extraordinary competition as the convention center has eleven pole vault mats and runways - the only time this sport takes place separate from its governing body of track and field.
Thea Weiss (junior), Steven Cherry (sophomore), and Isabel Lozowski (freshman), all cleared a few bars in their first warm-up meet of the season. They were running from a short approach on smaller "practice" poles. When the outdoor season starts, they will run from a farther point and jump on longer poles that will help them jump higher.
After the competition, we drove out to Homewood ski area, and strapped up the boots and skis to check out the beautiful view of the lake and mountains. Flying through the trees and down the steep mountain was an incredible experience to have and I'm proud to say no one got injured.
The USC track team begins its season on Feb. 28 at the Claremont Relays.
Reach Ross McDonald here.