At the high altitude camp in Flagstaff, AZ the team used a new piece of equipment, the Laveg laser. This tool allows us to measure the instantaneous velocity of one athlete as they are moving away from the device using a laser beam directed at the athlete's lower back. One of the most useful applications is for measuring runup velocities of horizontal jumpers and pole vaulters. Coaches were able to manipulate the runup and observe the effect of any alterations on the velocity. The pole vault is one of the first events to which the Sport Science team applied this technology. In the pole vault, the ability to use larger poles, which allows the athlete to maximize fibreglass dynamics, is affected by the approach speed and take off position. During the 1998 season Trista Bernier, the national record holder in the women's PV, increased her runup velocities and pole progressions. At the training camp in Arizona we recorded a number of trials with the Laveg of Trista using 16 and 18 stride runups. With Laveg data files from many Canadian track and field athletes.
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