Photo by Erin Nelson.
The first Vulcan Vault will take place in Rosewood Plaza on July 8. The free event will focus on pole vaulting and will feature a variety of men, women and children competing.
If you pass Homewood City Hall on July 8, don’t be surprised when you see people flinging their bodies through the air.
Peak Athletics Coach Chris Spear is bringing the first Vulcan Vault to Homewood. Inspired by the Dauphin Street Vault that he helped with in Mobile, the free event will focus on pole vaulting and will feature a variety of men, women and children competing.
“We’re going to do eight sessions that are mixed-gender, and it’s going to be based on their height and ability level,” Spear said. “And then we will do male and female sessions for the Emerging Elite and Elite categories. Emerging Elite are just under high-collegiate and professional levels. The Elite category will include really good college athletes, who at some point will either be top in their nation or an Olympian.”
The sessions will begin at 8 a.m. at Rosewood Plaza — 2850 19th St. S. — and will end around 9:30 p.m., Spear said.
Competitors in the Elite category include the University of South Alabama’s Kyle Rademeyer, an international athlete and 19-foot, 1-inch pole vaulter from South Africa who was the 2023 NCAA National Champion for pole vaulting, as well as Alina McDonald, a 15-foot, 4.5-inch pole vaulter from Rock Hill, South Carolina.
The youngest competitor is 13 years old and the oldest athlete is 73-year-old Lyndell Farmer, a master’s level athlete from Mobile.
Spear has recruited competitors from nine states including Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana.
Though street vaults have mostly been popular in Europe, Spear has participated in several U.S.-based events and hopes to bring the excitement and novelty to Homewood.
“Pole vault is a weird event,” Spear said. “I feel like we’re that outcast group that’s like skateboarders or rock climbers, something just a little off. We feed off energy and the crowd. You literally can finish your vault and walk a foot to the crowd and be able to high-five everyone that’s right there. As the day goes on, the crowd gets louder and the jumps get higher.”
Pit Sponsors include Iron Tribe Birmingham and Favor Steel and Fabricating, while Runway Sponsors are The Trak Shak and Gwen Vinzant Realtor.
For more information, visit peakathleticspv.com/2023-vulcan-vault or follow Vulcan Vault on Instagram at @vulcan_vault.
