Sussex AA will not be sending any pole vaulters to the South of England under 15 and under 20 Inter-counties fixture at Horspath for the second year in a row. The decision to withdraw vaulters was taken due to ongoing concerns about the safety of the bed.
Two years ago several competing athletes suffered "whiplash like injuries," according to their coach Rick Pilling of Lewes AC. He says the bed is, "too hard." He has advised his athletes not to compete as a preventative measure.
The bed at Oxford has been signed off as acceptable, after a recent Trackmark certification. However this does not include a 'bounce' test as there is no agreed method of checking this, so it is left to the assessor to make a decision about whether the bed has a safe amount of cushioning in it.
A spokesperson at Horspath has confirmed that they have been advised to replace the mat within two years.