By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer
PELHAM
– The Vulcan Vault pole vaulting competition is set to return to the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena on Saturday, July 12, bringing a full day of electrifying competition and elite-level experience to athletes of all ages and skill levels. Now in its third year, the USATF-sanctioned event has quickly become one of the premier summer meets in the Southeast.
Spanning from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Vulcan Vault offers a unique blend of high-level competition, entertainment and community celebration. With continued growth and the challenges posed by Alabama’s midsummer heat, event organizers made a strategic decision to move the competition indoors to the Pelham Civic Complex to enhance athlete comfort and create a more spectator-friendly environment.
“Last year’s event brought huge energy with lights and music from Vault Entertainment,” read the Vulcan Vault’s website. “This year, every athlete—no matter their age or experience—will get to enjoy that same elite atmosphere.”
The Vulcan Vault caters to a broad range of competitors, from youth athletes stepping onto the runway for the first time to elite vaulters pushing national standards. Athletes are seeded into sections based on their season’s best marks to ensure competitive balance and maximum opportunity for personal records. Each section is capped at 16 athletes to allow for optimal pacing and athlete focus.
“We design the progression of each section to help athletes hit PRs while still following USATF and World Athletics rules,” the website read. “It’s all about creating a competitive but supportive atmosphere.”
Sections are co-ed based on season bests, except for the emerging elite and elite divisions, which are separated by gender. Athletes are encouraged to enter honest marks, with cutoff bars set at one foot above the highest declared mark in each section to maintain fairness and flow.
After selling out in 2024, the Vulcan Vault team is preparing for another high turnout. Registration is limited to maintain the event’s high quality, and athletes can adjust their season’s best mark until Friday, July 4 if they improve after registering early.
One of the hallmarks of the Vulcan Vault is its distinctive award system. Winners receive handcrafted, one-of-a-kind trophies, designed to honor not just performance, but the grit, dedication and artistry of the sport.
“These awards aren’t just trophies—they’re works of art,” the website read. “Each one represents the ironclad work ethic and individuality of our athletes.”
All registered athletes receive a Vulcan Vault T-shirt, entry into the meet and a seat for the elite competition. Those who register during the regular period can select their shirt size, while late registrants will receive a large shirt due to pre-order limitations.
Coaches bringing five or more athletes will receive free spectator/coach entry for every five athletes they register, plus reserved seating for the elite sessions.
Chris Spear, the director of the Vulcan Vault, described how the event has grown since its inception.
“It’s grown and grown and grown,” Spear said. “We went from two runways the first year to three runways last year to four runways this year, and we just want to make small improvements and make sure we don’t bite off too much each year.”
Spear believes the Vulcan Vault event is unique, with each year bringing fresh experiences for both participants and spectators.
“I’ve done this for 20 years,” Spear said. “It’s a weird sport. It’s not something you see every day, and I love it. It’s a great experience. I try to compare it almost to skateboarding or the X Games. It’s something that’s wild and kind of unbelievable that these guys and girls can jump this high.”
Spear hopes to see the event continue to grow past this year’s installment.
“Birmingham and Alabama as a whole is almost like the Southeastern track hub,” Spear said. “We have very good national recognition as far as our distance and track programs. Our field events are (also) very solid. Having our event here just makes sense as far as a track community, but I would love for people to come back to this area and spend more time (here).”
For registration and full details, visit the Vulcan Vault event page at Ascendpv.com/event-details/vulcan-vault-2025.
