Just remember that my original position - expressed in BTB two years or more ago - was that while there are advantages to a double leg swing - which stiff polers HAD TO exploit in the old days - those advantages cause the vaulter to swing more slowly and make it difficult for them to REALLY cover the pole, as demonstrated in the second Bubka clip Sean so kindly put up for me on neovault. Page 49 of BTB deals with this as it summarises why Bubka's technique was so efficient.
On another topic - which I am sure will be raised with great glee before too long - why did Isinbayeva fail again? My suspicion is that she is mentally tired and jaded - perhaps even wondering if it is worth the bother now that she is independently wealthy. I first saw her jump in the World Youths in 1999 - and she had been training seriously as a vaulter and as a gymnast for some years before that -so I would not be surprised if this is the case. Hope she gets it sorted and is ready for London - after which she has indicated she will definitely retire.
