International Pole Vault Meeting Schlanders

Pole vaulting takes over the square in Silandro/Schlanders

The International Pole Vault Meeting Schlanders is one of the most original sporting events in South Tyrol. Every year, the Kulturhausplatz, the square in front of the Cultural Center in the village center, is transformed into a competition runway: poles, mats, and the approach track are set up right between the houses, allowing spectators to follow the action just a few meters from the athletes. It is a formula that delivers thrills rarely found in a traditional stadium.

A history born from a bold idea

The meeting was born in 2001 from an intuition by Michael Traut and Thomas Stürz, who decided to move the competition from the sports field to the village square, bringing the public closer to the action. Over the years, thanks to the organizers' international network, the event has attracted some of the world's best pole vaulters, becoming a staple of the summer calendar. Today, the meeting is organized by the LAC Vinschgau Raiffeisen association, with the support of numerous volunteers from the Municipality of Silandro/Schlanders, in the Vinschgau Valley.

World-class technical level

The Schlanders meeting has earned a remarkable reputation: it has been included among the best international pole vault competitions according to the World Athletics "Special Competitions" ranking. The Vinschgau runway has witnessed top-tier performances in both men's and women's categories, with vaults regularly reaching and exceeding six meters for men and four and a half meters for women.

A unique atmosphere in the Vinschgau Valley

What makes the meeting special is not just the technical quality, but the atmosphere: the competition takes place in the late afternoon and evening, when the square fills with spectators and the Alpine light paints the surrounding mountains. Music, cheering, food stalls, and the typical warmth of South Tyrolean villages accompany every jump, creating a sporting celebration that engages both athletics enthusiasts and local families.

Silandro/Schlanders and the Vinschgau Valley

The main town of the Vinschgau Valley, in the autonomous province of Bolzano, Silandro/Schlanders is a bilingual town surrounded by apple orchards, vineyards, and high mountains. The pole vault meeting is now one of its calling cards, capable of putting the small Vinschgau town on the map far beyond regional borders.