The vault, formerly known as vaulting horse, is an artistic gymnastics apparatus. It is used by male as well as female gymnasts. It is the easiest of all of the events. Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which competitors perform short routines (ranging from approximately 30 to 90 seconds) on different apparatus, obviously less for vaulting (see lists below). ... The shield and spear of the Roman God Mars are often used to represent the male sex In heterogamous species, male is the sex of an organism, or of a part of an organism, which typically produces smaller, mobile gametes (spermatozoa) that are able to fertilise female gametes (ova). ... The hand mirror and comb of the Roman Goddess Venus is often used to represent the female sex. ... Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics or rhythmic gymnastics. ...

The term vaulting horse may also be used literally. The equestrian sport of vaulting, from which the gymnastics version of vaulting is believed to have developed, uses a specially trained horse. Competitors perform a one to two minute dance/gymnastics routine on the back of their horses either solo or in pairs or trios. This is an adaptation of the horseback performance at a circus. Equestrian vaulting is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback, and like these disciplines, it is both an art and a highly competitive sport. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... For other uses, see Dance (disambiguation). ... Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, balance and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, forward rolls, aerials and tucks. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Scoring and rules

As in other gymnastics events, scoring is regulated by the Code Of Points. Under the new Code, two panels of judges evaulate the vault. The Code of Points is a document that regulates scoring of artistic gymnastics. ...

• D-score: Every vault has been assigned a specific points value in the Code. The D-score is simply this value. Every gymnast performing the same vault will receive the same number of points.

• The E-score is the most important score on this apparatus. The judges on this panel work from the 10.0 base mark and deduct for errors in form, technique, height, amplitude, execution and landing. Judges will look at the body position: whether the knees and feet remain together whilst in flight; straightness of legs and back; whether arms are tidily drawn in or flailing about. As with some other gymnastic events a stuck landing is desirable, whereby the feet hit the mat at the same time and together with no steps, hops or strides are taken in order for the gymnast to remain upright: in addition there are tram lines between which the gymnast must land.

The D-score and E-score are added together for the gymnasts's mark.

Depending on the competition, the final score is derived from a) a single vault; b) the average of two vaults; c) the better of two vaults.

The evaluation of the gymnast's vault begins when she or he touches the springboard. If a gymnast "balks" -- ie, stops in the middle of the runway or breaks his or her run before touching the springboard -- no deductions are taken. The gymnast is given thirty seconds to return to the top of the runway and make a second attempt at the vault.

The distance of the springboard from the vaulting table is determined by the height and strength of the gymnast, as well as the vault she or he is performing. Similarly, the portion of the runway the gymnast uses is also of personal preference. Some gymnasts use the entire length of the runway; others do not. Judges neither note nor evaluate the gymnast's run. Similarly, springboard settings are of no consequence to the score, unless coaches have failed to put safety mats in place.

Coaches must tell the judges which vault the gymnast plans to perform in advance. Every vault is assigned a specific number; this number is "flashed" or displayed on a board or electronic screen before the gymnast begins. In the past, gymnasts incurred a deduction for flashing one vault and performing a different one. However, this penalty has been removed from the Code of Points.

Gymnasts are allowed to chalk their hands and feet. They are also permitted to wear gymnastics shoes and wrist guards as they so choose.

There are several acts that completely invalidate the vault and result in a score of 0. These include receiving spotting (assistance) from a coach and not using the U-shaped safety mat for Yurchenko-style vaults. Yurchenko is the name of both a specific vault and a vault family in artistic gymnastics. ...

Dimensions

Measures of the apparatus are published by the FIG in the Apparatus Norms brochure. Species About 800, including: Ficus altissima Ficus americana Ficus aurea Ficus benghalensis- Indian Banyan Ficus benjamina- Weeping Fig Ficus broadwayi Ficus carica- Common Fig Ficus citrifolia Ficus coronata Ficus drupacea Ficus elastica Ficus godeffroyi Ficus grenadensis Ficus hartii Ficus lyrata Ficus macbrideii Ficus macrophylla- Moreton Bay Fig Ficus microcarpa- Chinese...

Horse vault

• Height 125 cm/04' 01" (women) 135 cm/04' 05" (men)
• Length 120 cm/03' 11 1/4"
• Width 95 cm/37 07/16"
• Approach run up to 25m/82' 1/4"

The horse had several disadvantages. If gymnasts' hands slipped from the narrow horse, they risked serious injury. At the 1998 Goodwill Games, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan suffered a terrible fall during warmups that left her paralyzed. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the vault's height was set incorrectly for the women's all-around competition, causing numerous falls and injuries. The Goodwill Games were an international athletics competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympics of the 1980s. ... Sang Lan (Simplified Chinese: æ¡‘å…°) (born June 11, 1981, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China) is a former Chinese gymnast, television personality and student. ... (Redirected from 2000 Olympics) Categories: 2000 Summer Olympics ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ...

Vaulting table

After 2000, in an attempt to make the event safer, the horse was phased out and replaced by the new vaulting table. The first major competition that used the new apparatus was the 2001 World Championships in Ghent, Belgium. This article is about the year 2000. ... The 35th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Ghent, a city in Belgium, in 2001. ... Ghent municipality and district in the province East Flanders Ghent (IPA: ; Gent in Dutch; Gand in French, formerly Gaunt in English) is a city and a municipality located in Flanders, Belgium. ...

The table, which is much wider, longer and springier than the old horse, has many advantages for gymnasts. It provides the athlete with a larger surface to "block" or push away from; this diminishes the possibility of accidents. The new table is also sprung, giving gymnasts more lift and amplitude in post-flight.

The vaulting table is still set at different heights for men's and women's competition, but it remains in the same positions.

Vaulting-buck

This is a similar apparatus, used for similar vaults, except there is no pommel version and it has a smaller, almost square surface. The word buck is an old term for a goat, which is also smaller than a horse.

External links

• The 2006 Code of Points
• WAG apparatus description at the FIG website
• MAG apparatus description at the FIG website
• US Gym Net's glossary of vaulting skills
• Report on the vaulting table, with photographs
• Gymnastics Apparatus