A picnic like atmosphere ruled at the DKB Cup Final in Elstal, Germany, as 3000 spectators surrounded the shot put area (© Spy Camera)
The Deutsche Kreditbank Cup series in Germany - a four-competition series modelled on the IAAF Golden League - came to a conclusion Saturday, the day before the DKB-ISTAF Berlin meeting, with the final fixture held in Elstal, 20km west of Berlin. The venue, which was the historic Olympic Village from the 1936 Games, had been faithfully preserved in its original state, including the cinder track used for training by the athletes. The competition was part of this year’s 70th-year anniversary of the facility.
Only hurdler Kirsten Bolm and pole vaulter Tim Lobinger remained in contention for the grand prize of 50,000 Euros, as each had been victorious in Dessau, Cottbus and Leverkusen earlier this season.
As the Pole Vault reached 5.70m, the hurdlers took their places in the blocks on the freshly remanicured crushed brick track. The starter, attired in period dress from the “roaring 20s” (but probably not the 30s), set the race off as six women attacked the ten barriers with a large crowd surrounding the cozy facility.
Although pushed hard by Judith Ritz, Kirsten Bolm did succeed in winning the fourth installment in the Cup with a time of 13.5, as Ritz was given 13.6 in the close race. (In keeping with a dubious form of historical authenticity, only hand timing was used and no wind-measuring devices were present.) The spongy nature of the cinder track precluded faster times, but a much better surface could have been provided with heavier steamrolling and use of more clay. What ensued was something akin to “hurdling at the beach”.
With her win, Bolm was assured of at least one half of the cash prize. Her exact winnings depended on Tim Lobinger’s fate in the Pole Vault.
All eyes then turned to the other side of the track, as Lobinger led with a clearance of 5.70, but had two misses at 5.75.
Suddenly, Björn Otto electrified the crowd - and undoubtedly shocked Lobinger - with a second-effort clearance at 5.75. Lobinger immediately passed, to take his one remaining attempt at 5.80.
A true “iron man” of the Pole Vault, with 30 to 40 competitions on his schedule each year, Lobinger had been in this position before. The gritty German bore down and sailed over the bar at 5.80 and back into the lead.
Now it was Otto’s turn to go onto the attack. After each had missed once at 5.85, Lobinger missed a second time before Otto succeeded on his second try for a new PB. Again, Lobinger passed to try and win it at 5.90. But this time, the former World Indoor champion ran out of luck, and his miss at that height deprived him of half of the grand prize pool, all of which ended in Bolm’s account.
Two other disciplines had been part of the Cup competition. The men’s Shot Put featured the most international field of the day, and Ralf Bartels repeated his Gothenburg recipe for success, winning the competition on his final throw with 20.46. He slipped ahead of Australia’s Martin Scott, who ended in second at 20.31, with Tomasz Majewski of Poland in third with 20.11.
The women’s Javelin competition went to European champion Steffi Nerius with 64.36m, far ahead of European record holder Christina Obergföll’s 55.63.
Ed Gordon for the IAAF
