Europe against the USA, a kind of athletics Ryder Cup, starts tonight in Minsk in Belarus. This is the first time the competition is taking place. Four athletes from each team in the women's and men's class and the placement points are calculated to the final result. For the pole jumpers and the high jumpers, tonight's competition means a different layout. Only eight jumps in total, regardless of the height.
"It will be different"Armand Duplantis, one of Sweden's big World Cup hopefuls set against the US, has shared perceptions about the form of the competition.
- I'm changing my mind every second. I've never jumped in any format other than traditional. There will be different, different strategies. But if I hope well, I probably like it, haha, says the pole-hopper to Sportbladet.
According to athletics expert A Lennart Juhlin, the same rules meant that Duplantis had not made his jump at 6.05 in the European Championships in Berlin 2018. This is because "Mondo" after his successful 6 meter attempt had already consumed eight jumps.
- Yes, a situation here in Minsk where you jump 5.95 and not be allowed to jump because you jumped eight hopes would probably leave a bitter aftertaste in your mouth, says Duplantis to Sportbladet.
"Clearly other conditions"It's not just the jumping competitions where new rules are tested. In length, three stages and throws, there will be fewer competitors in the later attempts in an attempt to win time.
SVT's own athletics expert Kajsa Bergqvist thinks there may be value in testing new formats.
- It is not wrong to test things to make the sport more dramatic and interesting to follow. The European Athletics Association has done similar tests in the Team European Championships, Bergqvist told SVT Sport.
But the rule changes in particular pole and height jump are more critical to Bergqvist.
- I think a format where you only allow a certain number of demolitions is better. These rules could mean that we as a public are missing out on dramatic duels at high altitudes and can kill the atmosphere a bit. When I set my own world record, I did it in the fourteenth attempt, so there are clearly other conditions.