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| Renaud Lavillenie of France is confident of retaining his European title in Helsinki. |
Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie will be a huge favourite to defend his European title in Helsinki. The 2012 World indoor champion has looked virtually unbeatable this year.
However German pole vaulter Malte Mohr threw down the gauntlet to Lavillenie when he bettered the Frenchman's world leading mark of 5.90m with a clearance of 5.91m at a meeting in Ingolstadt on Friday.
Mohr will be looking for some redemption in Helsinki as he failed to progress beyond the qualifying rounds at the last European Athletics Championships in Barcelona two years ago.
Mohr's compatriot Bjorn Otto lies third on the season's list having cleared 5.82m in Chule Vista, but the German lacks experience and was beaten at his National Championships by Mohr.
Raphael Holzdeppe was second to Mohr in the German championships and has cleared 5.77m and Germany have named four strong athletes to choose from.
The Czech Republic's Jan Kudlicka was a finalist last time and should be able do so again. Russia's lone entry will be Serguy Kucheryanu, who has jumped just 5.55m this year.
A number of competitors have cleared 5.72m this summer with the pick of them probably France's Romain Mesnil who aged 35 is well short of the form that saw him jump 5.95m nine years ago.
Finland's representative is Eemeli Salomaki, who could make the final if he can reproduce his 5.60m best.
An open field in the high jump
This event can boast an incredible high quality entry with 30 competitors boasting PBs of 2.30m or better even though most of them haven't hit their best form in 2012.
The top athlete entered is Briton Robbie Grabarz, who has made huge advances in 2012 and with a best of 2.36m is a clear second in the rankings and should medal if he competes.
World indoor champion Dimítrios Hondrokoúkis has opted out of the Championships but compatriot Konstadínos Baniótis, with a 2.32m PB could still give Greece a medal.
Martyn Bernard is amongst Britain's strong entered quartet and his team-mates Samson Oni and Tom Parsons are also capable of challenging for medals, whichever three actually get to compete.
Andriy Protsenko is in form after jumping 2.31m at the weekend's Ukrainian Championships and should challenge for a medal along with French champion Mikhael Hanany, who has also jumped 2.31m.
The Czech Republic's former Olympic medallist Jaroslav Baba has a superb competitive record and should also be in the medal hunt though he hasn't been in his very best form this year.
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| Two-time European indoor champion Sebastian Bayer of Germany is still looking for his first major outdoor title. |
Another who has cleared 2.28m is the 1990 champion Dragutin Topic of Serbia who is still going strong at the age of 41.
Cyprus's double world championship medallist Ioannou Kyriakos is also entered but has yet to compete in 2012.
Finland's Osku Torro would be a factor if he could get close to his 2.33m PB, but he has jumped just 2.25m this summer.
World season leader Ivan Ukhov who was second in Barcelona or defending champion Aleksandr Shustov have opted out of the event and Russia's only entrant is Serguy Mudrov.
The former IAAF world youth medallist cleared 2.30m indoors this year but has an outdoor best of just 2.22m.
Bayer's opportunity to prove outdoor credentials
In Barcelona, Christian Reif was an outstanding winner with 8.47m/1.6 but he too is missing. Germany though do have their two other 8.20m plus jumpers in European indoor champion Sebastian Bayer and Alyn Camara in action and both are possible winners.
Kafetien Gomis isn't in his silver medal winning form of two years ago having jumped just 8.05m, though he has achieved an 8.13m windy mark.Salim Sdiri is another strong French entry.
One athlete who has a substantial windy mark is the home nation's Roni Ollikainen. He achieved 8.32m in Jamsa and could be one of Finland's biggest hopes in the Games. His best legal mark is a Finnish Under 23 record of 8.05m. Finland also field Tommi Evila, who has a 8.22m senior record and he should certainly make the final while Mikko Kivinen give the home nation a strong trio.
Great Britain have put forward European bronze medallist Chris Tomlinson, who hasn't matched his form of past years and has a best of just 8.01m this summer.
The Russian pairing of Aleksandr Petrov and Pavel Shalin haven't jumped 8.00m this summer but could be factors if they can reproduce their previous year's form.
Armenian Arsen Sargsyan probably has a better medal chance, having jumped 8.20m in their national championships.
Italian jumpers lead triple jump field
Italy's Daniel Greco, who failed to make it out of qualifying in Barcelona, will start as the favourite in Helsinki having jumped 17.47m/1.7 this month.
His compatriot Fabrizio Donato, is better indoors having won the European indoors before and he finished fourth in this year's World Indoors, but he is yet to prove his outdoor credentials and Helsinki might well offer him that golden opportunity.
The only other jumper who has bettered 17m this summer among the entered athletes is European U23 champion Sheryf El Sheryf of Ukraine, who was second in the Oslo Diamond League. Last year he jumped 17.72 in Ostrava but he has never really backed up that surprise breakthrough performance.
Definitely out of the picture is world indoor record holder Teddy Tamgho of France who was third in 2010 and it's Karl Taillepierre who now heads the French challenge. The Barcelona silver medallist Marean Oprea has struggled in 2012 with just a windy 16.68m/2.2 to his name but the veteran Romanian is known to be a big stage performer and it will not surprise anyone if he manages to finish on the podium in the Finnish capital.
Defending champion Phillips Idowu of Great Britain has decided to opt out of the championships and in his absence the British challenge will be led by Beijing seventh. European season leader Russia's Lyukman Adams, who tops the rankings with 17.53m is another of the absentees.
Aleksi Tammentie is the only home hope in the event.