Chance Finething has trained as a physicist and is employed in the petroleum industry until he studies phenomenology and the psychology of flow for a PhD.

Megan McLean is a champion pole-vaulter who becomes Chance’s girlfriend.

Hannah is Megan’s mother, a left-leaning magistrate.

Michael, Megan’s father, a right-leaning science teacher.

Jack Montand is Chance’s research supervisor.

Nick James is Chance’s oldest friend, an environmentalist and hippy.

Twyla is Chance’s first girlfriend, from Cape Verde.

Don is a friend doing a physics PhD with Chance.

Georgina works with Chance and is married to him briefly.

Penny is Megan’s twin sister, who plays cricket.

Lily is a friend of Megan and Penny.

Coach Adamson trains Megan at first.

Gordon Barker is a coach appointed to train the national pole vault squad.

Fred Emery is a friend of Chance and is rugby kicker for Australia.

Reginald Asquith is chairman of the Athletics Association and wants to change the rules of pole vault.

Quill is a lawyer who drafts new pole vault rules corruptly.