THE 2025 Pont-de-Vaux 72-hour international quad race, which took place in Eastern France last weekend, witnessed an outstanding performance from Seth Balaam in the Kids Quad category.
The 14-year-old from Hailsham, secured the overall victory with 3rd, 1st and 1st place finishes and, in doing so, became the first English rider to win the Kids Quad race at the famous event.
He joins Northern Ireland’s Dean Dillon as one of only two UK riders to achieve this feat (Dean won the class in 2016).
This year’s event carried extra significance for Seth. It marked the first time he had competed on his specially designed, custom-built 250cc quad, a machine conceived, fabricated and welded by his father, Chris.
With no prior race history on the new machine, Seth faced a steep learning curve, but his speed, adaptability, and determination shone through in every outing.
The Kids Quad competitors were the first to take on a freshly prepared track for qualifying. Seth quickly settled into a rhythm with his new machine, pushing hard to secure 2nd place on the grid and setting himself up for a strong weekend of racing.
Seth’s results, 3rd, 1st, 1st, told the story of a rider who adapted and improved every time he hit the track.
Credit must also go to the riders alongside him, who pushed hard and made the racing uber exciting and competitive. Samuel Tatler (UK) and Mirte van de Werken (NL) both delivered outstanding performances, respectively taking second and third overall.
The 2025 Kids Quad race fielded an impressive 43 riders, with 27 in the Cadet category alone. A few riders faced setbacks and DNFs, but every rider showed true resilience and sportsmanship. Seth’s win was not just a personal triumph, but a celebration of the entire field who gave their all at one of the toughest quad racing events in the world.
This achievement would not have been possible without the incredible support surrounding Seth – Team EDR for their expertise and backing throughout, Seth’s sponsors
– whose contributions help turn ambitions into reality, those who made the build possible – from concept to fabrication, ensuring Seth had a competitive machine, supporters, riders, and families – many of whom travelled from the UK, creating a fantastic atmosphere filled with encouragement all around.
