Breton Provencal competed at the BMX National Grand and Race of Champions in Tulsa, Okla two weekends ago. (Photo from Kasie Provencal)
SOUTHWICK – The Provencal family had the rare opportunity to sleep in their own home last weekend. The first weekend in a year.
The reason for being away from their ever-so-comfortable and familiar mattresses, are due to the exciting rise of seven-year-old Breton Provencal.
Breton’s rise is quite literal; he spends his weekends on a dirt track, cruising through laps and soaring into the air with his BMX dirt bike.
Being in his first BMX race at two-years-old in his diaper, Breton’s experience at the track took off from there as he learned at six-years-old that his hobby had turned into a passion.
Breton in action in the Grands race in Tulsa. (Photo from Kasie Provencal)
As there are levels to moving up in the ranks, Breton started off his career as a novice but after securing 10 first-place victories, he evolved to intermediate.
Just two weekends ago, Breton took his passion to the BMX National Grand and Race of Champions in Tulsa, Okla.
The Grands race is the premiere event on the national race scene and one that Breton qualified to be in. Entering the race, Breton had 19 wins as an intermediate competitor; one more would bring him to the ever-so-coveted expert level.
Competing against 43 of the top seven-year-old riders in the country for the Grands race, Breton finished the race at 17th place. Breton just missed the top 16, which is a proud feat to accomplish.
Despite being disappointed that he wasn’t in the top 16 of the Grands, Breton’s mother Kasie, says a loss will teach her son an awful lot.
“My son learns more about losing than winning,” said Kasie Provencal. “He wants to learn why he lost, he wants to get better.”
Although Breton saw the national stage as an amazing experience so early into his promising career, he also remembers the effort it took just to get his bike onto the airplane and on its way to Tulsa.
“We had to take it all apart,” said Breton Provencal.
Once it was taken apart, Breton’s father had the duties of bubble wrapping the bike.
“Good thing my dad had to do that,” said Breton.
The BMX National race not only featured kids from across the United States, it also included talented riders from outside of the country.
Seven-year-old Breton showing off all of the awards and trophies he has earned thus far into his career. (Photo from Kasie Provencal)
Breton noted that he made a friend from Australia, who is another talented rider. The two boys got to know each other and spent time riding on the track with one another.
After the boy told Breton he could come to Australia to race, the two exchanged emails so they can stay in contact.
“So now we can stay friends forever,” said Breton.
Once he and the rest of his family were able to finally dive into their own beds after getting back from Tulsa, the return back to their home didn’t mean the racing was going to stop.
Last weekend, still hanging onto 19 wins as an intermediate, Breton earned his 20th career victory at that level in a race in Trumbull, Conn. and reached expert.
As the season ends on Dec. 15, this upcoming weekend is the last chance for Breton to earn any more points at the expert level.
Going into the off-season, Breton and his parents will spend most of their weekends at an indoor BMX facility in Endicott, N.Y. called Grippen Park BMX.
Kasie is proud of what the young Phenom she calls her son has accomplished and is excited for the future.
“In order to get where he was, he trained and raced every weekend,” said Kasie Provencal. “There’s so much potential.”
