August 28th, 2025.


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 in East Sussex, 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.



Qualifying
The Kids Quad competitors were the first to take on a freshly prepared track. 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.

Race 1
When the gate dropped, Seth showed the quad’s potential by immediately storming ahead to take the holeshot. Still adapting to the bike, he kept his head and rode consistently, bringing the 250cc machine home in 3rd place.

Race 2
With his confidence growing, Seth again launched into the lead with another holeshot. This time he found real flow with the quad and controlled the pace from the front. He crossed the finish line to take his maiden Pont-de-Vaux race win.

Race 3
Momentum was on his side as he lined up for the final moto knowing the overall was within reach. Firing out for a third consecutive holeshot, he delivered his fastest and most composed ride of the weekend, leading from start to finish to secure the race victory and with it, the overall Kids Quad crown.



Seth’s results — 3rd, 1st, 1st — told the story of a rider who adapted and improved every time he hit the track. To win on a brand-new machine made the achievement even more special.

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.

Thanks to …
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.

This result stands as a milestone in Seth’s young career – a testament to his raw talent, his family’s engineering skill, and the relentless teamwork behind him.



UK Rider Finishing Order – 2025 Pont-de-Vaux Kids Quad
1. Seth Balaam (#28) – 1st overall
2. Samuel Tatler (#66) -2nd overall
3. Malachy McKenna (#32)– 4th overall
4. Amelia Talent (#65) – 5th overall / 2nd Girls
5. William Kirwin (#33) – 7th overall
6. Ella Robe (#20) 14th overall / 3rd Girls
7. Beau Terrell (#24)  – 15th overall
8. Shay McKenna (#29) – 18th overall
9. Owain Lewis (#31) – 20th overall
10. Ronnie Burnett (#4) – 23rd overall
11. Tyler Wilcock (#3) – 24th overall
12. William Scotland (#27) – 26th overall
13. Harry Barker (#23) – 30th overall
14. Macson Lorton (#30) – 32nd overall
15. Albert Scotland (#15) – 37th overall
16. Cameron Lees (#41) – 39th overall
17. Kayla George (#26) – 40th overall
18. Harrison Orr (#35) – 41st overall
19. Blake Orr (#36) – 42nd overall

Nationality Breakdown of the 43 Riders
UK – 19 riders, Netherlands – 12 riders, France – 6 riders, Belgium – 2 riders, Italy – 1 rider, Estonia – 1 rider, Spain – 1 rider, Denmark – 1 rider.

Thanks to Marie Stone for the report.
Thanks to Yannick Pernet and Marie Stone for the images.