For someone who pedals frantically at times as he dashes around the twists, turns and jumps of a BMX bike track, Riely Brosius is incredibly calm.
Gunning for a provincial 12-year-old boys expert title this weekend in Langley B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 currently tied for the points lead with VernonB次元官网网址檚 Jakob Plank B次元官网网址� the Langford pre-teen sounded pretty relaxed talking about his chances.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e raced against him at the big races, and IB次元官网网址檝e beat him before,B次元官网网址� he said of Plank.
Not that this talented young rider is boastful; heB次元官网网址檚 anything but.
While heB次元官网网址檚 been virtually unbeatable in provincial series races this season, he said his highlight so far has been, B次元官网网址減robably just having a good season, not crashing and just having fun.B次元官网网址�
Riding competitively since he was seven, Riely knows itB次元官网网址檚 a fine line between going for it and wiping out and going all out to stay in the front of the pack.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 (always) a 50/50 chance that you could crash, or break something on your bike,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 crashed this year, but I did a couple times last year.B次元官网网址�
At the recent national series races in Langley, he rode against a largely U.S. field. After finishing first on the Friday, he got as far as the semifinals the next two days. Not his usual results, but the American riders are always tough, said RielyB次元官网网址檚 mom, Tara.
The nice part, she added, is her son is learning to take defeat as a learning experience rather than be crushed by it.
B次元官网网址淟ast year if he didnB次元官网网址檛 make (finals) he would get down on himself. This time heB次元官网网址檚 taken it well B次元官网网址�
U.S. riders take all the top spots. I was pretty proud of him.B次元官网网址�
The Brosius family heads up Island or to the mainland to go racing several times per month, with younger sisters Makayla, 10, and Tiffany, 6, both also riding now.
While she just started this season, Tiffany is a chip off the brotherly block. She has a large lead in the points race for the six-year-old girls division, while Makayla is within striking distance of top spot in her age group.
B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 push the girls in any way to join the sport, they just came to the track with us to watch Riely, and eventually they got involved,B次元官网网址� Tara said.
With competition tougher as riders get older, Riely does his best to stay on top of his game. He races at the Juan de Fuca BMX track on Tuesdays and practises there twice a week; heads up to Happy Valley elementary twice a month to practise sprints with his dad, Mark, and supplements that with some climbing work in the Latoria Road area.
Riely admitted itB次元官网网址檒l be a tough field at the provincial races B次元官网网址� a double points pre-race runs Saturday (Aug. 29) and a triple points finale goes Sunday. But he does like the sound of coming home with the No. 1 plate for finishing first overall, and the backpack prize that goes with it.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
