The Okotoks BMX Club had a Grand time to cap off the provincial series.
Okotoks was all over the podium at the Alberta BMX Grands and Provincial Championships with four provincial champions, 13 top-three finishes and an additional 20 top-8 results earlier this month in Cochrane.
“It’s definitely the whole summer of working hard to earn it, it’s one-hundred per cent that,” said Okotoks’ Willow Pointen, the Grands champion in the 17-24 expert female division. “Just the pressure of ‘this is Grands’, this is the big one, this is what matters.
“I find once I’m actually racing I don’t have time to think about being nervous, I have to be in the moment.”
Mission accomplished.
Pointen earned first, first and second place finishes in her three races to take the Grands title.
The 17-year-old has gotten acclimatized to racing largely older competition throughout the summer.
“It’s pretty tough because a lot of them have been racing longer than me,” she said. “It’s fun though because everybody is fast so it’s always a challenge.”
Ryan Mysek, 17, had to navigate similar challenges in Cochrane.
The veteran racer took home the Grands title in the 17-24 cruiser division and earned the AB-2 plate in the 17-24 category.
“I won all of my motos that day,” Mysek said of his performance in the cruiser. “I felt pretty strong the whole day and just tried my best.”
Okotoks finished top-two in the 15 expert female division with Sophia Gibbs just edging out teammate Isabella Bregliano.
“We were the top-two finishers throughout the weekend, we were really close and just competing it out,” Gibbs said. “It feels really good. All season from all the way back in May you’re training to build up for nationals and to build up for provincials and working on all your skills. Definitely hard work pays off with all the training you put in.”
Briony Fokkens won all three of her motos to take the Grands championship on top of the provincial series title in the 16 expert female category.
“It’s more of a personal achievement thing and both of my parents are really supportive of everything,” said Fokkens. “For example, this Friday I’m leaving for Phoenix for a training camp.”
The team component of competition also can have a big impact.
“I absolutely love it,” Fokkens said. “Just having friends to talk to, if you’re having a bad race or not in the best mood or even just hyping you up for a race. I love the team atmosphere.”
Provincial podium finishes included Tristan Storey and Tyler Clemence in second, Rob Lamont, Rylan Slapman, Matteo Bregliano, Giuliana Bregliano and Marta Walcott in third.
All told, 20 additional Okotoks riders earned top-8 finishes to bring home an Alberta plate. All those with a top-8 placement in their age category earn the coveted plate.
“I love talking to everybody and seeing how they did,” Gibbs said. “Just seeing how excited they are. Some people haven’t been to a provincial before, it was their first one and they had never placed top-8 before.
“Some of these young boys or girls have like 40 riders in their categories and they have to qualify to get top-8. It’s really crazy and super exciting.”
The group in the top-8 includes AB4, fourth-place, finishers Easton McAlister, Marco Bregliano, Maci Dueck, Keanna Dueck, Tyler Layton, Matthew Primeau and Darren Commandeur.Earning A5 plates were Darryl Kowalchuk, Charlie Weyman and Easton Robertson. Kennedy Evans and Angela Janusc brought home the AB6 plate, Juli-Anne Brisbin, Jorianna McAlister, Autumn Costall, Jake Buitelaar and Luc Burns took the AB7 plates while Casey Shank, and Ciarann McKeage finished with the AB8 plates.
The 7-year-old Buitelaar shined in his first year of racing as reflected by his success during the provincial series and top-8 showing at Grands.
Seeing the younger teammates shine is always a highlight for the more seasoned members of the club.
“It’s awesome and just great to see people around you succeed, especially when you work together, to help each other, to push each other to get better,” Mysek said. “I’m a rider rep for Okotoks so on Tuesdays, which is the younger kids’ practice, I come out to help and coach and give some pointers.
“Seeing how much they improve throughout the year, I know some kids that started at the beginning of the year where they were too scared to start at the top of the start hill, but now they’re pedaling all the way down it.”
For more information go to okotoksbmx.com
