Kit Palmer | February 23, 2005
The following is a release from KTM –
Red Bull KTM U.S. Dakar Team Member, Kellon Walch sustained a broken leg in a pre-run incident yesterday near San Felipe, Mexico. Kellon was preparing for the upcoming SCORE San Felipe 250 where he was to team with Dakar teammates Andy Grider and Chris Blais.
Kellon crashed in a very remote area of the San Felipe course and had to wait 5 hours for the ambulance to arrive. Unfortunately, recent storms in Southern California and Mexico ruled out any chance for an air evacuation. After stabilizing the fracture, Kellon was driven to the border at Calexico where a waiting ambulance picked him up and took him to the nearest U.S. hospital in El Centro. Doctors at El Centro Regional Medical Center conducted further tests and determined Kellon had sustained a fracture of the left femur. He was scheduled to be airlifted to his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada where surgery would be performed under the guidance of U.S Dakar Team Doctor, Johnathan Edwards.
Scot Harden said, “Kellon’s a tough kid, he went through quite an ordeal getting out of the desert. He’s in good spirits and in good hands now. I’m sure he’ll make a full recovery. KTM and the entire Dakar team are wishing Kellon all the best.”< Chris Blais and Andy Grider will compete in the San Felipe 250 as a two-man team in Class 22.
Kit Palmer | Off-Road Editor
Kit Palmer started his career at Cycle News in 1984 and he’s been testing dirt and streetbikes every since – plus covering any event that uses some form of a knobby tire. He’s also our resident motorcycle mileage man with a commute of 120 miles a day.
