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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127398
Kenny's brother, Mel Kimball Jr., earned second-place honors in France. Kerry Peterson, aboard a dual-CR500 motored Honda, fell prey to the first ledge. Winner Kenny Kimball crests the first ledge and sets his sights on the top. Th e American team riders were mobbed by French fans for autographs. By Jeff Fisher ARREITE,FRANCE, AUG. IO-l l ro thers Kenny and Mel Kimba ll travelled across th e sea to score the top tw o positions a t th e 7th Ann ual Lamontee Impossible, a hillclimb held in the Pyrenees Mountains in the south of France. Now in its seventh year, 1991 marks only th e second time that American riders have been invited to the even t.' As they di d last year, the North. American Hillclimb Association sent their top 10 Open Exhibition riders to compete in the International event , and for ·th e second year in a row , American riders stole the show. Before last year, the highest anyone had scaled th e treacherous hill was 250 of its 280 meters. Enter American Travis Whi· tlock. Last year, the Utah native blasted up the face of the mountain B • 16 to become th e first rider to do so, and score the six-year progressive purse of $54,000. In 1991, carrying the colors for the Uni ted States were defend in g Lamontee Impossible Champion Tra vis Wh itlock , Kenny and Mel Kimb all , Rod Whitlock , T om and Pat Johnson , Kerry and Rob Peterson , Steve Stith an d Doug Sherburn. Over 20,000 spectators tu rned out for this year 's event to watch teams from th e USA, Canada and France compete for a purse of $20,000. The event was spread over two days, with each rider getting eight cracks at the hill; three on Saturday, and five on Sunday. The U.S. team wasted no time in showing their hunger for success. Kenny Kimball drew the first ride of the day and blasted to the top to become only the second man to ever top the hill. California's Steve Stith was the th ird , as he launched his Harl ey off th e last ledge and over th e top to better Kimball 's first time. No one was able to reach the top again on Saturday, as the hill seemed to get rougher with each try. After three runs each, Stith held the lead for Saturday. The last 40 meters of th e hill were covered with ferns and different nat- . u ral ledges, that seemed to sto p . everyone on Su nday on their first two ru ns. Just after intermission wi th just th ree ru ns left, the attack broke loose. Kenny Kimb all star ted the fury th at would see five American s, and two Frenchmen go over the top. Kimball reached the top in 21.00 seconds, to bump Stith outoffirst pl ace. Kimball 's time of 21.00 seconds, proved to be th e winning tim e, but not without a lot of clo se runs and some real compe titio n. French rid er Eric Aubi joux, t ook Kimb all 's line to eventuall y fin ish as Eu rope's top rider, third overall . Stith's weekend ended early, as the Harley-Davidson he was riding developed crankshaft problems. Stith would slip to seventh overall. Travis Whitlock 's third run was smooth, as he roosted over in 22.87 seconds. Whitlock was pumped, but knew he needed a little quicker run in order to catch Kimball. Fifteen-year-old Rob, bie Peterson made a 23.69 run over for fourth place, but Tom and Pat Johnson had bike problems all day. Tom never did get his bike running good, but Pat dialed his in on his fourth run of the day, to crest the top, and bump Whitlock and Peterson down a spot. Johnson was really fired up. " I had to look back, to be sure I'd really gone over, I didn't want to go home wondering if I co uld," said Pat Johnson. Kerry Peterson made a hard charge, but a small ledge pitched him over the bars, and ended his day. Ken Long and Dave Fren ch ' made strong rides, as did Doug Sherburn, but along with Rod Whitlock, who injured his shoulder on Saturday, were unable to maintain enough speed to reach the top. Mel Kimb all Jr. had more ' than enough speed, as he blasted over the top in 21.40 seconds, taking over second and bumping everyone down another spot. Mel Jr. was the final rider to go over the top. Travis Whitlock, Tom Johnson, and Robbie Peterson all made final runs that were strong, but were turned back to prove that going over the . top was a tough feat. The Kimballs finished one and two. An exuberant Kenny said afterwards, "This win is a dream for me. I couldn't believe the high I got from my teammates, and the crowd was intense! " Eric Aubijoux finished third. Pat J ohnson and Travis Whitlock finished fourth and fifth , respectively, while Rob Peterson and Steve Stith were sixth and seve n th, respectivel y. Fren chman Jean Claude Aynier 's run of 27.98 put him into the eighth spot. Doug Sherburn and Tom Johnson rounded out the top 10. Eight of th e top were Amer icans. Kerry Peterson was II th , at 270 meters, followed by Canadians Ken Long at 269 meters, and Dave French at 266 meters. Rod Whitlock finished in the CII 15th spot. Results 0 1A: I. Kenny Kimball (Hon) USA: 2. Md Kimball (Hon ) USA; 3. Eric Aubijoux (Suz) Fran ce; 4. Pa l Johnson (Hon) USA: 5. Travis Whillock (Yam) USA; 6. Rob Peterson (Hon ) USA: 7. Steve Stith (H·D) USA: 8. jean Claud< Aynier (KTM) France; 9. Doug Sherburn (Yam) USA: 10. Tom Johnson (Hon) USA.