posted Apr 26th, 2015 - The Sun Path Products NSL News has mentioned the name Jan Klapka quite a few times over the years, even though he is not a 4-way world champion or a skydiving celebrity in any other ways. However, he has done incredible things for the sport in his home country, the Czech Republic.

First of all, Jan Klapka is a passionate 4-way competitor. His team, the Bad Boys, attended more meets last year than any other team in the world - 14 indoor and outdoor events, plus the Indoor Cloud League events. The 2015 season began even busier than last year. The Czech national 4-way team in 4-way Open has competed at six meets so far in 2015.

Jan Klapka's passion seems to be contagious. The small country's 4-way delegation at the World Challenge 2015 consisted of five teams (Bad Boys, HF Chicks, CZ Ladies, PB Fire, Flying Circus) with even more Czech competitors participating in the artistic events. The Sun Path Products NSL News had the opportunity to meet Jan Klapka and his Bad Boys in person for a conversation on camera in Bedford.

World Challenge 2015			Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Rd. 5	Rd. 6	Rd. 7	Rd. 8	Rd. 9	Rd. 10	Total	Avg
Rank	AAA/Open Class		15,K,E,F	11,22,A	16,H,M,19	3,10,D	17,18,P	4,12,O	5,N,L,G	14,B,C,20	2,1,21	J,Q,6,13	Total	Avg
17	Bad Boys	CZ	22	16	22	18	19	16	21	17	15	18	184	18.4
Rank	AAA Women		15,K,E,F	11,22,A	16,H,M,19	3,10,D	17,18,P	4,12,O	5,N,L,G	14,B,C,20	2,1,21	J,Q,6,13	Total	Avg
4	HF Chicks	CZ	26	17	23	16	17	16	21	20	17	18	191	19.1
6	CZ Ladies	CZ	16	14	16	15	14	12	17	15	12	13	144	14.4
Rank	A Class		O,L,Q	4,21	P,F,H	K,J,E	N,M,B	C,2	19,A	G,D,6	8,9	7,8	Total	Avg
2	PB Fire	CZ	23	14	29	24	30	12	13	16	14	13	188	18.8
Rank	Rookie		C,O,A	F,B,N	E,P,L	K,D,Q	J,H,M	G,E,C	H,N,J	B,M,F	O,K,G	P,Q,D	Total	Avg
1	Flying Circus	CZ	18	26	19	19	23	20	22	45	15	24	231	23.1

Jan Klapka's passion for 4-way competition has not only been contagious for the Czech skydivers. His whole family is training and competing in 4-way. The Klapkas (Jan, wife Jirina, daughter Klara, son Jakub) are not all in the same lineup, as the Canadian Lemay and Bisson families, Hayabusa's Grauwels and the French Bernier brothers have done it in the past.

The Klapka family is currently separated in three different teams. Jan Klapka started the family's 4-way operation with the Bad Boys, and his wife Jirina joined the CZ Ladies for the World Meet 2014 on home turf in the Czech Republic.

Jan Klapka said in the live interview in Bedford that the Czech national team in 4-way Women had actually only a 1-year plan for the world meet. However, they also fell in love with 4-way and their team and have continued ever since.

Jakub Klapka and his married sister Klara Sotonova are team mates in the Rookie Class team Kamikadze. Father Jan Klapka explained that his daughter has turned from skydiving to indoor training abd competition after an injury and becoming a mother.

He added that his son Jakub almost made the family trip to the World Challenge, as well. Rookie Class winner Flying Circus had a scheduling issue and considered using Jakub Klapka as a substitute. Things eventually worked out for Flying Circus, and Jakub Klapka has to wait for the next opportunity.

Bad Boys Inside Center Vaclav Prokes is also organizing this year's first FAI World Championship of Indoor Skydiving in Prague and explained some of the details. The Czech indoor season is over now, and the teams will jump from planes again. Next weekend is the start of the Czech outdoor season.