The Salas Hill Sports Club, Inc.
Presents
The Annual International Invitational “Baca Cup” Ski Race
Salas Hills, Pennsylvania
Home | News | History | Past Champions | Race Results | Links | Photo | Video
The Cup
History
The
Bača Cup is an international invitational alpine racing event
that first started in 1979. Racer of all ages and nationalities are
invited to participate, as representatives from Germany, Czech Republic,
Hungary, Slovakia, and the United States take part in this annual event
that highlights the relationship between all countries and their shared
love of the Nordic experience. Truly, the
Bača’s vision of cooperation,
competition, and good fun is realized through all who choose to be
involved.
THE FOUNDERS:
Our founder, Jiri (Bača) Parma was the driving force behind this event
and in the early days the race was conducted at the
Bača’s Salas Hills
residence on
Bača Hill. The race moved to the Blue Knob Ski Resort in
the early 1980’s and has resided there ever since.
|
|
The co-founder, and hostess of the annual awards gathering, Ute (Bačova)
Parma, is the gracious and epicurean genius behind the incredible
display of beautiful food and desserts. From Goulash to Venison Roasts
to traditional Czech, German, and Slovak dishes, the
Bača and
Bačova are
world renowned for their hospitality.
ONE GENERATION FOLLOWING ANOTHER:
The Race Coordinators: Carl and Dasha Fletcher have been coordinating
the ski race for the last 15 years and under their stewardship and their
children the race will carry on for generations to come. As proud family
and descendents of the
Bača the tradition continues on in his honor.
|
|
The Next Generation of Baca: In 2003, when our founder Jiri Parma decided it was time to retire as Baca, he named his first born grandson Tomas as his predecessor and passed him the Baca Hat. Tomas presided as Baca for several years until he moved permanently to warmer climates and took up residence on the Little Corn Island off the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. Since then Tomas has started his own family and is now the proud father of two (2) young Baca's (Ivan and Isaac Carl). As island children, they have yet to see snow for the first time but one day we look forward to having them come see first hand what a wonderful tradition their Great Grandfather created. As a proud steward of his flock, Tomas passed the Baca Hat on to his younger brother Jiri Parma Fletcher to carry on "The Baca" tradition. |
| The Next Baca: When "The Baca" named his first born grandson Tomas Pruett as his predecessor he passed him the Baca Hat. Upon moving to Nicaragua, Tomas then passed the Baca Hat on to his younger brother Jiri Parma Fletcher. Jiri was named after his grandfather and Baca Cup founder Jiri Parma. Truly, we all knew Jiri was born to be "The Baca" and we are so blessed and proud he has taken up his role as our "New Baca". We know Jiri's grandfather would be very proud of him and we are too. With one generation following the other and the transfer of the Baca Hat having been made, we wish Jiri all the best as he has assumed his "birth right" and continues to guide the flock into the foreseeable future. |
|
| The Jr. Baca: Lukas Mitchell Fletcher is the 3rd born grandson of "The Baca" and is our designated pacesetter. Like his brothers before him, Lukas is a fierce competitor and now it is "his time" to represent the future of Baca Cup racing. As our recognized "Baca Cup Children's Ambassador" Lukas has taken on the role of presenting the awards to the younger children and we are so happy to see him and all of our younger skiers developing their skiing and racing skills. It appears the time has now come for us to welcome in this new generation of "Baca Cup Champions" and we are very pleased to have Lukas "at the ready" to perform Baca duties wherever and whenever he is needed. |  Lukas |
Recognized throughout central Europe and the United States “The Bača Cup International Invitational Ski Race” has become a shining example of Euro-American relations.
History of “The Ambassador's
Cup”
| In 1997 Michael Zantovsky, Czech Ambassador to the United States, and current Czech Ambassador to Israel participated in the Bača Cup. That year, Ambassador Zantovsky presented a beautiful Czech Crystal Vase to the Bača Cup Ski Race. The vase was to be given to the fastest European or American Ski racer based on who won the Bača Cup. That year a Czech won Bača Cup and Ray Rosenberg won the vase as “Fastest American Skier”. |
|
|
|
1998 - Alexandr Vondra, then the new Czech Ambassador to the United States also participated in Bača Cup. Ambassador Vondra as a gesture of Good Will to all involved, presented the Bača Cup Ski Race with another beautiful Czech Crystal Vase. The Vase became known as “The Ambassador's Cup” and the tradition was born. The same rules apply to “ The Ambassador's Cup” and, like Bača Cup, the winner gets to keep the vase for a year but this award must be defended every year. |
|
Since then, "The Ambassador's Cup" has also been presented by the following dignitaries: Petr Janousek: Former Press Secretary to the Czech Embassy, Washington, D.C., having since served at the United Nations and most recently completed duties at the Czech Mission in Paris, France. Martin Palous: Former Czech Ambassador to the Czech Embassy Washington, D.C, and Czech Ambassador to the United Nations. Petr Kavan: Former Press Secretary to the Czech Embassy Washington, D.C., having served at the Czech Missions in Cuba and the Island of Cypress, Jaroslav Kurfurst: Former Deputy Chief of Mission to the Czech Embassy, Washington, D.C., and currently serving as Czech Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, Jaroslav Zajicek: Current Deputy Chief of Mission to the Czech Embassy, Washington, D.C., and Vaclav Kolaja: First Secretary, Head of the Political Department Czech Embassy, Washington, D.C and Dr. Robert Rehak: Second Secretary, Current Cultural Attaché to the Czech Embassy, Washington, D.C. and Former Cultural Attaché at the Czech Mission in Israel. |
|
Jaroslav Kurfurst
|
2009 - Ambassador Petr Kolar found a few moments away from his busy schedule to join us for the 31st Annual Baca Cup. He was a strong finisher in the ski race and also graced us with his fine presentation of the Ambassador’s Cup. We are truly grateful for his support and wish to thank him and his lovely wife Jaroslava for participating with us. Truly, they are wonderful friends. |
|
2011 - We were truly honored by the attendance of Ambassador Edita Hradá, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations, who was also designated by the President of the Czech Republic to serve as the Czech Ambassador to eleven Caribbean States. Mrs. Hradá and her family were fast finishers in the ski race and she elegantly presented the Ambassador’s Cup to our 2011 winner. We wish to thank Edita so much for taking time from her exceptional duties to be with us and we look forward to many more years of her friendship and Baca Cup participation. |
2015 - On Valentines Day 2015, Ambassador Petr Gandalovič attended the 37th Annual Baca Cup and honored us in presenting the Ambassador's Cups award and speaking on behalf of the Czech Embassy Washington, D.C. We were truly inspired by his participation and greatly appreciated his very personal involvement in helping the race be another spectacular success. On behalf of Baca Cup Ski Racing we offer our sincere “Thank You” to Ambassador Gandalovič for taking time away from his busy schedule to become a part of Baca Cup History. |
 Petr Gandalovič |
Truly, the Ambassador's Cup is recognized as a symbol of Czech-American
relations worldwide. This represents Jiri (Bača) Parma's dream of people
from all nations coming together annually to celebrate their love of the
Nordic Sports. This is a wonderful tradition to follow, and we thank
these kind gentleman for taking time away from their busy schedules to
become a part of
Bača Cup History.p
|
|
The Bača