For true motocross fans: the 4th Falta Memorial in Kostelec this weekend

This coming weekend will see the 4th edition of the Falta Memorial take place in Kostelec, near Prague. This track was the home ground of Dukla Prague, where, in the heyday of motocross, legends such as Jaroslav Falta, Zdenek Velky, Jiri Churavy, Antonin Baborovsky, Miroslav Halm, Josef Chara and Petr Kovar used to train.

Where motocross was – and still is – most popular

When asked about the popularity of motocross in Europe, countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and the Czech Republic spring to mind first. However, the Czech Republic stands out in its own right amongst Europe’s most popular motocross nations: The Czech Republic – or, to be more precise, the former Czechoslovakia – was the only country in the world to provide state funding for motocross. Nowhere else has anything comparable, and the town of Kostelec plays a crucial role in this context, alongside the Dukla Praha sports club.

In Kostelec findet die 4. Ausgabe des Falta.Memorials statt

Foto: copyright free

Dukla Prague, the Czech talent factory

The Dukla Sports Club was the Czechoslovak Army Sports Club. Formally, the athletes were members of the armed forces, and in some respects their training programme and daily routine were organised along military lines. However, instead of shooting practice, drill exercises and digging trenches, there were daily training sessions both on and off the track. The interest of the then still communist country lay in promoting the domestic motorbike brand CZ from Strakonice internationally. And it was a success: it wasn’t just local riders who enjoyed success on CZ bikes. Joel Robert, Sylvain Geboers, Roger de Coster and, last but not least, the three-time German world champion Paul Friedrichs. CZ was also very popular in the USA: Marty Tripes, Sonny DeFeo and Tony DiStefano won AMA races in the USA during the 1970s.

4. Falta Memorial 2026

In 1974, the Czech CZ works rider Jaroslav Falta won the World Championship title, only to have it stripped from him on a technicality. This long story is recounted in this article. Falta is still regarded today as the Czech Republic’s greatest talent. He passed away in 2022 at the age of just 71. His daughter, Martina Faltova-Cope, who has lived in the USA for many years, organises the annual Falta Memorial in memory of her famous father. This year marks the 4th edition of this event.

Die Vorbereitungen zur 4. Ausgabe des Falta-Memorials in Kostelec

Foto: Thoralf Abgarjan

What Kostelec has to offer

In Kostelec, not only are the heroes of the past honoured, but visitors can also experience these historic gems in action during the Classic races. Many Czech motor racing legends will be in attendance, from Zdenek Velky to Petr Kovar. There will also be a top-class freestyle show featuring the Czech European champion Petr Pilat and his Freestyle Academy. The junior classes, with their modern bikes, will also be well represented. Kostelec is an event for true fans, and the venue is easily accessible for German, Austrian and Swiss fans too.