Ride in the sky
SHIKHA JAIN susses out the world’s craziest roller coasters to screech on this Roller Coaster Day
Itlets you scream at the top of your lungs, gives you a momentary rise up free of gravity with your hands thrown in the air and makes you see the world upside down. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of riding a roller coaster. It might just be one of humanity’s most impressive creations yet! Not only are they extremely fun to ride, but they also give birth to many adrenaline junkies. So, are you ready for some cobra turns while leaving your life in the hands of engineering? If yes, then below are some record-breaking roller coasters from around the globe to add to your bucket list or to just admire from afar, come August 16...
Formula Rossa
Coaster fans, here you go! This fastest roller coaster on the planet reaches an astonishing top speed of 149.1 mph. It is so intense that passengers are issued googles to protect their eyes from the desert sand. The ride starts inside the indoor theme park, accelerates through the dome, travels outside the park and returns to the loading stations inside the building. These train cars, that look like flashy Formula One Ferraris, are at Ferrari world in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Takabisha
Aren’t the steep drops one of the most exciting parts of a roller coaster? It is the feeling that you get when your stomach seems to delightfully slam into your spine and your body releases a heavy dose of adrenaline, which is hard to beat. Hence, the steeper, the better. The world’s steepest incline is a part of the Takabisha roller coaster in Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland amusement park. The drop is angled at 121 degrees and serves as the climatic centrepiece for the entire ride.
The Smiler
Who would like to challenge their body and mind? Guys, hold tight and buckle yourself up. This 14 loop roller coaster with its twisting track combines the world beating 14 loops with a speed of 85 km/hr. It comes with the world’s most immersions in a roller coaster, which is at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, UK.
Full Throttle
Steep inclines aren’t the only engineering feat to a unique roller coaster. This record-holding coaster sits at Six Flags Magic Mountain Park in Valencia, California. It is known for the tallest vertical loop that stands at 160-feet tall and has been an iconic part of the park’s skyline since it was launched in 2013.
The Nitro
Dubbed as India's biggest and wildest roller coaster, the Nitro at Adlabs Imagica reaches a thrilling maximum height of 132 feet and a maximum speed of 65.2 miles per hour (104.9 km/hr). With over 2800 feet of track length, it makes for a superfast 150 seconds of pure excitement, involving five exciting inversions and loops.
Go on, chase your thrills!