Longest, fastest, highest roller-coaster of its type set to terrify riders at Canada's Wonderland

Yukon Striker debuts on May 3, boasting top speed of 130 km/h and a 75-metre drop

Cbc.ca
April 25, 2019

You dangle staring straight down, then plunge to the ground at 130 km/h. And yes, you'll probably scream.

Canada's Wonderland showed off the new Yukon Striker roller-coaster on Wednesday, billing it as the longest, fastest and highest dive roller-coaster ever.

The coaster is set to terrify thousands when the popular Toronto-area amusement park opens it to the public next month. But CBC Toronto's Talia Ricci got a sneak peek of the 1.1-kilometre track.

Canada's Wonderland's newest roller-coaster is one of the world's wildest. 0:43
The Yukon Striker's big draw: it lifts riders up a 75-metre track and pauses for three seconds before the first descent -- forcing them to look directly down.

Riders then drop straight down toward what looks like a tiny hole. Like this:

At ground-level, the floorless train rips through an underground tunnel before going back uphill into a series of inverted twists and turns.

There will likely be plenty of people screaming alongside you. The gold rush-themed ride seats eight riders across, in three rows.

The ride plunges and twists along a 1.1-kilometre long track. (Richard Agecoutay/CBC)
The straight vertical plunge is the signature of dive coasters, according to manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard. The Swiss firm has built 115 roller-coasters around the world, but this will be the first dive coaster in Canada.

"Riders facing down creates a different ride experience," the firm's website said.

Canada's Wonderland, located around 35 kilometres north of Toronto, is known for its 16 roller-coasters. Its recent additions include Behemoth, in 2008, and Leviathan four years later. The park opens on May 3.