Daredevils will be flocking to Gurnee in Illinois this summer for the chance to take on Goliath – the world’s tallest, steepest, fastest roller coaster.
The latest attraction which opened at Six Flags Great America on Thursday is a wooden roller coaster that breaks three world records.
Those brave enough to take a ride on it will be plunged down a 180ft near-vertical drop, as the roller coaster twists and turns at speeds of up to 72mph.
To make Goliath as smooth a ride as possible, the designers constructed the roller coaster out of wood.
It takes just one minute and 15 seconds to complete the course of loops, rolls and spiraling section that includes an inverted zero-G stall, where the ride twists upside down.
John Murman, 88, was one of the first people to experience the ride when it opened.
‘The twisting is unbelievable. The first drop is great but the first drop is nothing. It’s the twisting and the turning and the acceleration and the feeling of being thrown out of the thing. Thank God that they had you pinned in there,’ he said.
It is rare for wooden coasters to have sections where riders go upside down, but Goliath has been built on a track designed specifically for the ride.
Fred Grubb, who owns the Rocky Mountain Construction company that designed and built the track, said they used layers of steel and laminated wood to make the death-defying twists and turns work.
Record breaker: Goliath is the fastest and steepest wooden roller coaster ever built
‘We keep building them bigger, faster, better, and more exciting,’ Grubb told the Chicago Times.
The ride is the latest attempt by Six Flags to push back the boundaries of theme rides. It had been due to open in May but the harsh winter pushed back work on the project.
Goliath is one of 14 roller coasters at the Illinois park, which also a water park and entertainment section for children.
‘We’re always looking for rides that spark innovative new concepts in the roller coaster world. We’re constantly looking for concepts out there that will keep us as the leader of roller coaster innovation,’ park spokeswoman Katy Enrique told ABC News.
Giant: The roller coaster at Six Flags in Illinois has a near vertical 180ft drop
Over the top: Goliath is the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world
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