Rollercoaster superfan picks out the best thrills around the world
After thrilling riders at Lightwater Valley since 1991, The Ultimate has finally reached the end of the line.
Demolition of the 7,442ft rollercoaster – the world’s longest until Steel Dragon opened at Japan’s Nagashima Spa Land in 2000 – is under way.
And one coaster enthusiast who will miss it is Martin Valt, 61, a medical legal adviser from Cheshire who has dedicated three decades to visiting 3,000 rides in 56 countries.
“I was there for The Ultimate’s opening,” he says. “Frank Bruno opened it and I remember riding in the front seat with him. He was terrified!”
Martin’s first ride was on Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s Wild Mouse – and he wishes he never got on, joking: “I might have had a normal life!”
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Jurassic World Velocicoaster in Florida ranked first in Martin's list (UNIVERSAL ORLANDO)But he adds of their attraction: “Rollercoasters will never go out of fashion because fun will never go out of fashion.”
The Ultimate did not live up to its name for Martin, but here are his top 10 for living the scream...
1. Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Florida, USA
Opened 2021, 155ft-high with an 80 degree, 140ft drop, four inversions, a 53mph barrel roll and goes from 0-50mph in two seconds.
Martin says: “The best there is, there was and possibly ever will be.”
2. Nemesis, Alton Towers, UK
Opened in 1994, the 43ft-high inverted ride lets legs dangle during corkscrews, 180-degree turns and a zero-g roll – while going at speeds of up to 50mph.
Nemesis is the "jewel" in Alton Towers (Alton Towers)Martin says: “It’s the jewel in Alton Towers’ crown.”
3. Montu, Busch Gardens, Florida, USA
Opened 1996, the inverted coaster features a 128ft drop, a 60mph corkscrew and a 60ft loop that was inspired by First World War fighter pilots.
Martin says: “The finest inverted coaster ever constructed.”
4. Blue Fire, Europa Park, Germany
Opened 2009, it propels riders from 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds with G-forces of 3.8 before hitting a 105ft loop and multiple rolls.
Iron Gwazi opened in 2022 and plunges riders down a 206ft, 91-degree drop (DAILY MIRROR)Martin says: “The first of the current generation launch coasters.”
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5. Hypercoaster, Land of Legend, Turkey
Opened 2018, boasting a 190ft drop, top speed of 71mph and riders experiencing 4.2G
Martin says: “Who wants to sit on a beach or visit historic sites in Turkey when you can ride this instead?”
6. Boulder Dash, Lake Compounce, Connecticut, USA
Opened in 2000, the wooden coaster is made of Douglas fir and pine, has a 115ft drop, a top speed of 60mph and is the longest on the US east coast at 4,672ft.
The sheer drop of Iron Gwazi (DAILY MIRROR)
Six Flags' El Toro wooden roller coaster (LightRocket via Getty Images)Martin says: “The best way to descend a mountainside that I’ve ever found.”
7. El Toro, Six Flags, New Jersey, USA
Opened in 2006, it has a top speed of 70mph and a 76-degree drop – the then-steepest for any wooden coaster in the world.
Martin says: “More intensity and airtime than any single coaster has a right to have.”
8. Wild Mouse, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, UK
Opened in 1958, the much-replicated, widely loved wooden coaster might not be the scariest, but is historic as it was the first new ride at the site after the Second World War.
Martin has been riding roller coaster for three decades (DAILY MIRROR)Martin says: “The coaster I grew up riding. And much missed after it closed down in 2017.”
9. Cyclone, Astroland Lunapark, New York, USA
Opened in 1927, the wooden coaster is still going today with 12 dips, a top speed of 60mph and 2,624ft of track.
Martin says: “Coney Island’s seaside woodie is a classic.”
10. Iron Gwazi, Busch Gardens, Florida, USA
Opened in 2022, the steel coaster plunges riders down a 206ft, 91-degree drop, followed by zero-G rolls and speeds of 76mph.
Martin says: “Steel twisted like never before into a state-of-the-art attraction.”
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