Taiga (roller coaster)

Taiga
Linnanmäki
Location	Linnanmäki
Coordinates	60°11′18.64″N 24°56′20.68″E / 60.1885111°N 24.9390778°E / 60.1885111; 24.9390778
Status	Operating
Opening date	June 18, 2019 (2019-06-18)
Replaced	Vonkaputous
General statistics
Type	Steel – Launched
Manufacturer	Intamin
Model	Blitz Coaster
Lift/launch system	Linear synchronous motor Launch
Height	170.6 ft (52.0 m)
Drop	105 ft (32 m)
Length	3,622 ft (1,104 m)
Speed	65.9 mph (106.1 km/h)
Inversions	4
Duration	1:05[1]
Capacity	860 riders per hour
G-force	5
Height restriction	55 in (140 cm)
Taiga at RCDB

Taiga is a steel roller coaster located at the Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki, Finland. Taiga is the tallest (52m), fastest (106km/h) and longest (1,104m) roller coaster in Finland.^[2]

History

Linnanmäki announced in early 2018, after a series of teaser social media posts, that the park was to build "its greatest ride project ever". This was to be a launched roller coaster built by Swiss manufacturer Intamin, and would surpass each of the records of height, length and speed held to date by Finnish roller coasters.^[3] The coaster replaced the park's longstanding Premier Rides water coaster, Vonkaputous.

Taiga opened on June 18, 2019.

Ride experience

The ride starts with a rolling LSM launch out of the station which leads into a Zero-g winder, followed by a series of banked right and left handed sweeping turns. Following these, the train arrives at the coaster's second and final launch: here the train is launched to the rides' top speed of 106.1 kilometres per hour (65.9 mph) up to a 52 metres (171 ft) top hat, before pulling down to the right into a Zero-g stall. The train then navigates a small airtime hill before rising into a large immelman loop. A further series of right and left handed S-bends leads the coaster to its final inversion, an in-line twist after which it reaches the brake run and station.^[4]

Theme

The name Taiga derives from a Russian word that refers to boreal or snow forests - which make up much of Finland's geography. These are areas of land that are mostly pine, spruce, and larch forests. The ride's theme is primarily based around a nesting eagle (which can be seen on the front of the train), which makes regular observation flights from its nest around the park.^[5]

References