originally posted on 8/28/2024
Photo: Courtesy Thorpe Park. View full-sized image.
Thorpe Park in Chertsey, England, has a new roller coaster this year, and the park aimed for setting records. It’s called Hyperia.
The advertising campaign was awesome, and the hype the park created was one-of-a-kind. Thorpe Park coordinated a campaign on all the possible media channels including television, radio and social media like never before, creating a hype in Europe that was unique. It even gave ACE a 45-minute presentation about Hyperia during its visit at Summerfest.
But creating so many expectations, would the coaster live up to it all?
The backstory of Hyperia is equally captivating. It pays tribute to a legendary figure, the daughter of an ancient river god. Despite her fear of water, she crafted wings of steel and defied her fears, soaring above the very waters that once imprisoned her. Hyperia embodies triumph over adversity and the power within us to overcome our deepest fears.
Towering over Thorpe Park, Hyperia stands as the United Kingdom’s tallest roller coaster.
Photo: Courtesy Thorpe Park. View full-sized image.
Photo: Mike Robinson. View full-sized image.
Mack Rides did a marvelous job (and was selected in competition with other high-profile manufacturers). With a height of 236 feet (72 meters), Hyperia is now the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom. And this coaster holds other records. At 80 mph (130 km/h), it is the fastest roller coaster in the United Kingdom. It has the longest amount of weightless moments on a roller coaster in the United Kingdom, as well ―14.8 seconds ― and the first-in-the-world outer-banked airtime hill.
Hyperia begins with a freefall from the top of the 236-foot-tall lift hill followed by three thrilling inversions.
Photo: Courtesy Thorpe Park. View full-sized image.
Photo: Courtesy Thorpe Park. View full-sized image.
So, buckle up for an adrenaline-fueled journey on Hyperia. Stepping into the futuristic trains, riders’ hearts race with anticipation. The restraints click into place, and passengers are ready for the ride of a lifetime. The coaster begins its ascent, climbing the lift hill. The view expands, revealing the wonderful environment around the park, and offers even a glimpse of central London. Suddenly, the train plummets at breakneck speed, hurtling toward the ground. Wind rushes past, and screams blend with the coaster’s roar in an exhilarating freefall. Hyperia defies gravity with its 168-foot (51 meters) loop, the first of three inversions. Spiraling upside down, bodies experience weightlessness. The world flips, and riders are caught in a thrilling inversion. Twenty riders at a time hold on tight as the train soars into an outer-banked airtime hill that is vastly different from what has ever been seen before. Before exiting the turn, riders are flipped upside down — amazing.
Hyperia features trains similar to those on other Mack Rides coasters.
Photo: Courtesy Thorpe Park. View full-sized image.
Photo: Amanda Harper. View full-sized image.
Photo: Jamey Frank. View full-sized image.
The coaster twists, banking sideways, and weightlessness is felt once again. It’s like dancing with the wind. Cheeks flap, and adrenaline floods one’s veins, while the track blurs beneath. Swooping past supports, thrill seekers are astonished by the near misses, narrowly avoiding obstacles. It’s a game of inches. A barrel roll, downward drop and stalled dive loop keep the intensity coming. The body twists, turns and flips. The coaster’s energy is contagious, and it is best to surrender to the thrill. As Hyperia slows on the brake run, riders catch their breath. The station approaches, and everyone exits — legs wobbly but totally grinning. The beast has been conquered, and the adrenaline lingers. Hyperia leaves an indelible mark — a rush of fear, joy and triumph. Remember, Hyperia isn’t just a coaster; it’s an emotional journey.
Thorpe Park has always catered to the thrill seeker. At 3,266 feet, Hyperia is the longest of the park’s eight roller coasters.
— Jo Pools, ACE Europe Regional Representative
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