Records now broken into categories.

To please the masses of certain world records, I have noticed a trend in making all satisfied by taking a world record and breaking it off into different categories. The 2 that stand out the most recently is "Worlds tallest rollercoaster" and "Worlds tallest building". There are now 4 categories of Worlds tallest building with the Sears Tower claiming 3 of them. The Petronas Towers in Malaysia carries 1. MF carries 1 category and S:TE carries the other in the tallest coaster category. I dont know about all of you but this is turning into a delicate issue.

-------------
"DONT FIGHT IT, RIDE IT",,,,RAGING BULL

Actually, MF doesn't carry any right now. It's the #2 tallest full circuit coaster. (SD2000 is 7 feet taller) There should be a difference made...you can't build a 500 foot wooden coaster (at least not without killing those inside!), but for steel, it's not that out of reach...just would cost a LOT. Shuttle coasters are easy to make tall, thus S:TE. There should be a distinction. S:TE may be a great ride, but it most people's opinion, it's not really a 'true' coaster. Just like Demon Drop isn't really a coaster. I don't want to get into whether S:TE is/is not a coaster, but it's easier to resolve if we say that S:TE is a shuttle coaster, while MF and SD are steel coasters in the traditional sense.

Jman

He's talking about in the Guinness Book of World Records, Jman, in which case MF is still listed as the tallest, as SD2K hadn't yet opened at publication deadlines. SD2K will be next year's record holder. Only we crazy coaster nuts know otherwise than what Guinness says, so to the GP in the United States, MF still reigns. Of course, even after SD2K is in the books, most of the GP here will still consider MF the tallest. We're very Americentric here. Heck, the GP doesn't know much about records anyway...to a lot of them, Magnum was still the tallest coaster as of a few years ago. So it goes...

Well put Nattie Bee. As a test, try this, ask 10+ of your non-enthusiast friends (whom you have not told already) what is the world's tallest coaster? I would be willing to bet that 75% or more would get the answer wrong. The GP simply does not seek out infoemation the way people like us do. It is not because they are dumb, just not interested enough to "go the extra mile." Most SoCal folks now seem to think Goliath is the tallest, well at least it was, for a while.

-------------
Gotta ride 'em all!

Also, try asking someone from the GP is Superman is a roller-coaster. Most will say it is not, most enthusiasts say it is, and I personally do not care. I am not trying to start a fight here, just try asking someone from the GP and see what response you get :)

My theroy is that if you classify them all as "Thrill Rides," and break it down into sub catagories (launched, continious, ect.) that should put an end to all of the contraversy (SP?). Let's just hope that the industry impliments a "standard" classification system.
Just a thought.
-------------
Rollercoasters: They're not a hobby, they're not an interest, they're an ADDICTION!

Yeah but if they keep breaking records into numerous categories than there really is no true traditional record. Whats next? 3 categories on tallest man in the world?
1. Tallest from bottom of barefoot to top of skull.
2. Tallest from bottom of shoe to the top of hair.
3. Tallest when on tippy-toes.

-------------
"DONT FIGHT IT, RIDE IT",,,,RAGING BULL

I dont even like online coaster records anymore. Since hypers and gigas came out, no one cares about "most inversions" or "largest loop." I mean, when is the last time you heard someone say "This coaster broke the record for most loops." About 5 years ago. I live near SFGAm and I remember when Shockwave opened everyone was syched because it was the tallest, fastest, and the coaster WITH THE MOST INVERSIONS! Now I know something has passed it, but Id like to know what. If someone knows or knows a website that would tell me, Id appreciate it.

Oh and Chitown, sorry for getting off the subject.

-------------
Top 3:
1. Millenium Force
2. Raptor
3. Batman: the Ride

I'm pretty sure that the coasters with the most inversions is Dragon Khan in Spain with 8. There is also a coaster down in Brazil that I think has 8 inversions but it could have 7. In the USA I would have to say Kumba and Montu each with seven.

Kumba: loop, diving loop, barrel roll, cobra roll (2), and 2 corkscrews.

Montu: loop, immelian (sp.), in-line twist, batwing (2), loop, and corkscrew.
-------------
Parks for 2000: SFEG,IOA,MGM,WDW,PGA,SFMW,SCBB,Lakeside.

Thanx PT300
-------------
Top 3:
1. Millenium Force
2. Raptor
3. Batman: the Ride

PT300, I looked into it, and the coaster in Brazil has 8, but the one in Spain does have any inversions. Also, I think Alpengeist has 7 and I know Shockwave (sfgam) and the Vipers that are steel have 7 (they are clones of Shockwave, just taller).

-------------
Top 3:
1. Millenium Force
2. Raptor
3. Batman: the Ride

Yeah, I thought there was more mega loopers but that's all I could think of.
-------------
Parks for 2000: SFEG,IOA,MGM,WDW,PGA,SFMW,SCBB,Lakeside.

Also Medusa and GASM at SFGAdv have 7 inversions apiece.

Alpengeist only has 6 inversions. I think i heard of an intamin looper out in South america or europe that has 9 inversions. Im no sure so you never know.

On one of my friends Worlds Greatest Coasters videos (americas greatest, whatever), it stated that Dragon Kahn was the roller coaster that held the record for most inversions, with 8. I've read that on various web sites also. It's possible (and in most cases very likely) that I'm wrong, but it is Dragon Kahn in Spain to the best of my knowledge.
-------------
Rollercoasters: They're not a hobby, they're not an interest, they're an ADDICTION!

Dragon Kahn, a B&M ait-dwn looper, holds the record for most inversions with 8, alongside Monte Mayaka, an Intamin sit-down looper. *** This post was edited by Everdred on 9/24/2000. ***

For anyone who is interested, here's the complete list:

Dragon Khan - Port Aventura - 8
Monte Makaya - Terra Encantada - 8
Goudurix - Parc Astérix - 7
Great American Scream Machine - SFGAdv - 7
Incredible Hulk - IOA - 7
Kraken - SWF - 7
Kumba - BGT - 7
Medusa - SFMW - 7
Medusa - SFGAdv - 7
Montu - BGT - 7
Shockwave - SFGAm - 7
Viper - SFMM - 7

-------------

Tim Santa Cruz
californiacoasternews.com