Snaking boomerang shuttle coaster...
Snaking boomerang shuttle coaster...
| Theme Park | Walibi Belgium |
|---|---|
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 28 April 2001 |
| Manufacturer | Vekoma |
| Model | Boomerang |
| Height | 117 ft |
| Length | 935 ft |
| Inversions | 3 |
| Max Speed | 47 mph |
Cobra at the top of the second spike
Most Vekoma Boomerang coasters are pretty awful, and Walibi Belgium's is no exception.
Built in 2001, the intervening years have not been kind to it. It is now very rough which, in combination with its hard over-the-shoulder restraints make for a lot of headbanging and general discomfort.
Cobra follows the same track layout as a standard Vekoma Boomerang, with trains first being hauled up to the top of a spike before being released and racing through the layout - including cobra roll and vertical loop inversions - and up a second spike at the other end. After a brief moment the train is released back down the spike to travese the layout again in reverse.
There are a couple of uncomfortable jolts as trains are released at the top of each spike, but the majority of uncomfortableness comes from the transitions in the track itself which are graceless and uncompromising, slamming the sides of riders' heads and faces into the restraints. That, together with the intensity of the backwards section which can make some riders feel quite sick, means Cobra is a rollercoaster to consider very carefully before boarding.
Cobra in the station
Beginning the ride
Winched backwards out of the station
Waiting to be released
Racing back through the station
Cobra roll
Exiting the inversion
Climbing up
In the loop
Out of the loop
Up the spike
Cobra roll poking through the trees
Racing backwards
Returning to the station
