Soar high over Linnanmäki on an eagle's flight, with views over Helsinki...
Soar high over Linnanmäki on an eagle's flight, with views over Helsinki...
| Theme Park | Linnanmäki |
|---|---|
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 18 June 2019 (replaced Vonkaputous) |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Model | LSM Launch Coaster |
| Height | 171 ft |
| Length | 3622 ft |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Max Speed | 66 mph |
| Duration | 1½ minutes |
One of Taiga's four inversions
Taiga ("forest" in Finnish) is Linnanmäki's sensational Intamin LSM Launch Coaster, which was added to the park in 2019 as a replacement for the old Vonkaputous water coaster.
The ride is the tallest, longest and fastest rollercoaster in Finland and sits on the edge of the amusement park high on the hill above Helsinki, meaning it offers some great views overlooking Finland's capital city.
After moving out of the station, the ride begins with a rolling launch that sends the train up into the first inversion which flips riders to the right and then fully upside down before diving downwards in a clockwise spiral. It is an amazing adrenaline filled way to start, with the whip from the inversion easily catching riders by surprise even though in theory it is easy to see what is going to happen from looking at the track in front.
From this most spectacular of beginnings, Taiga does not let off throughout the entire layout which is pure perfection. There's not a dull moment, with perfect pacing and a medley of inversions, turns and hills which come together almost like a symphony of fun and thrills. The ride's footprint is relatively small, leading to the track constantly twisting in and around itself which creates some wonderful headchopper moments where it seems impossible to fit through the tight gaps.
Climbing the top hat
The second half of the ride features another LSM launch track to boost the train's speed, sending it up and over a top hat. Masterfully, this is a simple top hat without any fancy twisting climbs or dives: the train races up one side, turns at the top and zooms down the other side. It's not complicated, but it fits perfectly.
The majority of Taiga's inversions come after this, in the form of a zero-G stall/dive loop with just the right amount of hangtime, a climb into a huge immelmann loop, and finally a twisting barrel roll that comes unexpectedly at the end of a 180 degree turn and acts as the ride's finale.
Unlike many Intamin rollercoasters which have a characteristic Intamin vibration, Taiga is silky smooth. The lapbar restraints provide for a very comfortable ride, and add to the ride's drama as riders' upper bodies swing freely when the train hits various elements: most notably on the first inversion where it feels that, although well secured, we could be tipped out at any moment.
Taiga is exceptional, and it would perhaps not be hyperbole to call it a masterpiece. Linnanmäki has a number of great rides, but Taiga is on another level. The layout is insane, with an incredible yet well balanced intensity and a sublime combination of imaginative inversions and other elements. It's the kind of rollercoaster that leaves you with adrenaline pumping, a warm swell of happiness, and the urge to run around and get straight back in the queue to ride it all over again.
Taiga at Linnanmäki
The rollercoaster sits over several other rides including Tulireki
Taiga's entrance
Inside the forest themed station
Riders onboard
Eagle themed front of the train
The first inversion
Intamin's familiar track design
Top hat
Climbing up into a zero-G stall
The stalling dive loop
Barrel roll
Four car train
Upside down over Linnanmäki
The eagle rolls
Taiga's first inversion is a highlight
The towering top hat can be seen from vantage points around the area
Empty train in the station
