So you think you’re a pretty hardened theme park-goer – you’ve cultivated a finely developed palate for ice cream flavours and hot dog sausages (mmm… medium acidity in the offal and a 
smooth bouquet of bone and hoof) and you’ve mastered the ascent of the twisty rope bridge and rung the little bell so many times the attendant thinks he’s got tinnitus. In fact, you’re now so practiced at turning a bin-bag into a poncho it’s like watching superman in a phone box at the first sign of rain.
But forget all those sundry attractions: forget the teacups, forsake the petting zoo and don’t think you’re impressing anyone on that fibreglass log flume. The time has come for you to surrender your unmentionables to the vice-like grip of the safety harness and join the big boys on the roller coasters. Here are the top five white-knuckle wonders from around the world as voted for by… well, me:
5. Colossus – Thorpe Park, Surrey (UK)
With a stomach-churning ten inversions Colossus holds the record for the world’s twistiest ride. Four loop-the-loops and six corkscrews tackled at a breathtaking 45 mph are more than enough to guarantee that you’ll stagger off the ride like an inebriated drag-queen wearing six-inch heels. Thorpe Park can be proud to have a record holding ride right here in little old Blighty.
4. Steel Dragon 2000 – Nagashima Spaland, Nagashima (Japan)
If you’re tired of queuing 45 minutes for a 30 second thrill you should probably find a new squeeze. In the meantime, though, you won’t be disappointed by Steel Dragon 2000 – it’s a record-breaking 8113ft long and lasts a deeply satisfying three and a half minutes. As the name suggests, the ride looks like a giant (318 feet high) dragon with three undulating drops along its back, which descend into a snake-like series of coils. The sheer size of this monster is awesome.
3. Stealth – Thorpe Park, Surrey (UK)
Brand new in 2006 this is a ride to really show your kahunas. The giant vertical hoop rises to a 205ft and falls at such speed that it impacts 4.5Gs on the riders, which is more than the pressure on an astronaut during take-off. If nothing else, the post-flight photos should be good - think bared teeth, rippling cheeks and alluringly peeled back eyelids.
2. Kingda Ka - Six Flags, New Jersey (USA)
They say that size isn’t everything but the guys at Six Flags Great Adventure Park obviously don’t subscribe to that point of view. Kingda Ka is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world - 456ft at its highest point and a lung-compressing 128mph maximum speed. In New Jersey, it seems, they don’t do anything by halves – God bless the American Dream.
1. Thunderbolt – Kennywood, Pennysylvania (USA)
Ok, I know what you’re thinking: if Kingda Ka is the tallest and the fastest, Steel Dragon is the longest and Colossus is the twistiest what is left to measure? Well Thunderbolt reaches the
lofty and much sought after position as number one theme park ride (as chosen by me) with the simple accolade of being officially the scariest rollercoaster in the world. This 39-year-old ride takes you swooping 95 feet into a natural ravine at 55 mph, which is pretty scary in itself. Add to that the fact that in-keeping with its vintage this ride has no seat dividers, no head restraints, none of your wussy over-the-shoulder safety harnesses - in fact there is just a traditional lap-bar and some serious willpower between you and the bottom of the ravine.
The Thunderbolt is seriously old-school, spurning these new-fangled speed control and automatic braking systems in favour of good old-fashioned hand-operated brakes meaning that if the guy in the control room chokes on his candyfloss you could be in serious trouble.
Now that’s what I call a white-knuckle ride. - By Sara Sha'ath
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