Diamondback's First Strike!

Today was the preview event for Kings Island's new slithering roller coaster, Diamondback. We've got much to cover here at NewsPlusNotes, and to really capture the entire event we'll need some time - but right now we want to cover some of the basics.

What's the most basic way to describe the ride? An air-time monster!

Don Helbig, PR guru for the park, proceeds over the opening festivities.

Greg Scheid, Vice President and General Manager of Kings Island, thanks everyone involved in the building of the massive Diamondback coaster.

Walter Bolliger, of Bolliger and Mabillard, with Mr. Scheid cut the ribbon and officially declare Diamondback open.

A beautiful rendition of the Diamondback logo created in ice was in the Rivertown Inn.

The first riders enter the Diamondback queue line by passing under the ride's entrance sign.

Chris Stoffl (left), NewsPlusNotes Diamondback Media Day contest winner, invited his brother Jerry to attend the event with him. They got in 25 rides on the coaster and declared that the back seat is the best in the house!

One of the Diamondback trains plunging down the ride's first drop with the iconic Eiffel Tower looming in the background.

Can you guess which way the train is going on all these pieces of track? We have to thank the weather gods for the beautiful sky today!

The brown colored supports are painted so to help them blend in with the heavily wooden area the coaster runs through.

A train coming over the ride's 9th hill just before the finale helix and splashdown. Hello airtime!

Diamondback has beautiful trains which include the impressive fangs on the front car and the snake themed front piece.

The 7th drop on the coaster which is located when coming off of the block brakes.

From the middle of the Beast wood, the train turns around and starts its journey back to the station area.

The coaster completes the splashdown finale and sends a huge fan of water into the air. This is a very impressive section of the ride... so impressive in fact that I needed to take video:

NewsPlusNotes would like to thank Don Helbig, Greg Scheid, and the entire Kings Island team for inviting us and our contest winner to the park today.

Stay tuned for more Diamondback coverage coming soon!