Gravity Group and Gerstlauer News

The IAAPA convention is also usually when we get some interesting details as to what all our favorite ride manufacturers are up to.  The Gravity Group has shared some images of the new racing wooden coaster they are building in collaboration with Martin + Vleminckx at Happy Valley in Wuhan, China.

The massive ride looks to have a great layout, with plenty of twisting and turning while the trains are interacting with one another.  The ride will use new Timberliner trains as well.

One of the most highly anticipated features of the new ride is the "high five" element, seen above.  Each track will head over an airtime hill, bank on their side at 90 degrees and go roaring past each other.  Wild!

Gerstlauer is going to have a very busy 2011.  The company has announced that they will have 9 separate projects that are set to open next season.

Among the exciting projects are new tailored trains that will be used to create high capacity single-train operation on a new family coaster.  The company is also building a family Shuttle Coaster that will let kids experience both forward and backward movements.

Gerstlauer will also build a large launched Euro-Fighter in Asia that will feature four-tube track which will save on foundation costs.

In all the nine projects are:

• Euro-Fighter for Canobie Lake Park
• Family Coaster in Europe
• Launched Euro-Fighter in Asia
• Family Coaster for Hansa Park
• Unnamed ride type for Movie Park Germany
• Spinning Coaster for Plopsa Coo in Belgium
• Family Shuttle Coaster for Ruhpolding in Germany
• Euro-Fighter for Six Flags Over Georgia
• 3 Custom Designed trains for Six Flags Over Texas

2011 will be one of the busiest years in the company's history with all these new rides going in around the globe.  That's great news for us fans!