WhiteWater's New Uphill Mat Blaster Wins Brass Ring for Best New Product

© WhiteWater

Mat racing water slides have quickly become a water park staple, so it only makes sense that WhiteWater would push the boundary and turn this classic into a fresh new idea.  Known as a Mat Blaster, the company added their Master Blaster technology into the slide, creating uphill sections that riders - laying head first on mats - rush up and over, very much like a roller coaster.  The first Mat Blaster in the world opened this past June at Yinji Xinmi, located in China, and has been a smash success.

© WhiteWater

The initial instillation starts with a 13 foot plunge downward, followed by two up-hill sections and finally a set of enclosed turns.  The ride's design has been honored by IAAPA with this year's Best New Product in the annual Brass Ring Awards.

“WhiteWater has been making the Master Blaster for decades, and now we’ve taken that iconic ride
experience and combined it with the engaging sensation of a mat ride to create a brand new attraction.
We’re giving park guests a completely new and unique feeling as they race up and down hills,  headfirst on a mat, there’s no other ride like it on the market”, commented Sean Hinton, WhiteWater’s President, Waterparks and Attractions Division.

© WhiteWater

WhiteWater's Mat Blaster is fully customizable, so it can appeal to water parks of various sizes.  It can have different amounts of uphill sections, twists and turns, and anywhere from 2 to 8 lanes for racing.  Mat Racers have been popular at parks in part due to their high hourly capacity, so this innovation holds a lot of potential for additional installations.  Can't wait to try one out, I have a feeling we will see them start popping up sooner than later!