Bobsled Roller Coasters

bobsled on 2010 Olympic track

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan are currently taking place and with it the bobsledding competition. For many watching Bobsleds scream at 80 miles/hour down an ice track is the highlight of the Olympics. Celebrities like Jason Kelce and Colin Jost are also taking their turns with rides down the track. It looks like a roller coaster ride with its intense turns and speed and the roller coaster industry even designed a special type of coaster based on the bobsled experience.

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The Closing of La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas Ends the Era of the Intamin Bobsledding Coaster

La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas. An Intamin Swiss Bob Roller coaster.
La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas by Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)

I was sad to see the closure of La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas on November 4, 2024. As far as I can tell it was the last standing of what was known as the Swiss Bob roller coaster by Intamin. On a Swiss Bob a bobsled like vehicle is taken up a lift hill and then released into a tubular track to free roll and mimic the action of Olympic bobsledding. Most classify this style of ride as a roller coaster even though it lacks traditional track. La Vibora is being removed to make room for a new dive coaster for 2026 (here’s a video of the demolition from Amusement Source), which no doubt will be a great addition for the park, but the uniqueness of the Swiss Bob will surely be missed.

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