IS this the world’s scariest rollercoaster? That’s the question on the lips of thrill-seekers with news that America’s tallest, fastest and steepest ride is finally due to open this March.

Iron Gwazi, at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay will plunge riders from a 206ft (60m) tall peak into a 91-degree drop, reaching speeds of up to 76mph. And that’s just the icing on the cake.

Yes, there’s more. Riders will experience no fewer than a dozen airtime thrills, including three inversions, during the crocodile-inspired run. 

Although the coaster was completed in March 2020, and an official rider point-of-view video released, the Covid-19 pandemic has kept pushing back the public opening until now.

The new ride stands on the site of the original wooden Gwazi duelling-coaster, and has had fans chomping at the bit ever since the first look preview during construction.

Although it’s not quite a vertical drop – that distinction belongs to Oblivion at the Alton Towers theme park in England’s Staffordshire – it’s seriously steep thanks to the ride’s towering height.

It is being marketed as the tallest hybrid roller coaster in North America, as well as the steepest and fastest of its kind in the world.

To check on opening and availability, head to the Iron Gwazi site here.