Wiegand: New Alpine Coaster Projects In Europe And Beyond

Birštonas is a spa town on the Memel River in southern Lithuania, with a population of only around 3000. The three artificial lakes, where you can swim, the terrain, the climatic conditions, and the mineral water springs all contribute to Birstonas' popularity as a holiday destination. Since the Alpine Coaster opened in late summer, what previously sounded like a very traditional resort has undergone changes.

At the end of May, the ride's installation had already begun. After a brief uphill ride on the about 150-metre-long lift track, the terrain quickly descends with a roundabout, elevations up to three metres high, straight racing tracks constructed just above the earth, and nimble turns providing action, with time in between for a look at the fantastic surroundings.

The track is Lithuania's second after Anyksciai, which was built in 2009.

And then it is on to Illinois in the USA, where the Illinois River and the Mississippi join to form one big river.

At Aerie`s Resort, our American colleagues from WiegandSports GmbH, along with fitters from our company and a few helpers, installed 915 m of downhill and approx. 270 m of uphill track in what was at times a rather hot 40°C.

Further interesting information on the toboggan run and the Aeries Resort is available at

While we're across the pond, how about Mexico? Specifically, Orizaba in the state of Veracruz, where construction on an about 550-metre-long Alpine Coaster with a roughly 165-metre uphill track started this summer. The ride with the 20 green, yellow, or red toboggans is made even more thrilling for the riders with two towering roundabouts in addition to the various turns and leaps.

Finally, we look to Brazil, where the third Alpine Coaster in Brazil is now being constructed in Capivari, located halfway between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The lift line is 135 metres long, and the 340 metres of track zigzag their way down the mountain. The distance control system is included with this ride, just like the projects that were previously discussed. A garage system is included in the delivery as a place to store the toboggans. The installation is expected to be finished this year.