Russia to build Vekoma GIB in Sochi

It seems the Vekoma GIB is back with vengeance. After the ride unexpectedly showed up at Jin Jiang Action Park in China earlier this year it seems Vekoma have sold another model to the brand new Sochi Park in Russia. (Source: http://coastersandmore.de/rides/achterbahnneuheiten2012/achterbahnneuheiten2012.shtml)

The park is being built for part of the 2014 Winter Olympics and is expected to open for the 2013 season and will feature 6 themed areas and a 35 rides. The official site is already online (although in limited form) and can be found here. http://sochi-park.ru

Below are a couple of concept and model images I’ve dug up from the web.

Source: http://vhcoasters.com/

It seems a little random that we went 9 years without a GIB and suddenly we have 2 more to play with. Not that I'm complaining. I think they are great rides.

Putin looks like: "All people with complaints will be eaten alive"

But nice to see russia gets a new state-of-the-art park.

Always nice to see more of these great rides pop up. My only complaint is that I wish one of these closer to home.

It seems a little random that we went 9 years without a GIB and suddenly we have 2 more to play with. Not that I'm complaining. I think they are great rides.

Plus, SFMM's is getting moved to SFNE...so to many, that will appear to be brand new.

I can't complain about new GIBs! Maybe I need to go to Russia (not just for this).

Maybe Vekoma was able to solve most of the problems with China's GIB? Stunt Fall did turn out to be much better than the US versions, and that opened only a year later. It is possible that China's could be a lot more reliable than the other versions.

Although, the resurrection of one of the most problematic designs in history seemed to come out of left field. What's next? A new Flying Dutchman?

Of all the coasters they could put in, why this?

Still have yet to ride a Giant Inverted Boomerang. And after this park is built, I imagine I still won't get the chance. Then again, it's never been high on my agenda.

I really want to ride one of these, a good drop is a good drop on any rollercoaster. Try Jubilee Odyssey out for size.

Maybe Vekoma was able to solve most of the problems with China's GIB? Stunt Fall did turn out to be much better than the US versions, and that opened only a year later. It is possible that China's could be a lot more reliable than the other versions.

 

Although, the resurrection of one of the most problematic designs in history seemed to come out of left field. What's next? A new Flying Dutchman?

Vekoma always claimed Six Flags was to blame because they requested a ton of changes to the original design AND kept modifying the ride.

Stunt Fall was also built by Six Flags and has had its share of troubles as well.

It's like blaming Honda when your tuned Civic doesn't make it over a speed bump anymore.

Theres a new model now including the proposed winter olympics venues, new shopping malls and Formula 1 track.

Yeah the coasters still look really unrealistic but the park is expected to get a GIB and a Mack Launched coaster.

They have also released a promo video which can be seen here

And for a ton of pics of the venues, malls and F1 track check below

Source: http://vhcoasters.com/

^I don't see the GIB anywhere in that scale model.

^I don't see the GIB anywhere in that scale model.

That scale model is rubbish. Just random crap.

Here's the plan of the park.

You can see the Vekoma GIB on the left, along with a Mack Wild Mouse - the bigger park model.

Bottom right, the Mack launched looper, clearly a clone of BlueFire. And top right, a Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster.

Construction well underway:

http://www.themeparx.com/sochi-park/

Wow! I wonder if this park will survive when no one visits Sochi after the Olympics!

It's always nice to see another GIB being built.

Wow! I wonder if this park will survive when no one visits Sochi after the Olympics!

With the city hosting the Russian Grand Prix, the 2018 World Cup and being a general tourist destination for Russians, I think they'll be fine.

^Three events in four years with a park that's behind schedule doesn't instill confidence in me.

^

For what it's worth, the Grand Prix is in Sochi from 2014-2020 (or something along those lines). Now, if the track experiences delays in opening on time, then I'd be concerned.

Wow! I wonder if this park will survive when no one visits Sochi after the Olympics!

I'm still wondering if the Winter Olympics will survive being hosted in a city known as a warm weather destination.

Yes, I realize many events will be held in the surroundings moutainous region, but I still expect there to be huge problems.

^My parents visited Sochi late this Summer and said the whole place was still under construction!

Maybe "Sochi" is Russian for "construction zone."

Wow! I wonder if this park will survive when no one visits Sochi after the Olympics!

 

I'm still wondering if the Winter Olympics will survive being hosted in a city known as a warm weather destination.

Yes, I realize many events will be held in the surroundings moutainous region, but I still expect there to be huge problems.

Next 3 olympic venues (including Sochi) are all pretty bad choices IMO...

Sochi 2014, Warmest place in Russia for the *WINTER* Olympics.

Brazil 2014, Lots of crime from what I've heard.

South Korea 2018, Next to North Korea, and depending on how Kim Jon Une is feeling, that's bad.

At lest in 6 years we get a good venue, Tokyo.

Anyway, as for the GIB, it's cool to see more of these things. I'm surprised other companies haven't made similar versions of it in the 10 or so years they've been out of production.

Wow! I wonder if this park will survive when no one visits Sochi after the Olympics!

 

I'm still wondering if the Winter Olympics will survive being hosted in a city known as a warm weather destination.

Yes, I realize many events will be held in the surroundings moutainous region, but I still expect there to be huge problems.

Next 3 olympic venues (including Sochi) are all pretty bad choices IMO...

 

Sochi 2014, Warmest place in Russia for the *WINTER* Olympics.

Brazil 2014, Lots of crime from what I've heard.

South Korea 2018, Next to North Korea, and depending on how Kim Jon Une is feeling, that's bad.

At lest in 6 years we get a good venue, Tokyo.

 

Anyway, as for the GIB, it's cool to see more of these things. I'm surprised other companies haven't made similar versions of it in the 10 or so years they've been out of production.

No WESTERN company have. HOWEVER, a few knockoff companies in China have actually built quite a few boomerangs. Like the one in Harbin. Absolutely terrible! It makes a Vekoma SLC seem like a B&M! YES, its actually that bad!!!

Anyway, as for the GIB, it's cool to see more of these things. I'm surprised other companies haven't made similar versions of it in the 10 or so years they've been out of production.

Isn't the GIB still in production by Vekoma? It was my understanding that both this GIB and the one built at Jin Jiang a few yewrs back were both brand new coasters built by Vekoma. I could be wrong though.