. Timetable 14 May until 17 May Fri, 8:00am: Start at Six Flags Holland (1) Fri, 10:55am: Arrival at WBMW (2) Fri, 3:30pm: Arrival at Six Flags Belgium (3) Fri, 6:20pm: Arival at Bellawaerde Park (4) Fri, 11:50pm: Arrival at Walibi Lorraine (5) Sat, 7:15am: Arrival at Walibi Rhone-Alpes (6) Sat, 5:50pm: Arrival at Walibi Aquitaine (7) Sun, 7:20am: Arrival at WBMW Madrid (8) Sun, 8:00h: Challenge ends .

They love the speed, the height and the kick - roller coaster fans, the most loyal fans of amusement parks. The American Six Flags chain is known for their steel and wooden coasters, annual events for the coaster enthusiasts became a real institution. This year it will last for 48 hours in one piece. An event that will be unforgettable for the 22 fans from seven nations.

Tomorrow morning the chosen fans start a hardcore trip through Europe. There were 300 applications of several european fan groups for a limited number of seats.

At eight o'clock on 14 May 2004 the stop watch is going to be started, only 48 hours later the group shall ride the last of the 30 coasters in Madrid, the Stuntfall, a Giant Inverted Boomerang by Vekoma Rides Manufacturing. With the mega coaster Goliath and the floorless looping coaster Superman two of Europe's biggest roller coasters are on the agenda.

The participants are going to spin on more than 18 kilometers of coaster track. At the end of the tour they will have spent a total of almost one hour on the coasters. As a means of transportation a coach is used that brings the participants directly to the rides - every second counts.

Coastersandmore.com accompanies the crazy race against time from the starting point Biddinghuizen to the Spanish Warner Bros. Movie World. Daniel Schrader, the representative of a German coaster fan club, will be the center of attention during the following 48 hours. The employee of a savings bank is looking forward to the trip through the European Six Flags parks for quite some months.

. Roller Coaster Challenge preview with timetable .

On a regular basis the latest news on the challenge will be available - including facts, park portraits and pictures. Even today the first interim report is published before the challenge starts tomorrow at eight in the morning. We keep our fingers crossed for the 22 coaster fans!

Left: Daniel Schrader - right: Mike Christian Schmidt, Entertainment Director of WBMW Germany, starts a laola

+++ Live ticker +++ Thursday, 11pm: Except the Spanish all participants have arrived in Biddinghuizen and wait for the starting signal tomorrow morning at eight. Daniel Schrader, 23 years old, first of all hopes that the tour will keep the on schedule and the record will be brought in safely.

The participants are going to spend the night at Six Flags Holland's bungalow park. The medical checkup was more of a cheerful get-together where all the participants could meet each other due to the lack of a doctor. But the circle dissolved rather quickly - the alarm was going to ring as early as 6am. +++

Left: Superman - The Ride - right: Goliath

Station number one on the long trip through Europe is the self-proclaimed "Roller Coaster Capital of Europe" in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands. As many as seven coasters have to be tackled by the daring participants. Be it the first of five Boomerangs or the only ride with a LSM launch on the tour. Six Flags Holland offers lots of thrill and is the first big ordeal for the non hardcore fans.

Not to forget the 46 meters high lindworm called Goliath. The purple-green steel monster is the second European megacoaster from Intamin after Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park Haßloch and protrudes with its dynamics and a varied layout. The range of coasters is completed by the SLC prototype El Condor, the Vekoma wooden coaster Robin Hood, a Wild Mouse from Mack and a Zierer Medium Tivoli Coaster.

+++ Live ticker +++ Friday, 8 o´clock: In the Netherlands the challenge started in time with a huge confetti rain. Bill Muirhead, CEO of Star Parks, previously wished good luck to the participants. The seven coasters are worked off double quick - pure stress! The first rest isn´t possible before the coach is reached. Daniel Schrader is totally shattered when he arrives: "It´s a lot of fun, but I hadn´t thought that it would be such a rush." Accompanied by a police escort, the bus leaves towards Germany with a five minutes delay. +++

Left: Lethal Weapon Pursuit - right: SLC Eraser Picture left: Six Flags Theme Parks

The challenge arrives in Germany. Warner Bros. Movie World welcomes the coach around noon. The movie park at the Ruhr Basin offers lots of enter- and edutainment around the most famous movie classics by Warner Bros. Next to the five coasters that are in the center of attention today, the park offers a huge number of shows. Numerous dark rides round off the range of attractions. This year Movie World offers a hand full of events that additionally sweeten a stay at the park.

The outstanding roller coasters are Wild Wild West, Germany´s first modern wooden coaster, as well as Lethal Weapon Pursuit. Just like at the action movie of the same name two cars of the double-track coaster have a breathtaking race, putting the riders upside-down in a vertical loop and a heartline spin.

+++ Live ticker +++ Friday, 12:30: The rush continues! With a delay of almost one hour, the bus arrives in Germany, losing the way alone had cost 20 minutes. Arriving at Movie World it was time to leave the coach and to assail the rides - once again jogging style. In contrast to Six Flags Holland the park was filled with visitors, but the security team cleared the way. After only two parks Daniel Schrader looks worn out. "We've done another park and once again ran a few kilometers - I'd really appreciate an ice cream", the participant from Mettmann near Düsseldorf said with a groan as he sits in the bus again.

The bus has picked up speed and is on the direct way to Belgium. Now the rush our starts and the roads get crowded. There's not much happening in the coach: The first passengers have already fallen asleep - surely nobody expected such a strain. +++

Left: SLC Vampire - right: Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop Turbine

The trip continues to Belgium. Six Flags Belgium invites the participants of the 48 hour challenge to a coaster spin. The thrill park close to Bruxelles offers more than 50 attractions and shows. Last year Challenge of Tutankhamon, a top class interactive dark ride, was opened to the public. There the riders have to prove their skill to reach the final treasure chamber.

Here a total of five coasters is on the agenda. For the third and last time an SLC has to be vanquished. Calamity Mine is the only mine train of the challenge while Turbine has some historical value. This Schwarzkopf shuttle loop offers an intense launch from the station and a very special looping experience - there is only a lap bar to keep the riders in their seats.

+++ Live ticker +++ Friday, 5pm: The fans have already left Six Flags Belgium. Instead of the jogging exercise during the previous two parks the participants were lead through the park in speedy steps - which they all appreciate. The participants were enthusiastically greeted with a confetti rain, and the regular park visitors gave a hand, too.

After riding the coasters it was time for a quick group portrait, but seconds later the 22 contestants disappeared in the bus. There they discuss the passed coasters, and the anticipation to Bellewaerde rises. Daniel Schrader however is doing better now: He seems quite relaxed, gives interviews to numerous TV teams and talks to the fellow passengers. +++

Boomerang

The second Belgian park is regarded as Six Flag's green gem not without good reason. On 3 July the parks will celebrate it's 50th anniversary and looks back on the longest history of the division. The park offers fun for all ages and captivates by perfectly embedding the attractions into nature. All over the park ground exotic animals can be admired while only a few meters away the next high tech attraction is waiting for riders. The Interlink spillwater is the signature ride in the left park side. It is acompanied by a Shot'n Drop by Huss from Bremen.

On the other side the Mexican area is situated. It offers the first Boomerang of Vekoma Manufacturing in Europe. The ride as of now celebrates it's 20th aniversary. The coaster list is completed by the Keverbaan, another Zierer family coaster.

+++ Live ticker +++ Friday, 8pm: A warm welcome expected the coach at Belgian Bellewaerde Park. A brass band serenaded the coaster fans, and pretty quickly the next two coasters could be attacked. The hectic rush of the first few hous has disappeared and the 90 minutes delay is accepted with coolness. Daniel Schrader is enthusiastic about the wonderfully laid out park and says that he always underestimated this scion of the chain. +++

+++ Live ticker +++ Interview with Oscar Abbenhuis, Dutch representative of the European Coaster Club (ECC), who had the idea of the challenge: "In 48 hours riding all of Six Flags Europe's coasters proves to be a real challenge. The start of the event in Six Flags Holland was really rushing, running to all the coasters in the park.

I must say that I am impressed with the organization by Six Flags. At each park we have arrived at so far there was a warm welcome. And also quite important, all the coasters were ready for us. At the moment I am writing this we are driving from Bellewaerde park to Walibi Lorraine where we will ride the coasters at midnight! And that is really special. I hope Six Flags will continue to pamper us in the next few parks..." . +++

Left: Wooden Coaster Anaconda - right: Comet Space Pictures: Six Flags Theme Parks

Interlude close to Metz, south of Luxembourg and at the latitude of Saarbrücken. Already from the parking lot the gigantic wooden construction can be seen: Anaconda meanders along the whole eastern border of Walibi Lorraine, with its 1200 meters of track it is one of the longest coasters of the challenge. The classic out-and-back layout even crosses a natural brook twice.

Until last year the park was dubbed Walibi Schtroumpf and was themed according to the Smurfs, now it bears the name of the Lorraine region. Next to Anaconda the other major attractions are a rapids ride, a log flume and a space shot. Not to forget Comet Space, a Vekoma looping coaster with three inversions that marks the last hurdle before a short night on the coach.

+++ Live ticker +++ Saturday, 2am: Meanwhile the participants of the challenge have left the last park of the first 24 hours. Shortly before sleep they were shook up by Anaconda. Afterwards a spin on Comet Space - including three inversions - followed and the riders wanted to return to the coach. But no! Walibi Lorraine had booked the team of a basketball show - a performance at half past one in the night was pretty new for most of the participants!

Inbetween the coach drivers changed and the trip towards Rhone-Alpes can begin. The participants try to get some hours´ sleep, and we wish a good night! +++

Boomerang Picture: Six Flags Theme Parks

Just like Bellewaerde, Walibi Rhone-Alpes has remained its green soul. In the foothills of the Alps this small park is located in the middle of dense vegetation. Nevertheless there is an attractive selection of larger attractions, including a rafting ride, a space shot, three roller coasters and a small water park. Other quaint rides are the log flume La Rivière Canadienne and the boat ride Le Tam Tam Tour.

A well-balanced mixture of coasters recommends the parks for visits with the whole family. A Boomerang offers thrill for the youth, a Zierer Large Tivoli Coaster promises fun for the smaller ones. Inbetween there is a wild mouse made by Zamperla, which is not part of the challenge because of recent technical problems.

+++ Live ticker +++ Saturday, 9am: The delay has not been caught up, the challenge is still two hours behind schedule. During a rest half an hour before arrival at Walibi Rhone-Alpes it was time for the coaster fans to wake up to brush the teeth at a service area and to freshen up a bit.

Having arrived at the sixth park, the usual procedure begins: Leaving the bus, waiting until the TV teams have set up their equipment, running to the coasters, waiting for the cameras to be in position, riding the coaster - and repeating it all over at the next coaster. With this tactic the coach will never catch up...

Like after every park a lunch box is waiting for the hungry fans in the coach. Without a rest the bus sets off towards the atlantic ocean. +++

From left to right: Daniel Schrader, Christoph Rennigs - second row: Jessica Sehm and Jens Scheberg

+++ Live Ticker +++ Saturday, 4:30pm: The coaster fans become creative! Theres no boredom on the coach, even if the distances through France are much longer on this second day. Of course the participants sleep every now and then, but the water-polo balls that were distributed at Bellewaerde Park caused some funny moments. Big ball battles shorten the waiting period for the next park - fun outside the parks is guaranteed among the participants! Five of the German passengers have written that down:

Jessica Sehm: The weather is perfect and we have our fun in our deluxe suite. I'm looking forward to the next Giant Keverbaan! I'm not a Go Go Girl!

Christoph Rennigs: Whom do you owe the great weather? Me of course! By the way: Stuntfall, I'm coming!

Manuel: Coffee's ready! I refuse any other statement!

Jens Scheberg: : Since when is this coffee freak allowed to write here?

Hendrik Pöther: : I share 2500 kilometers of highway cruise, 18.1 kilometers of roller coasters, 43 hours on the coach... Well no - you can't replace so much fun!

Next station will be Walibi Aquitaine, which is scheduled to be reached at 6pm. But as of yet none of the participants believes in that... +++

Boomerang Bild: Six Flags Theme Parks

The last station but one is reached. The 30 hectares park Walibi Aquitaine is located between Bordeaux and Toulouse. There are no thrill rides except for the fifth Boomerang of the tour, but the castle from the 18th century gives the park its atmosphere. Three water rides make it the ideal destination during summer. Here the shiny orange kangaroo, the old mascot of the Walibi chain, is still at home, there is even an own Walibi Land. Here, too, 2004 is a festival year.

Our daring participants will have a feeling of déjà vu, with the park offering the same coasters as Walibi Rhone-Alpes a few hours ago. Here the fifth Boomerang, a bestseller with more than 40 installations worldwide, is tackled. To get the pulse down, a round on another large version of the Tivoli coaster follows.

+++ Live ticker +++ Saturday 7:37pm: The surprise is perfect! Instead of 30 there are 31 coasters to ride. The Zamperla wild mouse is operating again and impresses with its smoothness. There is no sound except the one of the chain lift - unbelievable! It was a welcome diversion after the "Boomerang and Tivoli Coaster monotony". Afterwards the last "classic" Boomerang of the trip followed. Our testers judged it to be average. The last 36 hours the could try five identical versions.

With the Zierer coaster, the third coaster in this park, the Roller Coaster Challenge says goodbye to France and heads towards Madrid - split up on two coaches with reclining seats. The participants can expect some top-class rides. It should be mentioned that the distance between Walibi Aquitaine and the Movie World Madrid measures about 800 kilometers and takes about 13 hours. Time enough to catch up the delay? It all depends on the two new coach drivers. Another detour to no man´s land like it happened in Germany would surely dash all hopes. The night might become the challenge´s 32nd coaster ride... +++

+++ Live-Ticker +++ Saturday, 10pm: It became dark during the drive to Madrid, but there is no sign of tiredness as the pictures passed to us show. Coastersandmore makes use of the time to do an interview with 19 year old Stefanie Klaas, one of the two participants chosen by a lottery on the German TV station Viva.

Cam: How have you learnt about the challenge? Steffi: Through Viva - I took part in the lottery by email. They had this drawing for two persons, one by a TV spot and one on the web. Cam: What about the challenge tempted you especially? Steffi: : I like to ride roller coasters and I´m always looking for new challenges and adventures. Cam: What did you expect of the trip? Have you thought that it might become such a stress, but also so much fun with the other fans? Steffi: More or less like it really is; but I hadn´t expected we would have to run at the first two parks. I knew it would be stressful, but not to that extent. Especially the parts in the coach on such a packed space are not too relaxing and I´m really looking forward to my bed. I´d rather prefer to continually ride a Tivoli coaster than to stay on the bus. On the other hand it´s lots of fun with the other German fans! Cam: How many of the eight parks did you know before the trip? Steffi: Just the Movie World in Germany. But I know some other parks Cam: Which coaster is your favourite so far? Steffi: Goliath and Superman at Six Flags Holland - I didn´t know those types of coaster before! Cam: What do you think how the trip will continue? Steffi: Stressful, but I think we´ll do it! Madrid isn´t too far now Cam: What are your other thoughts so far? Steffi: : I was in the lucky position to get to know many new parks and roller coasters. And I´m really surprised by the other Germans! The negative points are the hectic rush and the detour directly at the beginning. Cam: Thanks for the interview and have fun on the rest of the trip! Steffi: Thanks.

Stefanie Klaas

+++ Live ticker +++ Saturday, 11:47pm: "The night might become the challenge´s 32nd coaster ride..." - that was the striking last sentence after the visit at Walibi Aquitaine. But it should become true: The new French driver has his very own style, driving 120 kilometers per hour where 70 are allowed, the left hand holding the mobile phone and the right one the steering wheel. The sign indicating the highway was consequently ignored, now the bus negotiates the narrow passes of the Pyrenees: The incline to the left, the steep face to the right. Only the reporter of Radio-MK puts up a brave fight and collects some statements during the 32nd coaster of the trip. Only when the driver slows down and asks for the way there is some quiet in the swaying vehicle. "The combination of bus, speed and serpentines is worse than any wild mouse", Daniel Schrader tells us. The only hope is that no-one falls off the reclining seats. But there is light at the end of the tunnel: The border to Spain has just been passed - now the road goes down, directly into a police control... +++

+++ Live ticker +++ Sunday, 8:25am: After the police control, which was placed directly behind a seemingly endless and rather steep tunnel, has been overcome the quiet returns. The morning after - the driver had changed in the meantime - the bus parked in front of the Stuntfall shortly before half past eight, the last coaster of the tour was within reach. Exactly 65 minutes late the participants proceed to the entrance - the 48 hours challenge will find its end after 49 hours. Unfortunately the delay on the way to Germany couldn´t be made up. +++

Left: Inverter Batman - right: Superman

The sister park of the German Movie World operates in its third year and marks a dignified completion of the challenge. The "synthetic park" is perfectly styled and offers two of the most spectacular rides of the tour with the two B&M masterpieces. The Spanish Movie World has everything that touches the heart of a theme park fan. From very good shows, an impressive Mad House, an extremely high free fall tower and very good and wet water attractions to the first European floorless coaster - here is all of it.

The fourth Tivoli coaster marks the beginning of the day and of the finale close to the Spanish capitol. The wooden coaster, made by RCCA, isn´t too popular among enthusiasts, but it gets a good response by the Spanish guests. What follows next is top class, maybe only equalled by Alton Towers. Two B&M coasters, a Batman inverter and the floorless coaster mentioned above, followed by Europe´s only Giant Inverted Boomerang - and the challenge is over. With the steel giant Superman from Switzerland the movie park offers the highest coaster of the trip through half of Europe, the Inverted Boomerang has the steepest drop at exactly 90 degrees.

+++ Live ticker +++ Sunday, 9am: The challenge was finished with a one hour delay on Stuntfall. There was no point during the tour where the delay that was brought in on the way from Six Flags Holland to Movie World Germany could be caught up. The participants are happy anyway: 31 roller coasters in 49 hours have been managed only by very few others worldwide. There was a small party after all, because all the time fun was in the main focus. Shortly after 11am the bus left towards Six Flags Holland. The participants are going to arrive there around 3pm on monday. +++