World’s tallest water slide, The Verruckt, delayed

BAD news for those of you insane enough to try the world’s tallest water slide. The slide’s launch has been put off amid reports test riders are flying off.

IT’S being touted the world’s tallest and fastest water slide. There’s just one problem: when test riders get on they are flying off.

At least that is what’s rumoured to be the cause of the delayed opening of ‘The Verrückt’ Meg-A-Blaster at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark in America.

The rumours began circulating last week after posts on travel and news blogs.

COMMENT BELOW: Are you brave enough to try The Verruckt water slide?

The official word is it was delayed to allow for adjustments to the 168-feet-7-inch slide (more than 51 metres).

“I can absolutely say that no test riders have gone airborne on the slide, because no test riders have gone down the slide,” park spokesman Layne Pitcher told the Kansas City Star.

“Nobody’s really done this before, so we’ve got to kind of expect the unexpected.”

According to Pitcher, only sandbags and accelerometers have been used so far in the testing process.

“I can’t really say where that rumour would have come from,” he said.

“The testing process we have in place is very extensive. We’re not going to let anybody get on this raft without it.”

The Verrückt (the German word for insane) was originally supposed to open on May 23 in time for Memorial Day weekend. Last week, however, the park announced it would postpone the slide’s debut until June 5 as final adjustments and testing were carried out.

While the reports of test riders becoming airborne are not verified, some area residents say they are concerned about the safety of the slide.

“Based upon their adjustments, I don’t think I’d let my kids on it now,” Kansas City parent Cassandra Lewis told the Inquisitr.