THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604130344
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARSHA GILBERT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Hidden dips, breathtaking turns and lightning-quick spins delighted a handful of joy riders Friday morning during the grand unveiling of Busch Gardens' newest roller coaster ride, the ``Wild Izzy.''
Adults and children waited in the sun to be the first to ride. However, after each of Wild Izzy's first few runs, the ride was plagued with long delays. After less than an hour, it was shut down ``due to technical difficulties.''
``It was a minor shutdown,'' said Keith Kasen, vice president and general manager of Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, later that afternoon.
``There was a false indication on the control panel. The ride was down for three quarters of an hour. Now it's up. All of our rides are mechanical. From time to time they shut down. We're used to it in this business.''
The ride is named for the 1996 Olympic Games character Izzy, who was on hand before the park opened to greet local media representatives and a group from The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association.
When the ride is running, Wild Izzy holds four people in each of its 10 trains. It takes them through a series of hairpin turns down its 1,217-foot track, at 22 mph, for a minute and a half. Riders soar as high as 46 feet before racing to a stop. Wild Izzy is the first and only Olympic-themed ride, according to park officials.
``It was pretty scary especially when you went around the edge and hung over the curve,'' said Heather Helms, 9, who has been a little sister for three years. She was one of the first in line to experience Izzy.
``It was more exciting to ride than to look at,'' said Barbara Conner, Heather's grandmother. ``I thought it was a kiddy ride, but it wasn't. It wasn't violent. I could walk when I got off.''
Michael McCary, the bass man for Boyz II Men and national spokesman for The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association, and Dan Jansen, the gold medal Olympic speedskater, were on hand to introduce Wild Izzy.
McCary's presence helped raise money and drum up support for The Big Brothers association. From every ticket sold Friday, $1 will be donated to the program, announced Kasen.
``We all had big brothers through the Pal (Police Athletic League) Program in Philadelphia,'' said McCary, of the members of the quartet. ``I was 11 when I started and I stayed in the Pal chapter for three years.''
``They took us to go fishing, to play basketball, pool, baseball and various activities. It was great.''
Jansen, spokesman for Anheuser Busch Theme Parks, was accompanied by his wife, his parents and his 2-year-old daughter, Jane.
``I travel to each of the Busch Gardens parks talking about the Olympics,'' said Jansen. ``This is great talking to kids. Sometimes I've had to feed whales, giraffes and penguins.''
Jansen, the youngest of nine children, has been speed skating since he was 4 years old. Although his brother made the World team, Jansen is the only one in the family to compete in the Olympics. He won a gold medal in 1994.
Fans of the two celebrities didn't seem to mind that Wild Izzy sat dormant, as they watched in a frenzy while the two men granted interviews. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by BETH BERGMAN/The Virginian-Pilot
Michael McCary, left, the bass man for Boyz II Men and national
spokesman for The Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association, and Dan
Jansen, the gold medal Olympic speedskater, were on hand to
introduce ``Wild Izzy.''
by CNB