As we ascended the towering 72-metre structure of Thorpe Park’s newest, fastest, and tallest rollercoaster, my heart raced with equal parts excitement and anticipation.
The massive, gold-laced steel loomed as we reached the peak of the ride, ready to “Find Our Fearless” as the new ride’s trademark orders us to.
Gripping that lap bar and looking at the Chertsey view made me finally realise this: I was one of the first people to ride Hyperia.
We reached the peak and without warning, the train shot forward at a screeching 80 miles per hour, flipping us upside down and sending a rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
The airtime, a staggering 15 seconds, left me suspended in midair, weightless and exhilarated.
Hyperia's twists, turns, and steep drops lived up to its bold promise to "Find Your Fearless."
As a self-proclaimed thrill-seeker, I had highly anticipated this moment, and Thorpe Park's newest creation did not disappoint.
And once the ride gradually descended and came to a halt, it was safe to say that this was honestly the greatest experience ever.
I went with three of my colleagues, Poppy, Amy, and Olivia, and we got this amazing photo out of it.
Hyperia managed to make Stealth, which has been one of the tallest rides in Europe for the past 18 years, and the colossal Colossus look absolutely tiny.
Poppy and I were buzzing with excitement, while Amy and Olivia seemed a bit more apprehensive.
The excitement doubled when we were strapped into Hyperia's lap bar restraint system, rather than the typical shoulder harnesses, which added an extra thrill to the experience.
By the time we reached the launch point, there was no backing out.
I think we all, in some way, did “find our fearless” after riding Hyperia.
Hyperia had certainly lived up to its name and the anticipation was anything but anti-climactic.
After the ride, we were able to enjoy a delicious Poor Boys's meal, as well as drinks and doughnuts with the Hyperia trademark on them.
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of adrenaline-fueled fun as we conquered Swarm, Nemesis Inferno, and Stealth.
But the true highlight was the Hyperia closing ceremony - Thorpe Park went all out, hiring dancers, setting off fireworks, raining down golden confetti, and even bringing in planes to celebrate the arrival of this record-breaking rollercoaster.
Overall, the new Hyperia ride is something that I would unquestionably ride again and again.
Move aside, Stealth, because Hyperia has taken that crown!
Hyperia was closed down on May 25 due to "unforeseen circumstances" and Thorpe Park said it is "unable to commit" to reopening the ride before Saturday, June 8.
The theme park says it is "sorry for the disappointment we know this will cause."
On Thursday, June 6, Thorpe Park announced that the ride had been closed indefinitely.
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