Silverwood's Aftershock wins Travel Channel award
<p>JEROME A. POLLOS/Press Aftershock riders are inverted as they make their way through one of three inversions during the 92-second ride Friday at Silverwood Theme Park.</p>
<p>JEROME A. POLLOS/Press Lynn Babich and Payton Glover, both 17, let out a scream from the front most seats of Aftershock as the ride begins Friday by dropping riders from one of the two towers.</p>
Silverwood Theme Park's Aftershock roller coaster gained national recognition with Americans voting it as one of the top coasters in the U.S.
The massive coaster was recently acknowledged on the Travel Channel's series; "Insane Coaster Wars" which featured six different categories ranging from G-Force Giants to Splintering Speedsters, Hang 'em High to Wrong Way Up, and from Speed Demons to Extreme Heights.
Aftershock fell into the "Hang 'em High" category, which aired on July 8, meaning that your feet hang in the open air on this action-packed adrenaline rush. These coasters give you the incredible sensation of flying as you zig-zag through the sky at unbelievable speeds.
The Travel Channel had to reduce its list from hundreds of coasters to a mere 24, explained Andy Singer, the network's general manager.
"We did a great deal of research that included interviewing enthusiasts, reading blogs, industry magazines and websites," Singer said. "And then we were able to pick a cross section of what fan favorites were and the current record holders."
There were four coasters in each category competing for the prize, with Aftershock's competitors representing renowned parks throughout the nation. Among them were Manta at Sea World Orlando, Fla.; Montu at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Fla.; and Alpengeist at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va.Aftershock prevailed based on viewer voting.
"We are extremely grateful and proud of this recognition," said Silverwood spokeswoman Nancy DiGiammarco. "Being selected by loyal fans, viewers and enthusiasts truly speaks volumes."
DiGiammarco added that "Subsequent to the show's broadcast, we experienced a sudden influx in visits to our website causing our server to crash. We've never seen such a huge flood of traffic at one time."
The Travel Channel's episode not only recognized Silverwood's steel giant, it also showcased the surrounding areas of Lake Coeur d'Alene, The Coeur d'Alene Resort and the downtown area.
The program also displayed a U.S. map several times highlighting the state of Idaho and centering on Silverwood's location just north of Coeur d'Alene.