Friday 23 December 2005

Some of Australia's Fastest have gone Superman Fast on Warner Bros. Movie World's Superman Escape

To celebrate the December 26 opening of Warner Bros. Movie World’s awesome new Superman Escape, on Thursday December 22 some of the country’s FASTEST stars have gone SUPERMAN fast test-riding Australia’s only catapult rollercoaster which travels 0-100 kms/h in just 2 seconds!

From swimmers, sprinters and surfers to speed skaters, racing car drivers and footballers - a selection of some of Australia’s fastest sporting talent experienced 760 metres of vertical climbs, weightless drops, head spinning twists and giant G-force turns on the awesome new Superman Escape – which completely redefines the coaster experience.

The fast celebrities braving the awesome new ride are as follows:

MATT SHIRVINGTON. After five consecutive years of sole dominance of the 100m Australian Title, Matt placed second to Patrick Johnson at the 2003 Australian Championships. However, he responded by clocking 10.09 seconds, the fastest ever legal time by an Australian on home soil, at the last of the Telstra A-series meets for the 2003 domestic season.

LIBBY LENTON. Queensland Academy of Sport athlete Libby was recently named the Short Course Swimmer of the Year and the Female Sprint and Distance Swimmer of the Year at the Australian Swimming Awards. At the recent World Championships (Montreal) she took home three Gold Medals and two Silver Medals. In the Australian Short Course Championships 100m freestyle semi final she broke short course world record in a time of 51.70, making her the first woman to go under the 52 sec barrier.

LEISEL JONES. Leisel, also a Queensland Academy of Sport athlete, was named the 2005 World Swimmer of the Year along with Grant Hackett. It is only the second time that two Australians have won the award. In the recent World Championships (Montreal) Leisel took home three Gold Medals and set a new world record in the 200m breaststroke (2.21.72).

STEVEN JOHNSON. Steven is the current V8 Supercar driver with two round wins to his credit, the pilot of the number 17 First Rock Home Loan’s car is a consistent top 10 finisher in arguably the world’s most competitive touring car series.

WILL DAVISON. Will is the newly appointed driver of the number 18 V8 Telecom car in the V8 Supercars series. Will has previously tested a Formula 1 car and is the current driver in the Australian entry in the A1 grand prix series.

DREW MITCHELL. Wallaby and The Reds leading try scorer in 2005 with four in 11 Super 12 games - Drew’s exceptional speed means he can play at fullback, wing or outside centre. When he wasn’t playing rugby in his school days, he participated in athletics as a sprinter. The last occasion he timed himself (which was a while ago) he ran sub-five second 40m. Drew won his first Wallabies cap in 2005, scoring on debut against the Springboks and has continued his knack of finding the line, scoring six tries in ten Tests.

ALEX BROSQUE. Queensland Roar’s immensely talented and swift left-sided striker has represented Australia at senior level, playing in all of Australia’s games at the 2004 Olympics. Brosque is one of Australia’s brightest talents and is destined for great things on both the local and international stages. Fellow Queensland Roar player JONTI RICHTER is a crowd favourite. This exciting and dynamic attacker has represented Australia at Under 20 level. Richter’s pace and skill has tormented defenders in the inaugural Hyundai A-League season.

JOSH KERR. World Aerial Surfing Champion Josh became internationally known through flying high and landing perfectly on some of the world’s best waves.

KY HURST. Australia's greatest ironman Ky, is now focusing on becoming an Australian Olympian.

STEVEN BRADBURY. Speed Skater Steven created history in Salt Lake City when he became the first Australian to win a Winter Olympic Gold Medal His remarkable and unlikely victory was achieved after a spectacular final-lap spill took out his four rivals.

JOE DAWES. The second leading wicket-taker for the Bulls in 2004-05, with 46 at 21.93, his best season since 2000-01 (49). Joe passed 200 first class wickets for Queensland last season, the eighth bowler to do so for this State. The burly right-arm fast bowler operates off half the run-up these days but with the same effectiveness and speed as his old “Fred Flintstone”-like charge from near the boundary. Currently recovering from knee surgery, he is aiming to be back in the Bulls colours after Christmas.

BEN IKIN. Former Australian Kangaroo, State of Origin and Broncos rugby league player and JOHN CARTWRIGHT - Former State of Origin and Australian player and now National Rugby League coach of the new Titans Rugby League Team.

DANIEL PEDERSEN. Daniel will be representing Australia in the fast up and coming sport of Inline Hockey (similar to ice hockey just on roller blades) this year on the Gold Coast. This is the first time Australia has hosted the World Inline Cup. Previously he has represented Australian five times being one of Australia’s most talented and fastest players on the team.

Thursday 22 December 2005

Movie World to Launch Unprecedented Thrill Ride Action!

Go Superman fast at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast!

Sky surfers travel 0 – 100kms in 5 seconds and snow skiers travel 0 – 100kms in 7 seconds… imagine if you could travel 0 – 100km in just 2 seconds… well, from December 26 you can on Australia’s only catapult rollercoaster at Warner Bros. Movie World - the awesome new Superman Escape which travels 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 2 seconds! That’s not fast – that’s Superman fast!

With 760 metres of vertical climbs, weightless drops, head spinning twists and giant G-force turns – Superman Escape completely redefines the coaster experience.

The exciting pre-show adventure will be an attraction in itself, themed around the world’s most popular Super Hero from DC Comics. Guests will commence their adventure in a Metropolis subway loading dock. As they travel through the subway, a terrifying earthquake takes hold and threatens their safe passage.

To escape the catastrophe, Superman rescues guests by propelling their carriage out then vertically upwards at 100km per hour! What follows is an exhilarating and hair raising rollercoaster ride experience like no other on the planet…

This $16 million unprecedented thrill ride will complement the already exceptional stable of movie based attractions enhanced by specialised themes – a unique trait for which Warner Bros. Movie World is world renowned, and a distinguishing feature popular with guests of all ages.

On announcing the new Superman Escape attraction, Chief Executive Officer of Warner Village Theme Parks, Mr John Menzies said that this ride experience boasts the latest and most exciting ride technology in the world.

“I have travelled to many theme parks around the world and believe that Superman Escape will prove an unbelievable ride experience like no other! The hydraulic catapult launch system coupled with the vertical ascent and vertical descent takes this ride to the next level. The speed and smoothness will be something that everyone will be talking about. The attraction is positioned just inside the park’s front entrance and visitors will be amazed to see Superman pushing the train at high speed above them.

“At 40 metres high the track can also be seen clearly from the major highway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast... so visually it really is quite astounding.

“While other theme parks simply purchase rides, Warner Bros. Movie World really adds to the experience by immersing the rider in a themed story which enhances the exciting ride sensations like no other,” Mr Menzies said.

Superman Escape is part of an overall $65 million expansion plan undertaken by Warner Village Theme Parks, which will confirm the Group’s position as the leaders in premier theme park entertainment in Australia.

“The scope of this expansion program is unprecedented in the history of the Warner Village Theme Park Group. We are expanding our horizons considerably in an effort to provide the ultimate entertainment experiences for people of all ages and anything we introduce is unlike anything found anywhere else in the world,” Mr Menzies said.

Superman Escape has been specifically chosen to broaden Warner Bros. Movie World’s appeal to the tween/teen market as a complement to existing thrill rides Lethal Weapon, the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster and Wild West Falls.

Experience the ultimate rush and GO SUPERMAN FAST THIS SUMMER – 0 to 100 in 2 seconds. Superman Escape - opening December 26 only at Warner Bros. Movie World.