A Canada's Wonderland Rider Says He's Ridden Yukon Striker 1,000 Times & Here's Why

Would you go down the world's tallest, fastest, and longest dive roller coaster 1,000 times? Well, this one rider at Canada's Wonderland says he has done just that, and told Narcity all about it.

On May 14, at around 7 p.m., Keith Watson said he finished his 1,000th dive down Yukon Striker, and while the count isn't as important as having fun going down it, Watson said it would be great if he could get 1,000 more dives down the coaster.

"I have no idea how many more times I will ride," Watson said.

According to Watson, the crew of Yukon Striker were the first to notice him, and some took an immediate interest in what he was doing and wanted to know if there was a specific number he was reaching for.

"Every once and a while they would ask me what the count was, and would cheer me on when I would reach a milestone," Watson said.

While it's an unofficial count, a spokesperson for Canada's Wonderland still applauded Watson's accomplishment.

"We congratulate him on his achievement and certainly appreciate his love and enthusiasm for Yukon Striker!" Grace Peacock, the director of communications, said.

So, how did this all start?

Watson's first dive down the rollercoaster was early morning the day after Canada Day in 2019, shortly after the ride opened up at the park.

"There was only a few of us in the single rider line so I kept going on because it was quick to get back on again," Watson said as he shared how his love for the roller coaster all started.

Watson only went down one coaster that day and ripped down Yukon Striker 12 times.

"I kept riding for the rest of the day, and then did it again the next time I came. And then again," Watson said, and added that one of his favourite parts is trying to get that "perfect fall" during the 245-foot 90-degree drop.

"If done just right, I can float during the vertical part of the drop and not feel the restraint or seat holding me in place even though it is keeping me safe and secure."

What's your favourite spot on the ride?

Watson shared that there's no "best seat" on Yukon Striker, as each seat is different. While he won't complain about which spot he gets told to sit down in, there is one seat that he does prefer more.

"It took me hundreds of dives to learn the differences between all the seats and their characteristics," Watson said.

"My personal favourite is seat number three in any row because it experiences virtually no lateral G forces, has the best zero gravity floating through the second inversion, the negative G roll, and is the smoothest seat in any of the three rows."

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.