Verrückt

Verrückt (German meaning "crazy" or "insane", pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈʁʏkt] ^ⓘ) was a custom water coaster water slide located at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City water park in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. At the height of 168 feet 7 inches (51.38 m), Verrückt became the world's tallest water slide when it opened on July 10, 2014, surpassing Kilimanjaro at Aldeia das Águas Park Resort in Brazil. The ride was designed at the park, led by John Schooley with assistance from park co-owner Jeff Henry. It was featured on an episode of Xtreme Waterparks on the Travel Channel in June 2014, shortly before the ride opened. Verrückt permanently closed on August 7, 2016 following a fatal incident involving the decapitation of Caleb Schwab, the 10-year-old son of Kansas state legislator (and later Secretary of State of Kansas) Scott Schwab.

Verrückt had been scheduled to open in June 2013, but construction and safety testing issues caused multiple delays, including incidents in which sandbags loaded into rafts during testing went airborne. The ride's final design made rafts reach a maximum speed of 70 mph (110 km/h). Verrückt was well-received upon opening, winning a Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today in 2014.

After Schwab's death, amusement park safety laws were updated to require state inspection of all attractions. It was later revealed that at least 13 other riders had previously sustained non-fatal injuries from contact with the netting above the slide. In the aftermath, Kansas updated amusement park safety laws to require state inspection of all attractions. Criminal charges were filed against several individuals, including Schooley and Henry, which were later dismissed due to procedural issues in the case. The incident was followed by a decline in Schlitterbahn's business operations, and the park closed in September 2018. Verrückt was dismantled two months later, and the remainder of the park was demolished in 2021.