What's Happening in Puyallup, WA…

Judges have settled on a name for the looping, 62-foot high rollercoaster set to be the hallmark of the 2013 Washington State Fair, which will open its doors in Puyallup in just over two months.

Decision-makers were surprised to sift through more than 1,600 name nominations for the 5.8+ G-force ride, and eventually plumped for the name ‘Rainier Rush’. So great was the volume of responses that runner-up prizes were award to two other submissions as well.

The alliterative name was suggested by two entrants of the ‘Name the Coaster’ competition, one of whom was Puyallup resident Karen Chapman. Both her and fellow grand prize winner Melissa Hollenbeck-Barovic from Edgewood have been given a pair of gate passes for this year’s fair, as well as free access to nearly 250 rides. Perhaps most satisfying of all, however, will be the honor of having the fair’s first inversion rollercoaster named according to their idea. The two runners-up will also get to enter the fair free of charge, and had suggested the same name but with the word ‘Rainier’ spelled differently.

Known for its wicked loops, high-altitude, and undulating track, the ride was previously known as ‘Typhoon’, but judges decided to open its naming up to the public before it arrived in Puyallup for this year’s fair.

While the award-winners enjoy their prizes, officials of the fair are no doubt in dialog with local printing companies and brochure printers to get promotional material ready in good time for its September 6 opening.