We chat with Aussie World-Class cliff diver Rhiannan Iffland on the success of her career.
Rhiannan Iffland is a dominant force from the 21m diving platform. And she has a secret that has helped her sustain more than 23 years of success as a cliff diver, with 12 world titles.
After exploding onto the Red Bull cliff diving World Series in 2016 with a debut victory in Texas, Iffland has gone on to rack up unparalleled records in the sport.
Now aged 33, Iffland has lapped an 8th Redbull women’s cliff diving championship in a row. With seven world series titles, 35 wins in 43 stops, three world aquatics high diving gold medals and two full seasons unbeaten.
The Most Decorated Women’s Cliff Diving Athlete: Rhiannan Iffland
Nicknamed Bluebird, Iffland’s nickname came from her grandfather, with whom she was close. Iffland explains the nickname “Bluebird” came from him because she reminded him of a Bluebird when she dove from the diving platform.
Humble Beginnings to Women’s Cliff Diving Champion
Growing up in the quiet town of Lake Macquarie in northern New South Wales, Iffland describes herself as a water baby, and says he was always attracted to everything to do with the ocean, swimming and the beach.
When she was 8 years old, she saw her neighbours playing on their trampoline, doing impressive tricks. She began trampolining the following week to get in on the action – and this led to a passion for jumping.
At age 9, Iffland took to her first dive platform. She admits she was petrified the first time. But not long after, she progressed to competitive high diving, competing regularly from 3m and 10m platforms.
Iffland also used her diving skills, performing aerobatic tricks to entertain crowds on Mediterranean and Caribbean cruise ships. It was during this period she was introduced to high diving.
“I spent 18 months learning the skills needed for high diving from 10m, then gradually moved up the heights, eventually arriving at cliff diving”. She tells us.
Women’s Cliff Diving Career
Cliff diving is a highly competitive and dangerous sport in which divers jump from platforms 22 to 24 metres above the water, reaching speeds up to 85km/hr at each top.
First entering the Redbull cliff diving competition as a ‘Wildcard’ in 2015, Iffland swiftly rose to the world’s top women’s cliff diver, winning the competition and has not stopped since, winning her 8th title this year.
Iffland is highly superstitious and attributes yellow ladybugs as her good luck charm. She recounts a story from her first time diving in Texas. As a wildcard who entered the competition, she was an underdog, feeling the need to perform her best.
As she was preparing to take the leap of faith off the 20-metre platform, a yellow ladybug landed on her hand, which evoked a state of peace and centred her at the moment to land the dive and win her first Redbull cliff diving championship.
Since then, she says seeing a yellow ladybug is a good luck charm, and they seem to pop up somehow every time she’s at a competition.
Yellow ladybugs aren’t the only thing that makes her so successful. Iffland says her success is attributed to her hard work and effort while training.
During her years of training for the High Diving World Series, she trained six days a week for many years, but she admits this amount of training takes a toll.
Secret Success in Women’s Cliff Diving
Living such an intense life can be hectic for anyone, whether an athlete or not. The toll on mental health can build up over time. It’s easy for individuals to get worn out, and Iffland is no exception.
She has had to learn that with success comes the need to take time out, reflect, rest and recharge.
Today when Iffland needs rest, she says she will take a day off and rest. She spends her rest days watching Netflix, sleeping in, and surfing.
All things she attributes to having helped her maintain the mental strength she needs to return the next day and take the leap off the diving board.
Her other passions include skiing, rock climbing, and bouldering. Iffland has just won her eighth title this year in 2024.
