After eight titles, world champion diver Rhiannon Iffland reveals what keeps her chasing more

Eight time cliff diving world champion Rhiannan Iffland has revealed what keeps her going as she prepares for the final event of the season in Sydney.

Aussie champion cliff diver Rhiannan Iffland. Picture: Rohan Kelly

She has eight world titles to her name and while Rhiannan Iffland is competitive, that isn’t what keeps her climbing up the ladder to the 21m high platform, before twisting and flipping into the water at 85km/h.

It’s the adrenaline.

It’s a feeling Iffland constantly chases – even when the season is over.

The 32-year-old will take to the tower in Sydney Harbour for the final round of the 2024 Cliff Diving World Series with the title already secured for the eighth consecutive year.

“There’s not really a feeling quite like pulling off a good dive in a location like that,” Iffland said.

Rhiannan Iffland has notched up her eight consecutive title. Picture: Dean Treml/Red Bull via Getty Images

“When you finish an event I always just want to go back and do it again, just to chase that feeling.

“There’s not really many other feelings like it.”

In the off season, the six months of the year Iffland gets to spend in Australia, she catches up with family and friends, soaking up as much quality time as possible before her next six months on the road. But her spare time isn’t spent with her feet up on the couch.

“I still do things to find that rush,” Iffland said.

“I surf a lot when I’m off. I climb, I free dive as well, snorkel.”

In past off-seasons Iffland has performed daring stunts – like diving from a helicopter into Sydney Harbour or diving from a moving hot air balloon.

Iffland said all focus was on the upcoming final event of the series – but didn’t rule out the possibility of more gravity defying stunts in the future.

Though she couldn’t be pushed to reveal her plans.

Iffland has barely given up the top step on the podium in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series since her debut in 2014.

Going into the season this year Iffland said she definitely felt the pressure to perform but opted to instead focus on relishing every moment.

And while most of the 11 other women divers on the circuit stick to their same dive list at each stop on the series, Iffland chose to mix hers up.

“I changed my degrees of difficulty and added a new dive midway through the season – being in the series that long I’m constantly changing up the dives, a lot of divers have four dives that they stick with all year, but I like to test myself and have a bit more fun and experiment,” Iffland said.

Rhiannan Iffland will line up for the final round of the 2024 season. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“I think that keeps me motivated, but it’s such an epic feeling when you pull off a good dive, it makes you just want to keep going back.”

Iffland, who will train at the NSW Institute of Sport diving pool while in Sydney, said while she hadn’t quite thought that far ahead she had no immediate plans of retiring and a ninth title was definitely a goal.

Next year she will also look to claim her fifth World Aquatics Championships.

Iffland is grateful for the sport, which she has seen grow exponentially during her time on the circuit, but said she would love it to be recognised at more multi-sport competitions – such as the Olympics.

The Red Bull Cliff Diving Series will be in Sydney Harbour on November 10.