'Extreme' waterslide with speeds of 80km/hr has explicitly banned women. Here's why

Australian diving champion Rhiannan Iffland recently went down the waterslide. (Images: @rhiannan_iffland/Instagram)

Australian diving champion Rhiannan Iffland recently defied safety warnings by using a waterslide in Austria’s Area 47 adventure park that explicitly bans women. The 32-year-old athlete posted a video of herself taking on the challenge, bringing attention to a controversial safety rule and reigniting discussions about gender-specific restrictions on extreme rides.

Area 47, located in Austria, is renowned for its array of “extreme” activities, such as bungee jumping, canyoning, and white-water rapids. One of its most popular attractions is Europe’s fastest waterslide, which reaches speeds of up to 80 km/hr.

Despite its popularity, the slide comes with a warning sign that prohibits women from using it. This restriction is based on reports of severe injuries women have suffered on high-speed slides, where high-pressured water can cause significant physical harm and infections.

Iffland, a seven-time consecutive Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series champion, appeared undeterred by the warning. She shared footage on social media, showing herself preparing to go down the slide with a caption reading, “Apparently women are not supposed to do this slide.” She then posted a video of her descent, captioned, “Here for a good time not a long time! Another YOLO moment.”

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A post shared by Rhiannan Iffland (@rhiannan_iffland)

“It was never my intent to mock the safety regulations of this water slide,” Iffland clarified in a statement to news.com.au. “A person’s safety is paramount and I am constantly weighing up any danger with my job. To suggest otherwise, is wrong.”

The video has since garnered mixed reactions from the public. Some fans expressed concern over the potential health risks associated with such slides. “The amount of people that don’t understand why women aren’t supposed to go on this slide is scary,” one user commented on Instagram. Another added, “The sign says ‘due to high risk of injury’. Why would you still go down?”

However, others argued that the restriction is sexist, questioning the validity of gender-based bans. While some noted that high-speed water slides can cause serious injuries for both men and women, the debate continues to focus on whether such restrictions are justified or discriminatory.

Last year, parents of an eight-year-old girl took legal action against WhiteWater World water park on the Gold Coast in Australia after their daughter reportedly lost half a litre of blood while on a waterslide. Similarly, a woman sued Disney over a painful injury she sustained on a water slide in Florida, also in the same year.