The 2023-2024 HYROX season is over after it culminated at the World Championships in Nice, France, this past weekend. In the most anticipated category, Elite 15, Austria’s Alexader Roncevic and American Megan Jacoby were crowned the champions.
In the other categories, the winners were:
HYROX PRO:
- Seka Arning (Germany) – women
- Hidde Weersma (Netherlands) – men
HYROX:
- Mapi Serna (Spain) – women
- Stefan Eichhorn (Germany) -men
HYROX PRO DOUBLES:
- Zara Piergianni, Kate Davey – women
- Fabian Eisenlauer, Jennifer Nikolaus – mixed
- Jake Dearden, Marc Dean – men
You can check out the entire leaderboard plus divisions HYROX doubles and HYROX Elite Relay in this link.
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HYROX World Championships 2024 Winners
The Elite 15 races, held on June 7th, saw Alexander Roncevic of Austria and Megan Jacoby of the USA emerge as champions. Roncevic’s victory in the men’s race was marked by consistent top-three finishes in all but one workout station, showcasing his exceptional fitness and strategic execution. His main rival, Michael Sandbach of Great Britain, lost his lead during the final wall balls station, allowing Roncevic to clinch his first HYROX World Championship title. Australian James Kelly completed the podium with a remarkable comeback after a challenging start.
Roncevic expressed his joy at winning, saying, “After winning the European Championships, and after the two world records set in Cologne, I was really looking forward to this race. It was my fifth World Championship – I was second twice, then third… but this time it was clear that after Hunter’s performance in Anaheim, he was indeed beatable this time. The feeling at the finish line was unbelievable. It’s been my biggest wish to be the best in the world at something, and now at least on this day the wish came true.”
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In the women’s Elite 15 race, Megan Jacoby demonstrated her dominance from the third station onwards, securing first place in every remaining station and finishing nearly four minutes ahead of her closest competitor, Lauren Weeks. Jacoby’s comprehensive victory was a testament to her strategic racing and endurance background.
“I raced a tactically smart race. I come from running and endurance and I felt that having that experience has helped me in this sport significantly. I know how to run; I know what I should be doing, I know how it should feel,” Jacoby said. She also shared the emotional significance of having her daughter present, “Having my daughter here was super emotional for me. I’d spent a few weeks over in Europe trying to get acclimated and focus on training, so I hadn’t seen her for a few weeks. It was also my birthday on Wednesday, so the HYROX World Champion title comes as the cherry on top.”
Pro Doubles Men HYROX World Champion: Jake Dearden
On June 10th, Jake Dearden clinched the Pro Doubles Men HYROX World Championships alongside his teammate Marc Dean. This victory marked a significant comeback for Dearden, who had been sidelined by a back injury for six months earlier in the 23/24 season. Despite missing out on the Elite 15 qualification this year, Dearden’s performance has set the stage for a promising 24/25 season.
Reflecting on his victory, Dearden expressed his elation, stating, “The race itself was tight and to come out on top was unbelievable. It’s a privilege but it shows that all the hard work has paid off over the last couple of months and years. I’m over the moon and joining the Red Bull Family of Athletes this week has made it even better – it’s been a week of dreams.”
Dearden is now setting his sights on the Elite 15 at the next HYROX Cape Town event on September 21, 2024. He aims to secure a top-three finish at a major event to guarantee his place in the 2025 HYROX World Championships.
Age-Group Athletes and Mixed Relay
The event also celebrated age-group athletes, with the top 2% of the 175,000 HYROX competitors worldwide competing in various categories, including Pro Singles, Pro Doubles, and Mixed Relay. The comprehensive race format required athletes to complete eight 1km runs interspersed with functional workout stations such as SkiErg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, and Wall Balls.
Red Bull athlete and two-time Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) World Champion, Ida Mathilde Steensgaard, represented Denmark in the first-ever Elite Mixed Relay World Championship. Her OCR skills contributed to the Danish team’s 10th place finish.
Steensgaard highlighted the inclusive nature of HYROX, stating, “One of the reasons [behind HYROX’s growth] is that you know you can complete a HYROX, no matter what – it’s just going to depend on how fast you can go. There are other sports like CrossFit or OCR where you need a specific skill set to be able to complete the competition or the workout. In HYROX, most people will be able to do the course. It also includes more running, and I love running! Combining running and strength training just gives you an all-around good physique and athleticism – training never gets boring.”
How HYROX Works: Categories and Path to the World Championships
HYROX is a unique fitness competition that combines running and functional workouts to test participants’ endurance, strength, and overall fitness. Here’s an overview of how HYROX works, the categories involved, and the pathway to reaching the prestigious World Championships.
Categories in HYROX
HYROX competitions are divided into several categories to accommodate different fitness levels and formats:
- Pro Singles:
- Men’s Pro
- Women’s Pro
- Athletes in the Pro Singles category compete individually and complete the entire race format on their own.
- Doubles:
- Men’s Doubles
- Women’s Doubles
- Mixed Doubles
- In the Doubles category, two athletes compete together, running together but splitting the functional workout stations between them.
- Mixed Relay:
- Teams of four athletes, with each member completing two 1km runs and two functional workout stations.
- Age Groups:
- Age categories for both men and women, allowing competitors to compete against others in their same age bracket.
Race Format
Each HYROX race consists of eight 1km runs, interspersed with eight functional workout stations. The sequence is as follows:
- 1km Run
- 1000m SkiErg
- 1km Run
- 50m Sled Push
- 1km Run
- 50m Sled Pull
- 1km Run
- 80m Burpee Broad Jump
- 1km Run
- 1000m Row
- 1km Run
- 200m Farmers Carry
- 1km Run
- 100m Sandbag Lunges
- 1km Run
- 75/100 Wall Balls (75 for women, 100 for men)
This format ensures a comprehensive test of various fitness elements, including cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and functional fitness.
Pathway to the World Championships
- Local and National Events:
- Athletes start by participating in local HYROX events held in cities around the world. These events are open to everyone and serve as the initial qualifying rounds.
- Regional Qualifiers:
- Top performers from local events advance to regional qualifiers. These competitions narrow the field further, bringing together the best athletes from different local events.
- World Championships Qualification:
- The top athletes from regional qualifiers earn their spot in the HYROX World Championships. Qualification is based on time and overall performance in the regional events.
- Elite 15:
- In addition to the categories mentioned, the top 15 men and top 15 women worldwide, based on their times and performances throughout the season, compete in the Elite 15 at the World Championships.
Looking Ahead: The 24/25 HYROX Season
The HYROX 24/25 season promises more thrilling competitions, starting with HYROX Melbourne, Australia, on June 29-30, 2024. Athletes worldwide will continue to compete, seeking to secure their places in the next HYROX World Championship.
The sixth HYROX World Championship in Nice has set a high bar for future events, celebrating remarkable athletic achievements and the inclusive, competitive spirit that defines HYROX.
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