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About HYROX

How It Started​

HYROX started with a simple idea - make fitness competition accessible to everyday athletes, not just elite performers. Founded in 2017 by Olympic field hockey champion Moritz Fürste and event entrepreneur Christian Toetzke, the concept originated from discussions dating back to 2012 about creating a new type of mass-participation event that would combine weightlifting with running. Toetzke brought two decades of experience launching successful outdoor participation events across Europe, while Fürste contributed his Olympic-level understanding of athletic performance and competition.

The first HYROX event in Hamburg drew 650 participants in 2017, laying the groundwork for what would become the world's largest mass participation fitness race. Originally called "CuRox" - inspired by the Latin word "Kurare" meaning running - the event underwent early rebranding due to trademark considerations, resulting in the globally recognized HYROX name we know today. The format resonated immediately with fitness enthusiasts who wanted standardized competition formats they could train for specifically. Unlike obstacle races or CrossFit competitions that vary between events, HYROX maintains identical workout stations and distances at every race worldwide. This consistency allows athletes to train specifically for the event, compare times across venues, and track their progression over multiple competitions.

The Competitions​

HYROX events combine endurance and functional fitness through a specific formula: 8 kilometers of running alternated with 8 workout stations. Athletes complete 1 kilometer of running followed immediately by a functional exercise station, repeating this pattern throughout the race. The workout stations include SkiErg (1000m), Sled Push (50m), Sled Pull (50m), Burpee Broad Jumps (80m), Rowing (1000m), Farmers Carry (200m), Sandbag Lunges (100m), and Wall Balls (75-100 repetitions depending on division).

Competition divisions welcome athletes of different fitness levels, from beginners to elite competitors. According to the HYROX Fitness Race format, the Open division welcomes anyone seeking to test themselves against the HYROX standard, while the Pro division features heavier weights and higher rep counts for elite athletes as outlined in the HYROX Rulebook. Doubles divisions allow partners to share the workload, and relay teams of four can tackle the course together. The recent addition of an Adaptive division demonstrates HYROX's commitment to inclusive competition, modifying movements and standards for athletes with disabilities.

The sport expanded rapidly across the globe, with events now spanning over 60 countries across six continents. Major cities host multiple events per season to meet demand, with London alone seeing 24,000 participants in 2023. The competition format adapts seamlessly to various venue types, from convention centers to outdoor stadiums, enabling HYROX to bring events directly to population centers worldwide.

Prize structures and championship paths keep athletes coming back. While most athletes compete for personal achievement, elite competitors vie for substantial prize pools at major events. The World Championships, scheduled for Chicago's Navy Pier in June 2025, will feature over 10,000 athletes competing for age group and elite titles. Only the top 1% of global competitors earn qualification, creating aspirational goals for dedicated athletes.

Growth Trajectory​

The numbers show remarkable growth that few fitness movements have matched. From 9,306 total finishers across 12 events in 2019, participation surged to 175,000 competitors across 65 races by 2023. The 2024-2025 season projects over 550,000 athletes participating in 80+ events, with 350,000 additional spectators attending competitions. This nearly 60-fold increase in just six years demonstrates the format's broad appeal and HYROX's operational excellence in scaling the experience. According to Morning Chalk Up, HYROX reported a 260% year-over-year growth in training club affiliations, reaching 5,000 clubs worldwide by the end of 2024.

Partnerships and investments drove expansion beyond what organic growth alone could achieve. The 2020-2021 season brought investment from Infront Sports & Media Group alongside sponsorship deals with global brands Red Bull and Puma. These relationships provide not just capital but also expertise in sports marketing, broadcast production, and athlete development. The ecosystem now includes 5,000+ HYROX-affiliated gyms offering specialized training programs, creating year-round engagement beyond competition days.

Industry recognition confirms HYROX's impact on the fitness landscape. Fast Company named HYROX the #1 Wellness Business globally in 2024, while Time Magazine recognized it among the 100 most innovative companies worldwide. These accolades reflect not just growth metrics but also HYROX's success in creating an entirely new category of fitness competition that bridges the gap between endurance racing and strength sports.

Chicago Lab​

Chicago houses HYROX's US operations, placing the company at the center of American fitness culture. The facility houses development operations, event planning teams, and technical innovation groups working to enhance the competition experience. This strategic location provides access to diverse athlete populations for testing, proximity to major transportation hubs for equipment logistics, and connections to technology partners in the Midwest ecosystem.

The Chicago Lab will be central to developing and testing our computer vision system. As HYROX's primary innovation center in North America, the facility offers controlled environments for iterating on hardware placement, software algorithms, and integration protocols. Initial alpha testing scheduled for October 2025 will leverage the lab's infrastructure to validate core functionality before broader deployment. The location enables rapid prototype cycles with direct feedback from HYROX's technical teams.

This project requires our engineers to be near Chicago. While remote collaboration tools enable distributed development, critical phases of this project will require on-site presence in Chicago. Engineers will need to be local to Chicago or within commutable distance to support multiple-day testing sessions, real-time system adjustments during trials, and collaborative problem-solving with HYROX's operations teams. We anticipate needing 2-3 engineers on-site for week-long sprints during alpha testing, beta trials, and pre-launch optimization phases.

The 2025 World Championships in Chicago offer the perfect showcase for our system on the global stage. Scheduled for June 12-15, 2025 at Navy Pier, this event will attract over 10,000 elite athletes and fans from around the world. Successfully demonstrating our computer vision solution at this marquee event would validate the technology under the most demanding conditions while generating visibility among HYROX's entire international community. The proximity to the Chicago Lab enables seamless technical support and rapid response to any challenges that emerge during the competition.

Looking Ahead​

HYROX will continue growing rapidly, which demands scalable technical solutions. The company's expansion into new markets, addition of competition formats, and investment in technology infrastructure all point toward a future where automated judging systems become essential rather than optional. Our computer vision solution aligns perfectly with this vision, providing the consistency and efficiency needed to support HYROX's ambitious growth plans while maintaining the competition integrity that athletes expect.