HYROX singles runs four divisions: Women, Women Pro, Men and Men Pro. The running is 8km in all of them and only the station loads change. Alongside singles sit Doubles, where two athletes run together and share the stations, and Relay, where four athletes split the race. There is no qualification requirement for any of them.
If you are picking your first race, the short answer is Open, or Relay if you want the gentlest possible introduction.
Why trust this
Ben Sutherland races Pro Doubles on the Elite 15 start list with his brother Harry, so the doubles detail below comes from someone who races it at the top end. All division and age group rules are read from the official HYROX singles rulebook for the 26/27 season.
The four singles divisions
The only thing that separates Open from Pro is load. Same 8km, same 8 stations, same order, same distances at every station.
| Station | Women Open | Men Open / Women Pro | Men Pro | |---|---|---|---| | Sled push (4 x 12.5m) | 102kg incl. sled | 152kg incl. sled | 202kg incl. sled | | Sled pull (4 x 12.5m) | 78kg incl. sled | 103kg incl. sled | 153kg incl. sled | | Farmers carry (200m) | 2 x 16kg | 2 x 24kg | 2 x 32kg | | Sandbag lunges (100m) | 10kg | 20kg | 30kg | | Wall balls (100 reps) | 4kg | 6kg | 9kg |
The SkiErg, rowing and burpee broad jumps carry no load and are identical in every division.
The structural quirk worth knowing: Women's Pro and Men's Open are the same weights. The rulebook lists them in one shared column. So a woman stepping up to Pro is taking on exactly the loads that men's Open athletes race, which gives you a very large public dataset to calibrate against.
Wall ball targets are 2.70m for both women's divisions and 3.00m for both men's.
Open or Pro?
Open unless you have a specific reason otherwise.
The gap is bigger than the table makes it look, because the increases land on the stations that already hurt most. Sled push goes from 152kg to 202kg for men, a third heavier on the station most likely to blow up a race. Wall balls go from 6kg to 9kg, which is a fifty per cent increase on the last hundred reps of the day, when you have nothing left.
Pro also does not make you faster or better regarded. It is a different test, not a superior one. Plenty of very good athletes race Open deliberately because it suits their strengths.
A reasonable rule: race Open until you have a time you are happy with, then consider Pro as a new challenge rather than a promotion.
Doubles
Two athletes, one race. Both of you run all 8km together, and you split the work at each station however you like within the rules. That flexibility is the whole appeal, because you can play to each other's strengths rather than both being average at everything.
Doubles is genuinely different to race, not just easier. The stations come at you faster because you are sharing them, so recovery is shorter, and the tactical layer of when to swap is where races are won. On the SkiErg, for example, swapping frequently in short blocks keeps both athletes fresher than splitting it in half.
It is also the most sociable version of the event and the one people most often come back to.
Relay
Four athletes split the race between them, each completing two run-and-station segments. It is the most accessible entry point HYROX offers, and the standard recommendation for anyone who is not sure they can complete a full race yet.
Relay is a good way to find out whether you like the event before committing to a solo entry, and it works well for workplace teams and gym groups.
Age groups
Your age group is set by your age on the day of your race, not at the start of the season. The bands run in five-year increments:
Under 24 (16-24), then 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, and onwards in five-year bands up to 85-89.
Two details that matter if you are older and competitive:
- Athletes can compete in Pro divisions up to and including the 80+ age groups at regular HYROX races, with official age group rankings, podiums and flags applying as normal.
- For World Championship qualification, athletes aged 60 and above qualify via the Open division only, and compete at the World Championships using Open weights, reps and distances.
Minimum age to race is 16.
The practical part: choosing your division
- Never done a HYROX and unsure you can finish? Relay. Four segments, shared load, real race atmosphere.
- Can run 5km without stopping and train in a gym? Open singles. This is the default answer for most people.
- Want the event to be social? Doubles. Find a partner of roughly similar running pace, because the runs are the part you cannot split.
- Already raced Open and want a harder test? Test the Pro sled push weight in training before you enter. If 202kg (men) or 152kg (women) moves reasonably in four segments, Pro is viable. If it does not, that station will define your race.
- Over 60 and chasing World Championship qualification? Race Open, because that is the only route.
Honest limitations
Division choice is a smaller lever than training. A well-prepared Open athlete has a far better day than an underprepared Pro athlete, and the finish line does not care which column you were in.
Doubles pairing matters more than most people expect, and mismatched running paces are the most common reason a doubles race goes badly. That is a partner selection problem, not a training problem, and no plan fixes it.
Rules and qualification pathways also change between seasons. This page reflects the 26/27 singles rulebook. Doubles and relay carry their own rulebooks, so check the specific one for your event before race day.
Next step
Not sure which division suits you? The fitness assessment quiz gives you a realistic read in a few minutes.
If you have already decided and want structure, the free HYROX plan maker builds a block around your current running and strength.
Source: division tables, age group bands and qualification notes from the official HYROX singles rulebook, season 26/27.
[ FAQ ]
Frequently asked
What are the HYROX divisions?
Singles runs four divisions: Women, Women Pro, Men and Men Pro. Alongside singles there is Doubles, where two athletes share the stations and both run, and Relay, where a team of four splits the race between them.
Should I enter Open or Pro for my first HYROX?
Open. The distances are identical and Pro only changes the loads, but those loads are substantially heavier at five stations. Almost nobody should make their first HYROX a Pro race.
What is the difference between HYROX Doubles and Relay?
In Doubles both athletes run all 8km together and share the work at each station. In Relay a team of four splits the race, with each member completing two run-and-station segments. Relay is the most accessible entry point.
Written by
The Suth Performance teamCoaches and editors
The Suth Performance programming team, led by HYROX Elite 15 athlete Ben Sutherland.
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