Can you switch divisions after entering?

Event policies vary and changes are usually possible before a cut-off date, subject to availability in the target division. Contact the event organiser rather than assuming, since popular divisions at large events sell out and a switch may not be possible close to race day.

Do Doubles partners have to run together?

Yes. Both athletes complete every kilometre of running, and pairs must stay together on course. The sharing applies to station work, where partners divide repetitions or distance between them under the event's rules for each station.

Which division has the best atmosphere?

Doubles is widely described as the most enjoyable first race, because having a partner through the hard stations changes the experience considerably. That is a subjective judgement rather than a rule, but it is the common recommendation for people racing for the first time.

Are there age group categories?

Yes. Results are broken into age groups within divisions, and championship qualification standards are set per age group. This means a competitive time depends on your category rather than on the overall field, which makes the sport more accessible to masters athletes.

RoxSplit Blog

What Are the HYROX Divisions?

Updated July 15, 2026 · 6 min read · The RoxSplit Team

TL;DR. Four formats: Open solo at standard weights, Pro solo at heavier weights, Doubles as a pair sharing the stations, and Relay where four athletes split the course. The course, distances and station order are identical across all of them; only the loads and how the work is shared change.

Choosing a division is the first decision a new HYROX athlete makes and the one most often made badly, usually by entering Pro because it sounds better. The weights are meaningfully heavier, and a sled you cannot move is not a challenge but a stationary object.

What is the Open division?

The standard solo format: you complete all 8 kilometres of running and all eight stations yourself, at standard weights. Open uses a 152kg sled push for men and 102kg for women, with 6kg wall balls for men and 4kg for women.

Those sled figures include the sled itself, which is why they look alarming compared with gym plate loading. Open is the right entry point for almost everyone, and it is where the large majority of the field races.

How much heavier is Pro?

Substantially. The men’s sled push rises to 202kg and wall balls to 9kg, with women’s wall balls at 6kg, and the carries and lunges load correspondingly. It is the same course with every weighted station increased rather than a different race.

The sled is the decisive difference. A 50-metre push at 202kg is a different task from the same push at 152kg, and athletes who have not specifically trained heavy sleds can find themselves stalled mid-lane with the clock running.

RoxSplit app showing HYROX station splits configured for a specific division — Pacing differs by division, because heavier stations change where the time goes.

How do Doubles and Relay work?

In Doubles a pair completes the full course together, running every kilometre side by side and splitting the work within each station. In Relay four athletes divide the race, each taking two stations plus the runs surrounding them, with Relay using Open weights throughout.

Doubles is popular because sharing station work makes the format accessible while keeping the full running load. Relay reduces both, which makes it the usual entry point for teams and workplace groups rather than for individual competitors.

Pacing a Doubles race where the split changes everything? RoxSplit handles station splits for each format.

Which division should you enter?

Open for a first solo race, regardless of gym strength, because the running volume is the unfamiliar element for most strength athletes and the stations are the unfamiliar element for most runners. Move to Pro once you have a completed Open time to improve on.

The useful test is whether you can push the Pro sled weight for 50 metres in training when already fatigued, not whether you can move it fresh. Athletes who can do it fresh but not tired will meet that limit at station two with six stations remaining.

Key takeaways

Open, Pro, Doubles and Relay all use the identical course and station order.
Open sled push is 152kg for men and 102kg for women, including the sled.
Pro raises the men’s sled to 202kg and wall balls to 9kg men, 6kg women.
Doubles shares station work but keeps the full 8 kilometres of running.
Relay splits the course across four athletes and uses Open weights.

Frequently asked questions

Can you switch divisions after entering?: Event policies vary and changes are usually possible before a cut-off date, subject to availability in the target division. Contact the event organiser rather than assuming, since popular divisions at large events sell out and a switch may not be possible close to race day.
Do Doubles partners have to run together?: Yes. Both athletes complete every kilometre of running, and pairs must stay together on course. The sharing applies to station work, where partners divide repetitions or distance between them under the event’s rules for each station.
Which division has the best atmosphere?: Doubles is widely described as the most enjoyable first race, because having a partner through the hard stations changes the experience considerably. That is a subjective judgement rather than a rule, but it is the common recommendation for people racing for the first time.
Are there age group categories?: Yes. Results are broken into age groups within divisions, and championship qualification standards are set per age group. This means a competitive time depends on your category rather than on the overall field, which makes the sport more accessible to masters athletes.

The RoxSplit Team
Hyrox Racing & Pacing, BigBalli. We track the official HYROX race format, divisions and station standards so pacing guidance stays accurate. Weights are as published and may be revised by the organiser.