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Mike Chan

Hyrox executives and coaches believe the indoor fitness competition will not follow in the footsteps of gym trends that have briefly captured the imagination before fading from view, in part because its universal format gives it global appeal.
While competitions such as CrossFit, HIIT and a variety of outdoor obstacle races have largely struggled to build on their initial popularity, Hyrox has become one of the fastest-growing fitness competitions in the world.
Founded in November 2017 by Olympic field hockey champion Moritz Furste and Christian Toetzke, the first Hyrox event was held in Hamburg, Germany five months later.
On its Hong Kong debut, Hyrox attracted around 700 competitors, next year the world championships will bring more than 6,000 athletes to the city.
This week, the sport’s global success resulted in Furste and Toetzke buying back a majority stake in the company in a deal reportedly valued at €600 million (US$698.28 million).

Gary Wan, managing director of Hyrox in Asia-Pacific, said the sport’s success lay in the fact it was easy to understand while also being “closely aligned with the running and strength training millions of people already do to remain active and healthy”.
“Hyrox is also genuinely accessible, with no required finishing time,” he added.
Wan also pointed to a network of training clubs and official gym affiliates that embedded the sport within local communities and gave people a place to train together throughout the year.
And then there was Covid, which Hong Kong-based coach Clayton Law Chun-yip said had contributed to people taking up running when other exercise was not available.
“The most fun part is the vibes, all the cheering from the spectators,” Law said. “The most challenging part is how you prepare for the race, all the training and the time you put in before stepping onto the start line.”
Today, there are more than 130 official training clubs and performance coaches in Hong Kong, within a network of over 2,400 across Asia-Pacific that is growing by around 120 to 150 clubs each month.
Wan said he knew from the start that the region had strong potential.
“I believed from the beginning, given the region’s growing appetite for goal-based and collaborative fitness following the pandemic,” he said. “The pace and scale of the growth, however, have exceeded what anyone would have reasonably predicted.
“Fewer than 1,000 people took part in our first APAC race in Hong Kong in 2022, while our most recent Hong Kong race welcomed nearly 20,000 participants. Across APAC, nearly 200,000 people have already competed this year.”

Hyrox is popular not only in the city and the surrounding region, but also globally. There are events in more than 35 markets and 95 cities worldwide. Over 1.5 million people have competed so far this year, and this number is expected to reach 1.7 million by the end of the year.
The frequency of events around the world has also opened up new opportunities for Hyroxers.
“Race weekends are increasingly becoming a reason to travel, bringing athletes, supporters and spectators into host cities and creating a wider impact across hotels, hospitality, retail and tourism,” Wan said.
Law, 33, who competed at an event in Beijing this week, said he aimed to race overseas at least once a month “to keep my motivation and momentum going”.
“We see participants shaping holidays around Hyrox races and travelling with friends, family and training partners, creating connections across borders as well as within individual gyms,” Wan added.
While cautious, Wan is confident about the future of Hyrox although acknowledges that “no sport or fitness movement can take continued growth for granted”.
“Sustaining that momentum requires us to keep evolving and reinvesting in the experience for participants, spectators and fans,” he added. “Participation growth alone is not our objective; ultimately our goal is to create an experience people want to return to.

With Hong Kong hosting its sixth Hyrox event since its debut in 2022 in January, Wan believes the consistent progress suggests there is no need “for a second bloom” in the city.
“Its growth has not been a single spike; our biggest focus now is to deepen that relationship while continuing to raise standards,” he said. “The biggest challenge is ensuring that Hyrox’s growth in Hong Kong remains sustainable and never impedes the race experience.
“As for the world championships, it is expected to have a global viewership of over two million; we have an exciting opportunity to showcase both the world’s best Hyrox athletes and Hong Kong as an international sporting destination.”
And according to Wan, Hong Kong’s status within the sport is unlikely to change.
“It remains firmly within our long-term plans,” he said. “Our participation has grown steadily, reflecting the strength and commitment of the city’s fitness community.
“We want to build on the momentum already established here, continue elevating the Hyrox experience and ensure the city remains a key destination on our calendar for years to come.”


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Hyrox

Founded in November 2017 by Olympic field hockey champion Moritz Furste and Christian Toetzke, the first Hyrox event was held in Hamburg, Germany. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

Gary Wan believes one of the appeals of Hyrox is it is easily accessible. Photo: Hyrox APAC

The last Hyrox Hong Kong was held at AsiaWorld-Expo in April this year. Photo: Hyrox Apac

Coach Clayton Law has 40 people training for Hyrox and he enjoys travelling to events. Photo: Clayton Law

Participants in the women’s doubles race competing at the burpee broad jump station during a Hyrox competition in Bangkok, Thailand last month. Photo: AP

Hong Kong is hosting the Hyrox world championships next year. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

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Hong Kong has picked a 580-strong squad to go to this month’s Asian Games in Japan. Photo: SF&OC

Hong Kong’s triathlon head coach Andrew Wright (right) with Oscar Coggins at the National Games. Photo: Eugene Lee

Stone Shek qualified for the 2024 Olympics in gymnastics. Photo: Facebook/ Stone Shek

Tiffany Yue won bronze in the long jump at the Asian Games back in 2023. Photo: Reuters 

Coleman Wong is now ranked in the world’s top 100 and is carrying the racquet sport on his back. Photo: EPA

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.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Hong Kong has been, and will continue to be, a special destination for Hyrox and one in which we want to keep investing,’ executive says

‘Hong Kong has been, and will continue to be, a special destination for Hyrox and one in which we want to keep investing,’ executive says