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World Champion Tim Wenisch on HYROX Doubles: "Find a loyal partner"
HYROX’s same-nationality mandate has redrawn the map for Pro Doubles. Tim Wenisch explains how the shift impacts the sport’s most iconic pairings and why finding a loyal partner is key to success.
In a landmark ruling that signals a definitive shift toward Olympic-level standardisation, HYROX officially overhauled the Elite 15 Pro Doubles framework. Starting with the 2026/27 season, doubles partners must now share the same nationality. It’s a move that prioritises national identity and long-term commitment over short-term tactical alliances, but it’s not without its shockwaves.
The strategy has shifted, too. Within Pro Doubles, Elite 15 qualification is no longer about a single standout performance; it’s now calculated on a team’s three best results within a rolling 365-day window. For athletes, this means they must now train and race differently, as they now need a longer stretch of consistent results, rather than a sprint for a one-off podium position. Furthermore, athletes no longer just need a partner, but a compatriot to grind out races with for an entire season.
One athlete set to feel this change the most is Tim Wenisch. The German powerhouse’s 2025 season was a masterclass, culminating in his crowning as HYROX World Champion in Chicago, a race won with a blistering 00:03:24/km time. Yet, while his singles performance is undisputed, his doubles future has hit a regulatory wall.
Wenisch believes the UK and Germany could benefit from the rule change
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Wenisch and his long-time partner, Austrian Elite 15 athlete Alexander Rončević, have historically been the pair to beat, with a red-hot time of 49:17 in Hamburg 2025. Despite the pair’s chemistry only being bolstered further by their career performance, HYROX’s new same-passport mandate now stipulates that one of the sport's most formidable duos must be effectively disbanded.
We caught up with Wenisch to talk about his partnership with Rončević, who will be most impacted by the changes and why loyalty could now be the most valuable stat in the sport of fitness racing.
Tim, what was your initial reaction to the new Elite 15 ruling for Pro Doubles?
To be honest, I expected it. Everyone knew that HYROX has Olympic ambitions, and for that the doubles format has to be adapted. That’s also why it makes sense that two athletes of the same nationality now have to compete together.
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Wenisch suggests some athletes shift their focus more toward singles
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
What effects do you think this will have on athletes?
I think some athletes who don’t come from traditionally strong HYROX countries will no longer be able to race doubles at the elite level in the future and will shift their focus more toward singles. At the same time, some countries—and athletes—will naturally see this new rule as an opportunity. The UK is a very clear example, as they have a large pool of strong athletes.
Who do you think will benefit, and who do you think will be negatively impacted?
HYROX-strong countries like the UK, but also Germany, clearly have an advantage because they have a very deep pool of high-level athletes. Countries with fewer elite athletes are naturally at a disadvantage. The same applies to athletes who live in Europe but hold a different passport—for example, from Australia, or the other way around. For them, racing in the Elite Doubles format is now linked to a very high logistical and financial effort, which significantly reduces their chances.
Wenisch will no longer be able to compete alongside Alexander Rončević
© Alex Trobough/Red Bull Content Pool
A team is only as strong as its weakest link, so you have to go through highs and lows together
With only three results counting in a 365-day window, what does the new system reward most in Pro Doubles: speed, consistency, or partnership stability?
If you look at this season, the biggest challenge will be finding a partner you actually stay loyal to. Of course, you first have to race together a few times, so it requires several attributes, with commitment being one of the most important.
For Pro Doubles teams trying to break into the Elite 15, what practical advice would you give them under this new ruleset that wouldn’t have mattered as much before?
My biggest piece of advice is that as a doubles team, it’s not enough to just be good athletes; you have to be a good team first and foremost. A team is only as strong as its weakest link, so you have to go through highs and lows together, push each other and communicate well. If that foundation isn’t there, it won’t work long term and it won’t lead to success.
How would you describe your doubles partnership with Rončević?
It’s an exceptionally strong friendship, where we genuinely want the best for each other. We complement each other perfectly, and every race together feels like a wild ride on a wave; you never know when it’s going to break. It’s living on the limit and I love it.
What impact do you expect the new ruling to have on team formation, fan engagement and the overall identity of the competition?
I really liked that athletes from different nationalities were able to race together, because it was a special aspect of the doubles format, building a sense of team identity independent of nationality. For World Championships and major events, the new system is, of course, very exciting as well, especially with medal tables and national rankings.
