"The HYROX game has changed": Master coach explains the new Elite 15 rules

Tiago Lousa: For top-level athletes, not much changes. Some will need to race more frequently at first, but once they've banked enough points to secure qualification, they can dial back. Even if other athletes post incredibly fast times, it won't affect those who've already locked in their points. The real shift is strategic: athletes will stop hunting for "fast tracks" and start looking for races with weaker fields. And this is where it gets complicated for HYROX as a spectacle. Athletes will inevitably communicate with each other, figure out who's racing where, and avoid unnecessary confrontations where their chances of scoring valuable points are reduced.

Athletes with financial resources and strong sponsorship backing will benefit most. Those who can afford to travel frequently, who handle jet lag well, and who are based in regions with less competition, think Asia, Latin America or other emerging HYROX markets. The higher-tier weighting for Majors and World Championships will help only the truly elite. Take Alexander Rončević: with two Major wins this year, just three more victories at regular Pro events could almost guarantee him the number-one spot next season, and he still has the Warsaw Major and World Championships ahead. Meanwhile, athletes with limited budgets, outside commitments, or racing in highly competitive regions like Central Europe will face bigger challenges.

Athletes and coaches need to shift their mindset from time trial to tactical racing during the qualification phase. Finishing time stops mattering; placement is everything. Athletes can now ease off if they've secured a scoring position. Every race becomes tactical, not just Majors, Regionals, and World Championships. This fundamentally changes race dynamics across the entire season. Training will need adjustments, too.

Athletes will need to think more about race-specific positioning and pacing strategies rather than pure output. Unless you're the best in the world, you just focus on being even faster and let everyone else adapt. Another major consideration: managing multiple trips and choosing races wisely. Organising and structuring a season becomes significantly more complex.

When it comes to qualifying for the World Championships, the only pathways to the Elite 15 will continue to be through direct head-to-head competitions at the Majors and Regional Championships. However, Majors may see less balanced and competitive fields overall, because some athletes will accumulate their points at less competitive events. Iconic stops like London, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Cologne could see smaller, less competitive fields.

For Doubles, the same-nationality requirement will increase fan engagement. People will rally behind their national teams. And requiring three results instead of one single qualifying time forces pairs to actually be pairs: training, travelling, and competing together consistently.

It's not the advice I'd love to give, but: be smart and choose your races wisely. Be mentally prepared to perform well and still walk away with a poor result in terms of points. It isn't just up to you anymore (unless you're Alexander Rončević). The new system could shake things up generationally. For younger athletes with fewer commitments, this system could be liberating. They can travel freely and chase points. For older athletes with established lives, families, kids, jobs and responsibilities, this will be significantly more challenging.

It might push out some of the sport's veterans simply because they can't commit to the travel and race frequency required. My advice to those on the cusp: secure your HYROX athlete licence immediately, study the calendar strategically, target events with strong Strength of Field metrics (for tiebreaker purposes), and focus on consistency over peak performances. Five solid results beat one spectacular time.