HYROX goes big with one-lap format: What you need to know

Mat Lock: As a young and evolving sport, HYROX is constantly iterating to enhance both the racer and spectator experience. The one-lap format is not entirely new, it is already used in Berlin and Auckland, though both are outdoor runs. What makes London particularly exciting is that it marks our first indoor single-lap course. Does it change the game? It certainly adds a new dimension. There's a general perception that a one-lap course is inherently faster, but the reality is more nuanced. Factors like the number of turns, athlete density, and environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, all play a role in how a course performs. For example, take Glasgow in early 2025: it featured a four-lap course shaped by the venue’s constraints. Despite that, Lauren Weeks set a new world record and James Kelly was just one second off the men's record. So, a one-lap format alone isn’t the magic ingredient, but it's definitely part of the evolving story

Mat Lock: Whether or not a one-lap format is used depends on several factors, most notably, the characteristics of the venue, the scale of the event, and the size of the start waves. We’ve already implemented the one-lap run in Berlin and Auckland, both of which were outdoor events. In those cases, the layout was driven by necessity: the venues couldn’t accommodate an indoor course, but offered the space to create a single-lap route. Another key factor is density management. With a multi-lap run, more athletes occupy the course at once. A one-lap course allows us to accommodate larger start waves while maintaining flow and delivering a better experience for the athlete - which is always our priority.