Huge crowds expected for two-day Hyrox outdoor event

Thousands of competitors and spectators are expected in Londonderry for an outdoor Hyrox fitness challenge to be held over two days at Ebrington Square.

Hyrox is described as one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and has about 200,000 competitors worldwide.

Competitors — either professional athletes or everyday fitness enthusiasts — perform eight runs and eight workouts.

The organisers of the first Ebrington Hyrox have said it will be one of the biggest outdoor events of its kind on the island of Ireland, with more than 1,000 people registered to compete.

Founded in 2017 as an indoor discipline, athletes take part in eight legs.

Each leg consists of a 1km run, followed by fitness exercises.

These are:

• 1km on a standing ski machine
• 50m of sled push
• 50m sled pull
• 80m burpee jumps
• 1km indoor rowing
• 200m kettlebell carry
• 100m lunges carrying a sandbag
• 100 throws and catches of a medicine ball off a wall

Participants range from elite athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts, with many drawn by the sport’s inclusive design and global appeal.

Race director Sean McLaughlin has a background in triathlons and is also an avid Hyrox competitor—he is currently ranked fourth in Ireland.

“Ebrington is a world-class venue. I’m looking forward to people from outside of Derry seeing how good a venue it actually is,” he told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme.

“Our plan is to build on this event and grow it even bigger next year, making it an annual event.

“You don’t have to be super-fit to get involved.

“The functional stations are actually very accessible to most people.

“I have found that Hyrox has given people a new lease of life.

The sport is closely related to CrossFit but features different, simpler exercises and prioritises endurance over raw strength.

Since the first event in Hamburg attracted 650 participants, the sport has seen rapid growth.

According to the sport’s official website, there were more than 40 global races in 2023, attracting over 90,000 athletes and 50,000 spectators.

Mr McLaughlin said he hoped the numbers attending Ebrington Hyrox would translate into an economic boost for the city.

“We are expecting thousands of spectators along with the competitors,” he said.

“The first race will start at nine in the morning and the last race isn’t over until about eight that evening.

“Every eight minutes, another race starts, so there is a constant flow of athletes — which means a constant flow of spectators.

“The businesses on Ebrington Square will see a massive benefit, and hopefully the city will too.”

Jen Mansour from Derry will be making her Hyrox debut at the event.

The 43-year-old had hoped to take part in a previous competition held in Creggan but was forced to withdraw after suffering a foot injury.

Inspired by fellow gym members who have competed in Hyrox, Jen said she had always been curious to try it for herself.

“There are definitely some nerves, but I’m really excited to be taking part,” she said.

Jen’s goal for the competition is simple: “To finish in one piece.”

“I was never particularly sporty at school, but after turning 40, I just wanted to become healthier and fitter,” she said.

“Hyrox has become really popular in recent years, and we have such a fantastic community at the gym – from all walks of life – who’ve taken part in these kinds of events, so I thought: why not me?”

Ms Mansour will be competing in the doubles category alongside her friend Esther Donaghy, who has taken part in Hyrox before.

“Esther is very fit, but more importantly for me, she’s also incredibly supportive,” she said.

“Having her by my side throughout the event will definitely help me get through it,” she said.

Josh Irwin from Limavady is a regular Hyrox competitor and described it as the “ultimate test of endurance.”

“I love it because it makes cardio training a bit more interesting and competitive, due to all the various exercises involved,” he said.

“There is a great community spirit behind it, both before and after the race, because you’re surrounded by like-minded people who are all looking to push themselves.”