HYROX Melbourne Major 2025

Second Major of the season and first held outside Europe or the USA in the short history of the sport.

The Australian city of Melbourne was chosen. It is the second most populated city in the country with 5,000,000 inhabitants. The distance and the long trip has made some of the most prominent Europeans (and North Americans) have refused to travel.

The men's podium in the first Major (Roncevic, Scott and Weersma) and the second (Tafuto) are the highlights. Spaniards Lizarazu, Pelayo and Aguayo also chose not to travel.

The course is a replica of the Hamburg course (it will be exactly the same for the next Majors and World Cup). Five 200-meter laps in the kilometer with what I sense will be an iconic Farmer Carry course around the outside of the run course.

What is a Major?

The Majors are 4 regional events that provide opportunities for athletes to qualify for the World Championships. Each race will feature an Elite 15 men's and women's event for both singles and doubles.

There are 4 Majors:
Hamburg, Germany - 3 - 5 October 2025
Melbourne, Australia - 11 - 14 December 2025
Phoenix, USA - January 29 - February 1, 2026
Warsaw, Poland - 16 - 19 April 2026

Livestream

Results

Elite 15 women

All elite tests in the last 12 months start the same.

It doesn't matter if it's summer or winter. Whether it's in the northern or southern hemisphere. Whether there is a tornado or a heat wave:  Lauren Weeks fires out, Joanna Wietrzyk follows and the rest watch them go..

At the Phoenix Major in a month and a half the couple will probably become a threesome by joining together Megan Jacoby.

Until the sleds arrive, it is not known whether the young Australian will leave the American and whether any retards will join the pair (such as Linda Maier in the World Cup).

Joanna went a bit to the end of the Sled Push (Seka Arning and Sinead Bent approached). Also in the sled pull and manages to reach the Burpee Broad Jump with a 12-second lead. Weeks The young Englishwoman (5th in the world), who was the first to win the second half, was the only one to win the match. The young Englishwoman (5th in the world) Lucy Procter She came from behind in the burpees and begins to secure her place at the world championships in Stockholm.

Becomes Joanna and Lauren had already qualified in the Hamburg Major and it was clear that they would reach the first two positions, the places for the world championship would be won by the third, fourth and fifth. 

Except Procter who had a relatively-comfortable lead, the other two positions were being played for Bent, the English rookie Parnell, the German (Manuela's doubles partner the next day) Arning and the local Pettrow.

Kat Parnell, who last season was around 1h05 and with two times close to an hour and a minute in the last month and a half, was being the big surprise of the event. 

Manuela Garcia, also a newcomer, was a little race in the push (penultimate partial to more than half a minute of almost all). Placed after the pull in 12th position and remained for most of the race there. She will tell us calmly what her feelings have been but analyzing partial did a race at the same level as the most advanced participants but failed with respect to their rivals in the workouts.

For example, he ran the race in 35 minutes and only the first two were under 34 minutes.

Weeks reached the Lunges with some advantage but the local said enough. He put a brutal pace of strides, last kilometer and wall ball unbroken, to get the win (two for two in Majors). 

Second Weeks, third, third Procter with a direct seat to Stockholm.

The excitement and drama came at that moment. Two places for the World Cup and practically tied. Parnell, Pettrow and Bent. Finally, due to a WB, the debutant was left out.

More drama. Seka Arning suffers more than usual in the launches, it is passed by Mauer (who is also not doing very well), by her doubles partner Manuela (11th in her debut, not so bad), makes the last very fair and enters the finish line on her knees due to extreme fatigue.

As it is an exact course you can compare the times almost like in athletics. A few seconds faster both Joanna and Lauren than in Hamburg. Tafuto (second there) seems to be quite a bit ahead of Procter, Pettow and Bent.

Elite 15 men

The absences and the irruption of new top-level competitors gave the list of participants a fresh air tone.

The great dominator of the Spanish season, Charlie Botterill, the dominator of the North American, Cole Learn and that of the oceanic/asian Josh Van Zeeland, were the most outstanding debuts.

Despite this, the two big names were the top two in the world championship six months ago. Tim vs Hunter. A rivalry that is beginning to establish itself as a special one.

The start was as usual. The world champion was on fire and Hunter didn't leave him a meter. The Irishman Noble joined the party. The rest from the back, keeping the party going.

McIntyre makes a partial in the Sled Push (sub 2min on the Centr lawn is a very serious issue) but in the Sled Pull It seems that he pays for it and is also penalized with 15 seconds for stepping twice on the racer box line in the second length. 

As in Chicago, the couple maintains an ongoing struggle.

Hunter (which has changed its technique in the BBJ to step up) overtakes and is overtaken. Tim fails in the Farmer's Carry and has to break almost at the end. They definitely reach the Wall Balls very evenly matched but with a 15-second penalty to be served by the American before crossing the finish line.

From behind Noble is losing positions and Van Zeeland with the best times of the race he goes to the third position with a good advantage. Flipante as runs the English passport (in other events appeared as Luxemburgués and is resident in Australia) with the size that has. 12 seconds faster than Tim and 40 seconds faster than Hunter.

The disappointment was being the local James Kelly. The dominator of last season this year does not carbura. It gets dark in the sleds and from then on he only survives. The other local, and half Spanish, Jon Wynn He comes out on top after the Burpees but does not consolidate that position. A pity, it would have been great if he had taken a place in his country.

The pair is so evenly matched that Wenisch administers the advantage of the sanction of Hunter and despite finishing later wins by six seconds.

The drama returns to the Wall Balls. Van Zeeland seemed to have a solid lead but he makes so many “no reps” that he is overtaken “in extremis” by the young man Botterill, who reached the third position and the place for the world championship.

Elite 15 Women's Doubles

As luck goes by neighborhoods, the Spanish, the drama in the women's doubles, we lived it in our flesh.

The local Joanna-Pettrow dominated from the beginning. Holders of the world record (they managed to beat it in this Major) and winners in Hamburg (already qualified).

They were unchallenged despite the fact that the world champions - the North Americans Weeks-Griffith (already qualified) - and the runners-up - the English Proter (3rd in individual) and Bent (5th) who were not qualified - were there.

Alongside these pairs (the Australians were flying ahead) were Manuela + Arning, the South Africans Louw + MacIntosh and the Australians Martin + Emond.

This Australian couple had never participated in any elite event, they did not have great individual records but they had the third best time in history (54:37) achieved in the Chicago Age Group World Championship, more than two minutes ahead of the second in the Overall.

After a continuous change of positions with these pairs, Joanna-Pettrow won (I have already told you that with world record included), the English (classified) were second... and the end of the Wall Balls was reached like this:

The South Africans with a good advantage over Manuela-Arning secured the second Slot. The Spanish and Germans narrowly beat the world champions and with a good advantage over the Australians.

Final sprint and (the Australian women's counter of the broadcast was wrong) by tens the Oceanic women get the third Slot.

The look on my face was a poem (if you were watching it, the same thing would happen to you). Where did these girls come from!

I imagine it must have been hard for Manuela-Seka. I'll keep in mind that they beat the world champions (with the fatigue that the German must have had after finishing 24 hours before the event), that the Australian couple is super top (Mollie Edmod beat the mixed world record 24 hours later) and I'm sure that in Phoenix they will confirm their place in Stockholm.

Elite 15 Men's Doubles

If there was drama in the wall balls of the individual events, that of the doubles increased to anthological limits. 

I remind you that the first three pairs that are not qualified qualify for the World Cup.

The men's event was led at the beginning by the French-Croatian pair: Bernier (with backpack) and Nicic. Close behind them a pair that had a lot to make up for in the individual event (JK and Dearden, already qualified) and the Irish-English pair: Noble-Ficker.

Little by little Bernier-Nicic are going down and the already qualified: Ploj-Williamson go up. Noble-Ficker (unqualified) held on and the English Botterill-Russell (unqualified) and the Belgians Frassen Maes (unqualified) came back. The curious German-Irish pair: Eissenlauer-McConnell (the guy who was pushed by Hunter in the Relay World Championship, who changes partners more than I change my hair) remain somewhat behind.

To the wall balls they arrive:

1. JK-Dearden (classified)
2. Boterill-Russel at 7 sec (not classified)
3. Ploj-Williamson at 26 sec (classified)
4. Belgians at 35 sec (qualified)
5. Bernier-Micic at 42 sec (not classified)
6. Bianchi-Wills at 46 sec (not classified)
7. Noble-Ficker at 62 sec (not classified) losing the whole minute in the last kilometer because the Englishman was KO
8. Wenisch-Bartsch (not counted because Wenish will go to Stockholm with Roncevic)
9. Eisenhower-McConnell (unclassified)

Winner Dearden-JK, second Botterill-Russel who qualify for the world championship in Stockholm. 

Here is the situation at the end of the Wall Balls

Ploj-Williamson are already qualified so there are two places left for all these pairs (except Wenisch).

The Belgians confirm their second place (4th overall), Wenisch-Brascht fifth and the last place for Stockholm is won by Eisenhower-McConnell over Bianchi-Wills by tenths of a second. 

Noble-Ficker have lost more than a minute to the rest of the pairs in the sum of the last kilometer + WB.

Drama

The Pablos (Valverde-Sanchez), who were physically injured and were making their debut in an elite race, came last (14th due to the resignation of Jon+Halliday). They are worth much more than the time they did and I'm sure they will confirm it in the future.

Previous

Elite 15 Men

The Elite 15 men also arrives in Melbourne with a top-level starting list. The second Major of the 25/26 season will be held on friday, december 12 and, as in the women's category, there will be 3 places at stake to compete in the Elite 15 of the HYROX World Championships in Stockholm.

The athletes Alexander Roncevic, Dylan Scott and Hidde Weersma have already secured their qualification, which leaves the 15 competitors present in Melbourne to compete for the remaining three slots. The reference used for ordering and accessing these positions is the average of the two best Pro times achieved over the last 365 days.

The fight promises to be intense, with a very high level and several athletes capable of causing a surprise. The Major in Melbourne is shaping up to be one of the most competitive matches on the calendar.

The Spanish Aitor Lizarazu and Emilio Aguayo have announced that they will not participate in this Major

The reason?

Lack of financial support for such a costly trip.

This was explained by Emilio Aguayo (@aguayotri), who explained that at present they do not have the necessary support, especially financially, to be able to afford the trip to Australia. For this reason, they have been forced to decline the invitation.

Elite 15 Women

The Elite 15 female arrives in Melbourne with a spectacular line-up. The friday, december 12 the second Major of the 25/26 season will be disputed, where the following will be at play 3 qualifying places for the Elite 15 of the HYROX World Championships in Stockholm.

The athletes Joanna Wietrzyk, Vivian Tafuto (not participating) and Lauren Weeks have already secured their ticket to the World Cup, so in Melbourne we will have 13 women fighting for only three positions. The classification is based on the average of the two best times Pro obtained by each athlete in the last year.

First participation in a Major for the Spaniard Manuela García, who will make her debut this weekend. absolute debut in a Major in individual modality.

The challenge is enormous: the level of the women's Elite 15 is one of the most demanding of recent years, and every place is decided by the second. Even so, from the technical analysis there is confidence that Garcia will be able to compete more than many imagine.

The race will be broadcast on live on the HYROX World YouTube channel, This will make it possible to follow closely a duel that promises to be one of the most exciting of the season.

His capacity for suffering, his extraordinary racing engine and the competitive maturity he has shown this season mean that, although the standings are complicated, do not rule out a coup of authority. It will be a test to measure his true ceiling in the world elite.

The atmosphere beforehand could not be better: coaches, athletes and fans all agree that this is a great event. dangerous lineup, The competition has several competitors “with something to prove” and candidates that could surprise more than one person. Expectations are high.

Elite 15 Men's Doubles

In the men's category, the picture is completely different from that of the women:
there are almost no “classic” couples” (duos competing together on a regular basis), which makes the scenario more unpredictable... but not entirely.

Couples already qualified

• James Kelly & Jake Dearden
• Jake Williamson & Alen Ploj

They will run without pressure and with the freedom that comes from having the World Cup ticket already in their pocket.

Favorite pair to win in Melbourne

According to the previous expert:

Graham Halliday & Jonathon Wynn → one of the most solid and regular duos on the circuit.

👉 Charlie Botterill & Ollie Russell are the big favorites.

Explosive, fast in the race and very efficient in the stations, they are a step ahead of the rest in the fight for the victory in the Major.

The rest of the men's field presents an interesting mix of very strong individual athletes but with less combined doubles experience, which opens the door to surprises in the middle positions, but makes it quite clear who dominates the top half.

Elite 15 Women's Doubles

The duo formed by Manuela Garcia and Seka Arning arrives in Melbourne with a very clear objective:
qualify for the World Championship.

The accounts are defined in advance:
👉 They have to finish in the top three, without counting to the couples that are already qualified (those underlined in the official list).

And although the challenge is demanding, Manuela and Seka have shown that they are ready. Just a month ago in Stuttgart, they signed the sixth best record in history, This record places them in the group of candidates with real legitimacy to fight for that World Cup slot.

Direct rivals for qualification

According to the technical analysis, these are the pairs that will compete directly with them for the ticket to the World Cup:

• Lucy Procter & Sinead Bent → world runners-up, very hard in the seasons and very regular in the race.
• Vandenlindenloof Sisters → solid progression, very consistent in doubles.
• Melanie Maurer & Jennifer Nikolaus → fast couple, with motor and experience in high pace.

Melbourne is shaping up to be a tactical and endurance battle, where every transition and every meter of racing can decide who travels to the World Cup and who is left out.

And within that fight... Manuela and Seka are fully in the group with real choices.