HYROX Valencia

HYROX Valencia was not planned to be held in March, as the initial proposal was for mid-November 2024. The Dana changed the plans and, unfortunately, affected the lives of all Valencians.

HYROX Spain moved the date and has honored the victims months later. Many of us could not recover the transportation and/or hotel expenses of November but I think the decision was the right one. Only 2 weeks later there was no body to celebrate anything.

The organization has held two minutes of silence (one each day) at 08:40 and donated part of the proceeds to the victims. I am convinced that HYROX has made the right decisions on this sensitive issue.

Organization of the event 

Apart from correct decisions, HYROX Spain gives the impression that it is already doing events like hot cakes.

The level of organization is such that structurally no differences between tests are noticeable. Everything starts to be extremely predictable and consequently positive.

There has been one major development and some minor problems.

🔄 The novelty is that at last, the Spanish premiere of the wall ball rep counter. There are still not many events worldwide where it is used but it is very useful for the athlete and for the spectator. Hopefully it will be definitive in future events.

❌ The minor problems I was told (I did not experience it firsthand) was that some sled carpets were not going well but were quickly resolved.

❌ Another is that since there are two days with the same categories, not many competitors from Saturday can go to the podium and those from Sunday have an advantage since they know the marks of the previous day's competitors.

By deciding to hold the second day months after the first (due to the sold out and increasing demand) doubling the days of each category is the least bad solution. It is a small chore but also a "lesser evil".

The pavilion was smaller than in the last Spanish events. This has two effects:

• We had to make almost three turns for each kilometer. The consequence is that we found ourselves with more 90º turns and some narrowings especially at the crossing point. In doubles it was a complicated test for those who wanted to run fast. In my case (pro Saturday) there were zero traffic problems.
• Compared to Bilbao, the event was slower because of the greater number of 90º turns (4 per kilometer) and because the sled carpeting generated more friction.
• There was less public space to watch the workouts. The tents, bag drop, locker room and warm-up area were outside the roxzone.

These two points are neither negative nor positive, they simply are.

HYROX pro women

Spain is the only country that broadcasts the pro tests live (through its YouTube channel) beyond the majors. We are fortunate for the involvement of HYROX Iberia on this point.

This allowed me to watch the women's race at the hotel (I was participating hours later).

When I arrived at Feria Valencia a couple of hours later, the people I met told me the same thing: The feeling that Manuela gave me of a great competitor.

The metaphor that caught my attention was the following:"Manuela already has the aura of a super athlete".

🏅 Manuela García Caparros

The Almeriense based in Madrid Manuela García Caparros is the best Spanish HYROX athlete. This is an indisputable fact since she has won the last 3 HYROX that she has participated in the peninsula (Malaga 24, Madrid 24.2 and Valencia 25.

• He has beaten the Spanish record by a wide margin. this weekend (remember the track was slow).
• He has 4 of the 10 best marks in pro history.
• The record in Open and
• came third in Europe in her age group 15 days ago in Vienna.

Most importantly, it has that aura (I insist that fits very well with the feeling that Manuela leaves) that it is above the rest.

Almeria is CAFYD, trainer, former CrossFit competitor.

He had never trained running until he tried HYROX a year and a half ago..

Most importantly, he has the conviction that he is going to make it to the world elite and he is working very hard for it.

Roses are not only for the winner. 

🥈 Sandra Dominguez

Sandra Dominguezsecond, had a great race.

He stayed with Manuela until sled pull that made a difference. Sandra (second also in Bilbao) has made the second best Spanish time in history in this slow circuit.

Spoiler: It's not the last time I'm going to say it in this chronicle... the slow track thing hahaha.

Sandra did better on foot than Manuela but the loss came in the stations. The Madrilenian also has her sights set on getting closer to the European elite and is also working hard to achieve it.

Third the Portuguese Daniel Couto (he has already competed in a Major).

Sixth Jennifer Marin who is an Andalusian who has exploded in recent weeks.

He debuted in Malaga by chance 10 months ago in Open (he comes from CrossFit) and got hooked.

In Bilbao he already gave a great performance.

In Valencia he made the 9th best time in history despite the fact that he was not in his best condition, according to what he told me. He participated on Sunday.

Seventh Marta del Real confirms what many of us knew.

This Mallorcan with a huge engine begins to dominate the race and to demonstrate her true level (national elite). 11th best time in Spanish history. Participated on Sunday.

Here are the eleven best Spanish marks in history. You can see the evolution of the Spanish women (the five best in the last five months) and the high level of the Valencia event.

HYROX pro men

🏅Emilio Aguayo

Emilo Aguayo is a Valencian who has been one of the best long distance triathletes that has been in our country. Several times champion of Spain, several podiums in Lanzarote and winner in an official Ironman in USA (Wisconsin 2019). 

The bison (as he is known in the tri) had a break from success after the pandemic that led him to try HYROX starting this fall. The truth is that it seems to be a sport created for him: 1.90 m tall, robust bone structure and a huge engine.

He has only participated in three individual HYROX:

• In London, he made his debut at the end of the year in the open, beating the entire English armada and beating the Spanish record. (which was subsequently pulverized in Vienna by Pablo Sanchez, Rober Viciedo and Luis Garcia).
• In Bilbao he did a great race being somewhat conservative (sixth position).
• In Valencia it was different. He went out on fire (at 3:00 per mil for the first 360m lap) and maintained a devastating race level. He did the 8 km at 3:24 average (27:12 not counting the roxzone) which is top world level. 

For example, Graham Holliday (top 8 in the last two World Championships) did 2 minutes more in the race split times at the Madrid HYROX in the fall than Emilio did in Valencia.

Right now he can look Roncevic, Hunter or Pelayo in the face without complexes at the career level.

🥈Aitor Lizarazu

Aitor Lizarazu initially was not going to travel to the city of Turia, but decided to run the day before.

No tapering week, no bagpipes, he showed up at noon with zero pressure.

He went out calmly, as he usually does, and was coming back up until he was relatively close to Emilio after the pull.

Both kept the distances close to one minute until the wall balls Aguayo began to miss more than usual and Aitor saw a window of opportunity.

Finally the Valencian won with a margin of 20 seconds but there were moments of some intrigue.

I wrote it in the chronicle of Bilbao and I reaffirm it again:

Both Aitor and Emilio have the level to be in the Elite 15 final of the World Cup. (Pablo Sanchez also).

It is true that there are a good handful of foreigners who have already participated in Majors and who have marks and experience.

It is also true that the three Spaniards are already close to them and that they are progressing in level.

Three places for the elite finals will be played in Barcelona and all three will be neck and neck with all these top-level hybrid racers.

And I'm going to take a gamble. While I was watching Emilio leaving, being in the warm-up area, I commented something that I really think: If everything goes well for the Valencian this year (maintaining focus and maximum motivation, chaining hard training and no injuries) I see him in the 25/26 season settled in the top 10 in the world. 

Just remember that he has only been in this sport for a few months (in July he did his last Ironman) and that he has only raced two pro races, both under 59 min... something that if I am not mistaken has not been achieved by anyone in the short history of this sport.

The third and fourth place finishers participated in Sunday's wave.

Third the French Alan Cao. Winner of the HYROX Malaga 24. He is well established in these times but this year has not yet made the leap in quality to move to the next level.

Fourth the Galician Ruben Patiño I personally was very happy to see him back in more advanced positions.

Ruben was the second Spaniard to go under the hour two years ago in Hannover with 59:04 (the first was Alfons Deu in Malaga 23). Patiño, who because of his work situation can not train as much as he would like and does not have sleds, has the capacity to be higher and as soon as he can train more consistently he will achieve it.

He will compete in Malaga and maybe in Barcelona.

These are the first 5 classified:

1st Emilio Aguayo 58:38
2nd Aitor Lizarazu 58:56
3º Alan Cao 1h00:43
4th Ruben Patiño 1h00:54
5º Igor Arruti 1h01:02

Somewhat further back, apart from the classics (Pablo Valverde, Jorge, Rober, Luis...) I would like to highlight these novelties.

9º Erlaitz Cano in Gasteiz has lowered his record by 5 minutes. In Bilbao he already went under the hour in open. OCR athlete confirms me that due to these two results he is going to focus on HYROX to try to reach the national elite.

11º Sergio Olivares. The fireman from Alcalá, after a worse start of the year than he expected, returns to the high competitive level. Watch out for Sergio in Malaga and especially in Barcelona.

12º Fernando Suárez Medina. Canarian with powerlifting background and 1,90 height. As his career level rises, he is moving up positions. Watch out for him in the future. He is a trainer in a sports center.

I take this opportunity to let you know the 15 times that a Spaniard has gone under 59 minutes in pro.

The great dominator of this classification is Pelayo Menéndez who will compete this Wednesday in the last Major of the year in Glasgow (there will be a chronicle).

As fast as the circuit is, I am convinced that apart from a great position, there will be a new Spanish record.

Other classifications

Pro men's doubles

1º Roger Marti Vargas, Victor Esparza Monreal 55:23
2º Jorell Hill, Jack Sharp 56:54
3º Adrián Martínez Jiménez, Antonio Marí Vargas 57:56

Women's Pro Doubles

1ª Jodie Bray, Samantha Grist 01:04:06
2ª Ana Millán Mattern, Eva María Mocholi 01:04:37 (Valencian)
3ª  Ludovica Midei, Fabrizia Midei 01:07:22

Mixed doubles

1 Frederic Legatzki, Marlena Michno 57:27
2 Yeray Mañas Hernández, Laura Perez Milan 58:41
3 Melanie Pirinoli, Cedric Pirinoli 58:55

Open male

1st Ciaran Parkinson (UK) 58:53 
2nd Mario Lauria (ARG) 59:11
3rd Luc Van Oberman (NER) 1h00:00 

Open female

1ª Ferrer Pastor, Monica (ESP) 01:05:27
2ª Mccleery, Kassandra (USA) 01:05:50
3ª Chumley, Maleah (USA) 01:05:54

Personally I liked the Bilbao event better because the BEC (Bilbao Exhibition Center) is a great place to organize and participate in a HYROX.

Even so, I insist that HYROX Iberia events are always of a high grade (with its small flaws) and that we will surely check in Malaga in two weeks and Barcelona in seven.

Of course with a chronicle of what happened on this website.

Map of HYROX Valencia