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Getting tickets for fitness competitions like Hyrox is almost as hard as seeing Taylor Swift

Business Insider

7 hours ago

Entertainment
Business Insider

Getting tickets for fitness competitions like Hyrox is almost as hard as seeing Taylor Swift

Emily Harding had four screens poised and ready to try to get tickets when they were released. "I almost thought about roping in my housemate too," the 34-year-old yoga teacher from London told Business Insider. This wasn't a Taylor Swift or Burning Man ticket release. It was Hyrox, a fitness race that's taking the world by storm. "It was like Glastonbury," Harding said. In Hyrox, competitors work in pairs or individually to perform functional exercises, such as wall balls, sled pushes, and rowing. These movements are sandwiched between eight one-kilometer runs. You win by finishing first. Entry costs up to $185 and the winner of the pro division gets a prize of up to $7,500. Unlike CrossFit, which was the dominant fitness contest in the 2010s and features highly technical movements like Olympic lifts, Hyrox was designed to be accessible to anyone who works out regularly. However, as Hyrox grows more popular — even drawing away pro athletes from other sports, like CrossFit GOAT Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr — it is becoming harder to snag tickets, which are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The first race, in Germany in 2017, featured 650 people. In 2024, over 650,000 participants competed in Hyrox contests globally, making it one of the world's fastest-growing fitness events. The hype is prompting gyms to launch their own alternative fitness contests, to cater to members who can't get Hyrox tickets — mass fitness events that typically cost a little less to enter, and usually have a cash prize. Moritz Fürste, one of the cofounders of Hyrox, told BI the organization is aware of the demand and is pushing to keep expanding and optimizing their service. Still, some of the event's biggest fans are say change is overdue. Tickets like 'gold dust' Harding described a Hyrox ticket as "gold dust." She first entered three years ago and had no trouble getting in. In fact, when she had to pull out for medical reasons, she couldn't find anyone to take her ticket. Her second attempt was in June 2025. "I was really gobsmacked how different it was from now to then," Harding said. Tickets were released in two waves, at 12 p.m. and then 5 p.m. Harding was applying for women's doubles, so she and her friend each joined the queue on their phones and laptops. Harding was around 6,000th in the queue, and her friend was 10,000th, but then the queue glitched, and they jumped up to around 30,000th. Harding's phone kept pushing her to the back of the queue, she said. "If you were only doing this on your phone, I can imagine you'd be absolutely fuming," Harding said. Fürste said that server capacities are hard to control, but they are working hard to make the process fair, and it works very well 95% of the time. In 2024, Hyrox UK trialled a New York City Marathon -style ballot system to allocate race places, but the format was scrapped due to overwhelming demand and push-back from affiliates. Harding and her friend finally got through on a laptop, but the tickets they wanted were sold out. They considered finding two guys to do mixed doubles, but while they thought about it, those tickets sold out too. They finally got tickets when they tried again in the 5 p.m. release. "The queueing system was horrible," Harding said. Jamie Thorpe, a sales director from Leicestershire, has competed in two Hyrox games since 2022. He likes the event's accessibility and energy, "even if many of the competitors seem to forget their shirts." The first time he entered, "we got a place easily — no queues, no ticket drops, no random ballots," he told BI. In the years since, Thorpe, 34, has tried to get tickets more times than he can remember, often recruiting friends to assist, but it's got "significantly" harder, he said. "The organizers can hardly be blamed for the success of their event, and I am fortunate to have attended two already, but that doesn't stop it from being immensely frustrating to miss out so consistently," he said. Danny Rae, the UK men's open Hyrox champion, told BI he's competed in over 25 of the events and advises people struggling to get tickets to join an affiliate gym so they get early access. "They do still get sold out because it's in such high demand, but you get a better shot," he said. "Another thing to consider is: people will naturally sign up for the Open races. People are scared of the prospect of doing Pro because of the word 'Pro'. If you are active and you train most days, then just go for Pro and you'll be more likely to get a ticket." Clifford Saul, a personal trainer of 17 years and the owner of The 200 Strong gym in Leicestershire, UK, thinks the rise of Hyrox is in large part due to the proliferation of fitness culture on social media. "If social media were as prevalent as it is now, 10 years ago, I think that boom would've happened sooner," he said. "If you put on an event now, it's thrown in your face. All you need to do is look at one reel, and then the algorithms send you loads more." Gyms are putting on their own events for people who can't get tickets Saul is one of many coaches launching other fitness competitions to cater to members who can't get Hyrox tickets. He is part of a 30-person strong WhatsApp group of local fitness fans who all try to get tickets for each other. Some people never seem to have any luck, others have never had issues, Saul said. With so many of his members missing out on Hyrox tickets, Saul decided to partner with another local gym to host their own group fitness competition called The District Games. "The idea is that all the gyms in the area can enter teams," he said. "We want to get all the local community together, put food on, have a DJ, drinks, a bouncy castle for kids," he said. "And we're doing this because we can't get tickets for Hyrox. We can do it a bit differently, and it won't cost £100 each." Tickets cost £149 for a team of four. On the other hand, some gym owners are staging large-scale events to rival Hyrox. There's Athx, a functional fitness contest, launched in 2023, that focuses more on strength than Hyrox. Another is Metrix, launched in March 2025 — an immersive fitness competition that combines high-intensity workouts with club-level production and world-class DJs. Each pair does as much as they can in each of the five 10-minute stations, with four minutes of recovery in between each. Metrix founder Will McLaren, a personal trainer and former Royal Marine based in London, launched Metrix in March 2025, told BI the atmosphere is dark, so people don't feel like they're being watched, and the exercises are designed to be even more accessible than those in Hyrox. "50% of people can't do a wall ball because they haven't got the mechanics, the overhead extension of the spine, and the anchor mobility to be able to pull them off, so I didn't want to fall into that trap of being stuck in a set workout," McLaren told BI. Metrix also sells separate "social" tickets for those who just want to have fun and don't care about competing — there's a cash prize for whoever wins, though. "It's really important that everyone starts together and everyone finishes together. There's no winners and there's no losers unless you do want to compete for the money." The community aspect is important for McLaren too. Metrix has food vans, ice baths, saunas, and kids' games for people to enjoy afterward. "You're paying £120 for a ticket for Hyrox. It's a lot. People get the patch, they get half a banana, and they get told to go," McLaren said. "So we wanted to make sure people could stay all day, enjoy the music, enjoy the atmosphere, and meet other people." Metrix is priced the same, but McLaren said he wants to offer more for that price. He said he is also hoping to partner with a dating app, to build on the trend of run clubs and fitness events as a place to find love. Hyrox is rushing to keep up with its own success Saul believes the younger generations' love of fitness means group events won't be going away anytime soon. "17- to 24-year-olds, they're not going out, drinking, and partying as much anymore," he said. "They're meeting up and doing fitness events." In a 2023 survey from McKinsey, more than 50% of Gen Z respondents (generally 13 to 28 years old) said fitness was a very high priority for them, compared to 40% of people across all age groups. In the UK, 25- to 34-year-olds make up 42% of Hyrox's demographics, and while there are older people doing Hyrox, the brand is mostly driven by millennials and Gen Z. Fürste, the Hyrox cofounder mentioned earlier, said Hyrox's next goal is "to deliver the best possible race experience for more than 1 million people in the 2025/26 season." They are planning to keep up with demand by launching more races in more countries and cities, with the aim of "taking the sport to as many people as possible across the world," he said. But for long-term Hyrox fans, the competition's growth, both in the number of applicants and the fitness standard, has seen it evolve from the approachability that was part of its initial appeal. Thorpe has done the pairs event twice with a very fit friend, and although their times have improved in many areas, their rankings have dropped dramatically. "The increase in overall standard was extremely noticeable," Thorpe said. "This is, of course, not a problem, but part of what attracted me to the event in the first place was the accessibility, and I hope they don't lose this as the standard continues to rise."

Charlize Theron unimpressed by Raya dating app

Perth Now

17 hours ago

Entertainment
Perth Now

Charlize Theron unimpressed by Raya dating app

Charlize Theron is on the celebrity dating app Raya - but it hasn't proved fruitful for her. The Oscar-winning star was introduced to the app by a friend, but Charlize hasn't had a great experience on Raya so far. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, the 49-year-old actress shared: "I am [on Raya, but] I don't do anything with it. "A friend put me on it, I went on two dates and then I kind of … it's like, every guy has a Burning Man picture, and they're a CEO of like, nothing. Or like a fitness ... Then you meet with them and they're not [a CEO]. They just say it up front. Well, why did you put that on your thing?! "No, I don't like it." Meanwhile, Charlize recently revealed that her children are unimpressed by her acting career. The movie star is one of the best-known actresses in Hollywood - but Charlize's kids are underwhelmed by her achievements. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Charlize quipped: "My children have zero respect for me. "It's just unbelievable, I feel like I'm pretty humble, but every once in a while I'm like 'there's a f****** Oscar right there.' They are so not impressed with me." Charlize - who has adopted daughters Jackson, 12, and August, nine - recalled a recent incident when one of her kids admitted to being impressed by another well-known movie star. She shared: "I was picking up my youngest from dance yesterday and we drove past the new 'Mission Impossible' poster where Tom Cruise is hanging onto some yellow plane, and he just looks really cool. "My kids were with me when I shot 'Old Guard 2' and I worked on this incredibly intricate sequence where we brought in this amazing helicopter pilot, Fred North, and we were gonna choreograph this incredible me fighting helicopters and jumping on this real helicopter and hanging off. Shooting 99 percent of it on a real helicopter as it's trying to shake me off like a rag doll. "We took like two weeks to shoot this sequence and I was like, 'Wow, I just did that, that's really amazing.' And my child yesterday just looked at this poster of Tom Cruise and went, 'It's weird, he looks so much cooler than you did when you were hanging off the helicopter.' "I was just like, 'I hung off the helicopter, [can I have] some credit?'"

Charlize Theron Talked About Being Deceived By Men On Raya, And I Can't Believe These Guys Have The Audacity

Yahoo

a day ago

Entertainment
Yahoo

Charlize Theron Talked About Being Deceived By Men On Raya, And I Can't Believe These Guys Have The Audacity

If you're single in 2025, you've likely experienced the highs and lows of dating apps. And if it makes you feel better, it sounds like celebs are right there in the trenches with us. Appearing on Watch What Happens Live this week, Charlize Theron was asked by host Andy Cohen if there's 'any truth to the rumors' that she uses Raya. If you don't know, Raya is probably the most 'exclusive' of all the dating platforms, and while plenty of non-famous people use it, the app has become a bit of a hot spot for single celeb sightings. So, if you've been swiping through Raya and think you've spotted Charlize, it turns out it probably was her. Speaking to Andy, the Oscar-winner confirmed that she is a user of the app — although not a very active or enthusiastic one. Related: You Have Excellent Facial Recognition If You Can Recognize These 12 Celebrities As Kids 'Yes, I don't do anything with it. A friend put me on it, I went on two dates,' Charlize said, giving a relatable sigh of dating app exhaustion. In turn, Andy said that he's on Raya, too, and the pair got into a chat about the kind of guys they've come across. (Content warning for any of my dating app users out there.) Related: Courtney Stodden Did A Face Reveal After Dissolving Her Fillers And She Looks Really Different Now 'Every guy has a Burning Man picture, and they're a CEO, like, of nothing,' Charlize said. 'Or like, a creative director of nothing,' Andy agreed. 'And then you meet with them and they're not [a CEO]. They just say it up front — 'Well, why did you put that on your thing?!'' Charlize asked in disbelief. 'No! I don't like it.' I don't like it either, Charlize. Who gave these men the audacity? You can watch the full clip from Watch What Happens Live here. In the meantime, good luck to all my dating app warriors out there. More on this Nobody Swiped Right On Zac Efron, And 13 Other Tales Of Celebs On Dating AppsChristopher Hudspeth · Jan. 30, 2022 Ben Affleck Had A Hilarious Response After A Woman Unmatched Him On A Celebrity Dating AppAlex Gurley · May 4, 2021 Chrissy Teigen Called Out Celebrity Men Sending "Desperate" Messages To Women On RayaMorgan Sloss · May 6, 2021 Also in Celebrity: "Overwhelmingly Untrue": Three Months After That Explosive Exposé, Jonathan Van Ness Addressed The Allegations Also in Celebrity: 21 Celebrity Facts That Are, Like, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Shocking Also in Celebrity: "He Growled At Me, Saying He Only Signs Autographs For 'Chicks With Huge Tits'": 19 Infuriating Times People Had First-Hand Experiences With Celebrities Behaving Badly

Buzz Feed

a day ago

Entertainment
Buzz Feed

Charlize Theron On Using Raya

What happened to Jonathan Toews in 2-year absence before Jets contract?

USA Today

20-06-2025

Sport
USA Today

What happened to Jonathan Toews in 2-year absence before Jets contract?

Jonathan Toews is officially back in the NHL after a multi-year hiatus. The three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Chicago Blackhawks captain reportedly signed a one-year deal with his hometown Winnipeg Jets and will be back on the ice in 2025-26. It's been a long road for Toews, who announced he was stepping away from hockey for health reasons in August 2023, but refused to call it a retirement. Now at 37 years old and, hopefully, back to full strength the former Selke-winner is ready to revive his career. If you haven't been following along, here's what Toews has been up to since he last took the ice. What happened to Jonathan Toews? Toews' struggles really began years before his hiatus. The center missed the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season while dealing with chronic inflammatory response syndrome. He planned to return for the 2021-22 season, but that return was complicated by lingering effects of long COVID and CIRS. The 2021-22 health problems stretched into 2022-23, a season in which he played just 53 games and scored a career-low 31 points as the Blackhawks continued to crater in the standings. Toews' contract expired at the end of the season, along with Patrick Kane's, and the Blackhawks declined to re-sign their captain and accept it was time to rebuild. That led to Toews taking a break from hockey, though he always made clear his intentions to return. What did Toews do on his hiatus? A week or so after announcing he was stepping away, Toews began his hiatus by... playing hockey. He participated in Marian Hossa's farewell exhibition fundraiser in Trenčín, Slovakia and then began his adventures off the ice. He took up surfing, attended Burning Man and then went on a healing journey to India in December 2024. After his trip, Toews told GQ's Matthew Roberson his health issues began much earlier than was previously known: "If I do look back on my career, I always kind of had digestive issues, immune system issues—nothing seriously chronic or diagnosed when I was young—but definitely in my teenage years I was always battling something. "Early in my career, it was probably my second season in the NHL, I kept getting sick, I couldn't sleep at night, all these things where it just finally got to the point where I was like, 'All right.' I always thought, in my mind, that everyone else just felt that way and that was just normal, but then it got so bad that I barely made it through the playoffs that year." Notably, the GQ conversation ended with Toews declaring he was still itching to get back on the ice. In March 2025, Toews took those comments a step further by declaring his intention to return to the NHL. "I'm not satisfied the way things ended in Chicago," Toews told Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. "It's not about proving anything. It's just that there's something left in the tank, and I want to explore that. I want to go have fun, have a blast, play with passion. 'I want to be able to step away from the game having said that I've given it my all.' Now he's got his chance.