If you missed the action in London, consider this your warning—HYROX Doubles racing has officially arrived as a legitimate path to elite competition, and it’s coming fast. The Elite 15 field is now locked for Chicago, and what we saw in London wasn’t just a qualifier. It was a preview of the next generation of the sport.

Let’s Get to It – Men’s Race Recap

The men’s race was absolutely stacked. Six teams went under 51 minutes. Four teams crossed the line within nine seconds of each other. It was wild.

Charlie Botterill and Ollie Russell took the win in 50:02, just two seconds under the previous world record. But the story wasn’t just about who won—it was about who showed up. Jake Williamson and Alan Ploj might have been the most impressive team on the day, even though they finished second. They made mistakes—an early sled pull exit, a mishap on the Farmers Carry—that probably cost them 10-15 seconds. Clean that up and you’re looking at a potential first place finish.

Jake has been knocking on the Elite 15 door for a while. Alan has a soccer background and brings the kind of explosiveness that transfers incredibly well to doubles. Together? They’re a team to watch in Chicago.

Thomas Fry and Alan Cao, along with Oli Fricker and Sean Noble, rounded out the top five, with all of them in that 50-51 minute window. Tight racing. No room for error. The margins are razor thin.

Wall Balls Still Make or Break the Race

The Dutch team of Hidde Wiersma and Thierry Willigenburg came in hot but nearly lost their podium spot on wall balls alone. They had a 26-second lead and barely held onto third. If you’re coughing up that much time on the final station, you’re not closing. You’re surviving. And that’s not going to cut it at Worlds.

We saw similar issues from others—Fabian and Florian struggled late, and even promising teams like Aaron Woodman and Liam Mccroary got buried under the weight of no-reps. If your wall balls aren’t dialed in, you’re not making the cut.

The Takeaway?

This race confirmed what many of us already knew: the bar is rising fast. Sub-51 is no longer a pipe dream—it’s a requirement. If you want to make noise in Chicago, you better bring a 49-something to the party.

Women’s Race Recap: A New Threat Emerges

Lucy Procter and Sinead Bent put on a show. They ran away from the field—literally. Their run split was about 40 seconds faster than the next closest team. And it wasn’t just that they were quick on the course. They were fearless in the stations.

Sinead, in particular, was a revelation. From sled pushes to farmers carries, she attacked every movement with purpose. No hesitation. No wasted time. Just full-send. Her middle-distance background shows—she has gears and isn’t afraid to use them.

They beat Meg Jacoby and Camilla Massa, who came in with a ton of hype and still threw down a 56:19. Meg, by the way, looked like she’s back to full form. She was composed, efficient, and never pressed. That’s a dangerous sign for the rest of the field.

Zara Piergianni and Kate Davey grabbed the third qualifying spot. Kate’s still coming off an ankle injury and said post-race that she was in pain throughout. If that’s the version of her they’re working with now, then a healthy version in Chicago will be scary.

Other Notables

Rebecca Hammond and Nicole Mericle showed up. That alone is great to see. They finished seventh, which is respectable considering it was a first outing for them in this format.

Jana Lebenstedt and Jade Skillen also continue to be in the mix. But like the men’s field, this race showed us what’s coming. And what’s coming is fast.

Young Talent = The Future of HYROX

Let’s be honest—this field looked young. Like, future-of-the-sport young. Most of the top-performing athletes in London were in their 20s. That’s not just a sign of depth. It’s a signal that the ceiling is going to keep rising. If you’re comfortable at your current pace, you’re going to get left behind.

This is the future of HYROX, and it’s already here.

The Volume Question: Will Multiple Races Kill Performance at Worlds?

One of the spiciest conversations from this episode came when the guys started speculating about fatigue at Worlds. Several Elite 15 athletes will double- or even triple-dip—running solos, relays, and doubles all within 48 hours.

Guys like Pelayo, James Kelly, and Jake Dearden will likely be running solos and relays before stepping onto the doubles course. Same goes for Lauren Weeks, Meg Jacoby, and Tia Toomey on the women’s side.

Meanwhile, teams like RawDeebo (Dawson Miller and Marcus Wallace) are going all-in on doubles. No solos. No relays. Just doubles. Fresh legs. Clear focus. That could be the x-factor when the margins are this thin.

Don’t sleep on how much one extra race—or a poorly timed warm-up—can take out of someone. If you’re not racing smart, you’re not racing well.

Top Takeaways

  1. Mistakes Matter Jake and Alan didn’t win—but they were the best team on the day. Clean up the small stuff and they’re title contenders.
  2. Wall Balls Will Expose You If you’re bleeding 30+ seconds at the end of a race, you’re not ready for a podium. It’s that simple.
  3. Sinead Bent Is Here You don’t often get to see someone sprint past an entire field during farmers carries. That happened. And we’ll be talking about it for a while.
  4. Doubles = Opportunity The pathway to Elite 15 status through doubles is legit. It’s no longer just a fun format—it’s a proving ground.
  5. Volume Will Be a Factor at Worlds Don’t underestimate how much doing two (or three) events will affect performance. The teams who focus will have an edge.

Final Word

HYROX London Doubles wasn’t just a race—it was a turning point. A changing of the guard. A glimpse into what this sport is becoming. If you’re not learning and adapting, you’re falling behind.

The new wave is here. They’re young. They’re fast. And they don’t care what you’ve done in the past.

The field is set. The countdown to Chicago is on. Let’s get after it.