Ben Court
If you’ve ever tried flirting mid-burpee, you’ll know two things: one, romance is oxygen-deprived; and two, the only people who truly understand the madness are the ones doing it beside you. That’s the thinking behind Surf Dating, which has just signed on as an Official National Partner in North America for HYROX, the self-respecting suffer-fest better known as The World Series of Fitness Racing. The pitch is simple—stop collecting matches like fridge magnets and start meeting people who share your training timetable, your competitive streak, and your post-race wobble.
HYROX isn’t just a race; it’s a tribe with a stopwatch. And HYROX’s Sales Director, Enno Eller, sees Surf as a natural extension of that community. “HYROX brings together people who share a commitment to training, performance and community. Surf is a natural partner in helping our athletes translate those shared values into meaningful connections beyond race day.” In other words: if you can survive sled pushes together, you can probably survive IKEA.
What makes this partnership more than a logo swap is the way Surf Dating is trying to meet athletes where they actually live—between early alarm clocks and foam rollers. The app’s whole premise is to get users off the screen and into the real world. Instead of endless swiping, Surf presents available singles in a grid-style view and lets users filter by fitness preferences and interests—think pickleball, backpacking, or concerts—without hiding those options behind a paywall. And now there’s a HYROX-specific twist: when filtering on Surf, you can select HYROX to see only other singles competing in or training for upcoming races.
That’s clever, because HYROX already bakes partnership into the format. You can race as a solo athlete or enter doubles—where teamwork, pacing, and shared suffering are basically the love language. At upcoming United States and Canada races, Surf Dating will lean into that social side with interactive opportunities on site, plus “singles” wristbands for anyone willing to be identified in public as both available and brave. Frankly, that’s more commitment than most people show after three messages and a half-hearted emoji.
Surf CEO Rob Long doesn’t pretend this is poetry; it’s logistics and lifestyle. “HYROX is tough, dating shouldn’t be,” says Surf CEO Rob Long. “We built Surf knowing people are looking for someone who understands the early morning training grind and to share the relaxing post-race moments with. That’s why Surf now helps you filter for HYROX athletes with similar schedules and values.” You can hear the subtext: if your idea of quality time is a long run followed by staring into the middle distance, this is your lane.
And Surf isn’t limiting the partnership to a pop-up booth and a few branded banners. The company says it will host pre-race shakeout runs, singles recovery events, and Station 9—the official after party and the cheeky “9th station” to HYROX’s eight-station race. It’s a neat bit of theatre, but it’s also practical: those moments before and after the race are where people actually talk, laugh, and realise someone has the same strange hobbies and the same slightly unhinged goals.
For those planning their calendars, Surf Dating will be at select HYROX North American race locations in early 2026, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Miami Beach, Houston, New York City, and Ottawa. If nothing else, it’s a reminder that the best connections rarely happen at your kitchen table with your thumb doing the work. They happen when you show up—messy, sweaty, and fully human.
So yes, it’s a partnership. But it’s also a nod to a very current truth: fitness communities have become one of the last reliable ways adults meet other adults—regularly, in person, and with something immediate in common. And if Surf Dating can turn “see you at the wall balls” into “see you for coffee,” well, that’s a better conversion rate than most.
How to try it: Download Surf Dating and add the HYROX tag.
FAQ’s
Is Surf Dating officially partnered with HYROX in North America?
Yes. Surf Dating has become an Official National Partner in North America for HYROX.
How do I find HYROX athletes on Surf Dating?
Use the filter feature and select HYROX to see singles competing in or training for upcoming races.
What will Surf Dating do at HYROX events?
Surf will host interactive opportunities, provide “singles” wristbands, and run pre-race shakeout runs, singles recovery events, and Station 9 after parties.
Which HYROX locations will Surf visit in early 2026?
Phoenix, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Miami Beach, Houston, New York City, and Ottawa.
