Puma has expanded its relationship with fitness racing event Hyrox from a local partner to a worldwide partnership.
The German athletic giant announced Monday that it has entered into a partnership with Hyrox, the inclusive global fitness race that consists of eight rounds of a 1 km (.62 mile) run followed by one functional movement. With the partnership, Puma will become the official apparel and footwear partner for all races from 2024 to 2027.
Puma said in a statement that it has been a local partner of Hyrox since its first-ever race, which was held in Hamburg, Germany, in 2018. That race, Puma said, had 600 people competing. Today, the brand stated there have been more than 175,000 participants in 65-plus races during the 2023-24 season alone.
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“Fitness has found a new dimension in Hyrox and we are delighted to start the next chapter in the Puma and Hyrox story, bringing the exciting sport of fitness racing to an even broader audience,” Puma chief executive officer Arne Freundt said in a statement. “Puma and Hyrox have been pioneering the sport for more than six years at a local level, and as the community grows, we will continue to work in collaboration to identify innovative ways to engage consumers and revolutionize the fitness experience for competitors across the globe.”
With the new partnership, Puma stated it will release bespoke Hyrox colorways of existing footwear models, including the Velocity Nitro 3, the Deviate Nitro 3 and the Deviate Nitro Elite 3. Also, Puma said it will develop a range of Hyrox apparel, featuring its Cloudspun technology that features DryCell moisture-wicking properties.
Puma confirmed in a statement that it will activate its global partnership rights at all Hyrox events throughout the season until 2027, and that it will also support key athletes in the Hyrox Elite 15, which is the top-tier of Hyrox fitness racing. Those athletes, Puma stated, will exclusively wear its new Deviate Nitro 3 running shoe throughout the season.
“This is the natural partnership for Hyrox. Puma has been on this journey with us since the start, and we are delighted that a brand with performance at its heart, across multiple sporting disciplines, will continue to innovate and support us as we build the global sport of fitness racing,” Hyrox founder and CEO Christian Toetzke said in a statement. “We believe this style of training and competition is the optimal solution for the global training community and Puma will be a fantastic partner to help us continue to spread and amplify that message over the coming years.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
