# HYROX Gent 2026 > Race page on RoxSkin: https://roxskin.io/races/hyrox-gent-2026. Race facts checked against the official HYROX site on 2026-10-15. RoxSkin is not affiliated with HYROX. - **Dates:** 17–20 Dec 2026 - **City:** Gent, Belgium - **Venue:** Flanders Expo - **Address:** Flanders Expo, Maaltekouter 1, 9051 Gent, Belgium - **Divisions:** Open (singles), Pro (singles), Doubles, Pro Doubles, Relay, Adaptive - **Tickets:** on sale (official site: https://hyrox.com/) ## Race weekend guide (checked 2026-10-15) HYROX Gent fills four days of racing at Flanders Expo, the biggest event hall in Flanders, just a week before Christmas. The race runs while Ghent's Winter Festival is in full swing, so your post-race walk can end at a Ferris wheel on the Korenmarkt. The one thing to know is that tram 1 runs straight from Gent-Sint-Pieters station to the venue, and you can pay on board with a contactless card. ### Race weekend at a glance - **Dates:** Thursday 17 December to Sunday 20 December 2026 - **Venue:** Flanders Expo - **Address:** Maaltekouter 1, 9051 Gent, Belgium - **Nearest public transport:** Tram 1 from Gent-Sint-Pieters station, which Flanders Expo says runs directly to the site. Buses 76, 77 and 78 also stop close by. - **Divisions:** Open (Men and Women), Pro, Adaptive, Doubles (Men, Women, Mixed), Pro Doubles, and Men's, Women's and Mixed Relays ### Getting to the venue **From Brussels Airport:** Direct intercity trains (the IC 23, IC 23A and IC 29 services) run from the airport to Ghent. Get off at Gent-Sint-Pieters, not Gent-Dampoort, and switch to tram 1. **From Gent-Sint-Pieters station:** Take tram 1 toward Flanders Expo, or bus 76, 77 or 78. If you'd rather walk, Flanders Expo points you to the pedestrian and cyclist bridge via Derbystraat. **From the city center:** Tram 1 also runs from the Korenmarkt through Gent-Sint-Pieters to the venue. The center is car-free, so the tram beats a taxi. **By car or ride-hail:** Use exit 14 (Gent-Zuid) from the E40. The venue has about 3,600 spaces across lots A1 to A4, B and C, paid by machine or QR code. For Uber, choose the Parking 3 (PA3) pickup point. ### Where to stay Stay by the expo if you have an early wave, since one hotel is a five-minute walk away and several more are a short drive. Pick the city center if you want the Christmas market and restaurants on your doorstep, with tram 1 to the venue. - **voco Gand:** On Maaltekouter next to the venue. Flanders Expo puts it at about a five-minute walk, the easiest choice for an 8:00 start. - **Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ghent:** On Akkerhage, about 10 minutes by car from the venue, according to Flanders Expo. - **Courtyard by Marriott Ghent:** Also on Akkerhage, about 10 minutes by car from Flanders Expo. - **Van der Valk Hotel Gent:** On Akkerhage near the E17 and E40, with a ninth-floor spa and fitness area included for every guest. - **JAM Hotel Ghent:** A listed former barracks on Gaspar de Craeyerstraat, about 10 to 15 minutes by car from the venue, and closer to the center. ### Gyms for pre-race training - **Afterburn (Sint-Denijs-Westrem):** A HYROX-focused gym on Kortrijksesteenweg, right by Flanders Expo, with new changing rooms and showers. It sells class packs and trial sessions, but no day pass is listed, so contact them first. - **Venice Beach Gym (Ottergem):** An accredited HYROX training gym with SkiErgs, a push and pull sled, rowers, sandbags and wall balls. Day-pass availability isn't confirmed. - **CrossFit Cargo (Dok Noord):** Runs HYROX workouts alongside CrossFit. A drop-in option exists, but ask about the price and booking before you go. - **Jims Gent Dok-Noord (Dok Noord):** Listed as a HYROX Training Club. Jims sells a €15 day pass at the club, valid for one day with group classes included. ### Where locals run - **Watersportbaan (Gent-West):** The 2.3 km rowing course is ringed by the Finse piste, a loop of nearly 5 km that's popular with joggers. It's flat and runs along the water. - **Blaarmeersen (Gent-West):** A 100-hectare recreation park next to the Watersportbaan with an eight-lane athletics track, a fit-o-meter trail and paths around the lake. - **Citadelpark (Gent-Zuid):** A wooded park on a ridge between the Scheldt and Leie rivers, home to the MSK and S.M.A.K. museums. Good for short, easy laps. ### Where to eat and fuel up - **Sgol (Centrum):** A grand café on Emile Braunplein with a view of the Ghent towers. It serves Ghent-style stoverij and waterzooi, both solid post-race refuels. - **Pakhuis (Centrum):** A brasserie on Schuurkenstraat that's on Visit Gent's list for good waterzooi. It's closed on Sundays. - **Mémé Gusta (Centrum):** Traditional Belgian cooking on Burgstraat, made from old recipes. Book it for a hearty carb-loading dinner. - **WOEST (Gent-West):** Healthy breakfasts, brunch and lunch on Drongensesteenweg, with gluten-free and vegetarian options for the morning of your race. - **Greenway (Centrum):** Salads, wraps, bowls and green burgers on Nederkouter. A light, quick lunch the day before. ### Race weekend events and parties As of 15 October 2026, no official after-party, expo or community run had been announced for HYROX Gent. On site, the event plans a Finish Zone, a BLACKROLL Recovery Zone, an Entertainment Zone and a Thunderdome viewing area. Watch HYROX's official channels and local run clubs closer to race week. ### After the race **Recovery:** - **WELEDA SPA Gent (Akkerhage):** The spa and fitness floor at Van der Valk Hotel Gent, free for hotel guests, with a view over the skyline. **Things to do:** - Ride the **Reuzenrad** Ferris wheel on the Korenmarkt and skate at the ice rink under the **Stadshal**. Both are part of the Ghent Winter Festival, which runs from 3 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. - Wander the **Christmas chalets**, more than 150 across the center, and catch the **Sapin Magique** on Goudenleeuwplein. - Walk around the **Gravensteen**, the 1180 castle of the Counts of Flanders, which is open as a museum. - Buy a bag of **cuberdons**, the purple cone-shaped raspberry sweets sold near the Groentenmarkt. ### Local insights - **Tap your card on the tram:** De Lijn trams and buses take contactless bank cards, phones and watches at the white reader. A ride costs €3, transfers within 60 minutes are free, and you tap once per person. The same card can cover up to five people if you tap again within two minutes. Riding without a ticket starts at a €107 fine. - **Ride-hail works:** Both Uber and Bolt operate in Ghent. Leaving the venue, set your Uber pickup to Parking 3 (PA3) as Flanders Expo asks. - **Don't stress about tips:** Service is included in Belgium, and tipping isn't usually expected. - **Tap water is safe, but ask for it:** Tap water is drinkable everywhere in Belgium, but most restaurants won't serve it, so carry a bottle. - **Expect cold, wet and dark:** Ghent's December averages a high of about 7°C (45°F) and a low of 2°C (35°F), with rain on around 14 days and only about 55 hours of sun all month. Pack gloves and a rain shell for your shakeout. - **Carb up like a local:** Stoverij is beef stewed for hours in dark beer and served with fries, and waterzooi is a creamy chicken or fish stew with potatoes. Both are the classic Flemish fill-up before a big effort. - **Sort your data before you land:** Belgium no longer sells anonymous prepaid SIMs, so registration is required. An eSIM bought before you travel is the easier option. ### Race-day tips for this venue - **Pick up early if you race Thursday.** Early registration runs Wednesday 16 December from 5 to 8 PM for Thursday racers. Otherwise registration opens 90 minutes before your division's first wave. Bring ID. - **Know the door time.** Doors open at 7:00 for 8:00 starts. Spectators who need to get in earlier go through the Spectators Desk with a ticket and ID. - **Buy spectator tickets ahead.** Friends need their own spectator ticket, sold on the HYROX Benelux event page. - **Bring your own food.** Flanders Expo's cafés, such as Le Pain Quotidien, open only for some events, so pack your pre-race snacks. - **Dress for the tram stop.** December mornings hover just above freezing, so wear a warm layer over your race kit until you're inside. ### FAQ ### How do I get to Flanders Expo from Brussels Airport? Take a direct intercity train from the airport station to Gent-Sint-Pieters, then tram 1 to Flanders Expo. You can pay for the tram with a contactless card at the reader on board. ### Where should I stay for HYROX Gent? voco Gand is about a five-minute walk from the venue. Several hotels on Akkerhage are about 10 minutes away by car. Stay in the center for the Christmas market and restaurants, with tram 1 to the race. ### Is the Ghent Christmas market on during HYROX Gent? Yes. The Ghent Winter Festival runs from 3 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with chalets, an ice rink and a Ferris wheel on the Korenmarkt. ### Sources - https://hyrox.com/ - https://www.flandersexpo.be/en/visit/visitor-information/how-to-get-here/ - https://www.flandersexpo.be/en/practical/hotels - https://www.flandersexpo.be/en/visit/visitor-information/catering-options/ - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flanders_Expo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_Airport_railway_station - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Ghent - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravensteen - https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ghent - https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Belgium - https://www.delijn.be/en/content/contactloos-betalen/ - https://visit.gent.be/en/good-know/practical-information/getting-around - https://www.gentsewinterfeesten.be/ - https://www.uber.com/global/en/cities/ghent/ - https://bolt.eu/en/cities/ghent/ - https://www.hotelgent.be/en - https://www.jamhotels.eu/ - https://www.afterburn.be/hyrox - https://www.venicebeachgym.be/hyrox - https://www.crossfitcargo.be/ - https://www.jims.be/nl/tarieven - https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watersportbaan_(Gent) - https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaarmeersen - https://stad.gent/nl/blaarmeersen - https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citadelpark - https://visit.gent.be/en/eat-drink/sgol - https://visit.gent.be/en/waterzooi - https://www.pakhuis.be/ - https://visit.gent.be/en/eat-drink/meme-gusta - https://visit.gent.be/en/eat-drink/woest - https://visit.gent.be/en/eat-drink/greenway ## Athletes racing Gent on RoxSkin No athletes have listed this race yet. Brands can sponsor these athletes: logos are worn as temporary tattoos on race day. Athletes racing HYROX Gent can get sponsored at https://roxskin.io/login.