Pre-registration openMarch 2027
Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates
Ultra · Peak · Pathway · Solo Pathway · Primal Team · Relay
Pre-register
Hybrid racing · Gulf, North Africa, Asia-Pacific
PRIMAL. The World’s Toughest Hybrid Race.
8 stations, 3.2km of running, and the same course, the same loads and the same judging in every city we race. A time you set in Riyadh means what it means in Bangkok.
A race that tests the complete athlete.
- 2022
- First race
- 7
- Live markets raced
- 250,000+
- Across Primal activations
- 2x
- Capacity on return markets
01 The race
8 stations in a fixed order
Row, burpee box jump over, tyre flip, canister carry, echo bike, sandbag up and over, sandbag carry, sled push. You run 400m between every one of them. The loads change by division, the order does not change at all.
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01
Row
400m run
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02
Burpee box jump over
400m run
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03
Tyre flip
400m run
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04
Canister carry
400m run
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05
Echo bike
400m run
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06
Sandbag up and over
400m run
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07
Sandbag carry
400m run
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08
Sled push
400m run
Complete the work
No athlete leaves a station until every prescribed rep is done.
Stay together
In team divisions nobody advances until every member has finished the run.
Standardised judging
The same movement standards in every market, judged station by station.
02 Divisions
6 divisions race the same course
All 6 cover the same 8 stations in the same order. What changes is the weight on the tyre, the canister and the sandbag, the reps you owe, and how far you carry. Pathway is where most people start. Primal Sprint is the short format, 6 stations inside an arena. Loads by division are in the table below and are published before entries open.
UltraSoloAdvanced
PeakMixed pairsAdvanced
PathwayMixed pairsAll levels
Solo PathwaySoloAll levels
Primal TeamTeams of threeAll levels
RelayTeams of fourAll levels
Primal SprintSame-sex pairs · Solo invitational6 stations inside an arena
| Station | UltraMale | UltraFemale | PeakMixed pairs | Primal TeamMale | Primal TeamFemale | PathwayMixed pairs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row | 1,800m | 1,500m | 2,500m | 3,000m | 2,500m | 2,000m |
| Burpee box jump over | 70 · 24" | 70 · 20" | 80 · 24" | 120 · 24" | 120 · 20" | 80 · 20" |
| Tyre flip | 40m · 190kg | 40m · 130kg | 120m · 130kg | 120m · 190kg | 120m · 115kg | 80m · 115kg |
| Canister carry | 220m · 40kg | 220m · 25kg | 220m · 32kg | 500m · 40kg | 500m · 25kg | 220m · 25kg |
| Echo bike | 3,600m | 3,000m | 5,000m | 6,000m | 5,000m | 4,000m |
| Sandbag up and over | 40 · 55kg | 40 · 30kg | 60 · 45kg | 100 · 45kg | 100 · 25kg | 80 · 25kg |
| Sandbag carry | 180m · 60kg | 180m · 35kg | 200m · 50kg | 400m · 50kg | 400m · 25kg | 200m · 25kg |
| Sled push | 100m | 100m | 200m | 200m | 200m | 200m |
| Run after each | 400m | 400m | 400m | 400m | 400m | 400m |
Solo Pathway and Relay loads, and the Sprint course, are published on the race page before entries open.
03 Qualifying
Every Primal race is a qualifier
Race in any division, in any market, and your time puts you on the board. The fastest earn a place at the World Championships.
01
Enter
Any division of the 8 station race, in any market. There is no qualifying time to get in.
02
Set a time
Every finisher is timed across the same 8 stations, so a time from one city sits on the same board as a time from another.
03
World Championships
The fastest earn a place.
2027 season
Where Primal races next year
12 races across the Gulf, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Africa. The season opens in January in a city Primal has not raced before, announced soon, then Abu Dhabi in March. We announce a city and a month first, then the venue, the date and the local partners as each one is signed.
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Jan01
Surprise location
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Feb02
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Mar03
UAE, Abu Dhabi
KSA, AlUla
KSA, Riyadh
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Apr04
Thailand
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May05
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Jun06
South Africa
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Jul07
UK
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Aug08
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Sep09
UAE, Dubai
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Oct10
China
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Nov11
India
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Dec12
Australia
Oman
Dates and locations are subject to change. Keep an eye on the Primal notice, the newsletter and our socials for the latest updates.
Opening the 2027 season
01.27
Surprise location
January 2027, in a city Primal has not raced before. We are announcing it soon. Leave an email address and you will hear it before it goes public.
To be announced
Next races
Every race and status
AnnouncedMarch 2027
AlUlaSaudi Arabia
Ultra · Peak · Pathway · Solo Pathway · Primal Team · Relay
Tell me when entries open
AnnouncedMarch 2027
RiyadhSaudi Arabia
Ultra · Peak · Pathway · Solo Pathway · Primal Team · Relay
Tell me when entries openPrimal Corporate
Put your company on the start line
Companies enter their employees in corporate heats, in the division that suits each of them. Every finisher scores for the company on one leaderboard that runs across every city and the whole season, and the company at the top at the end of 2027 is named Primal Corporate Champion.
Corporate heats
Your people start together. A heat holds 10 entries, so a company with 10 has a start of its own.
One leaderboard
City table, season table and a separate participation table for the company that gets the most people across the line.
A way in for everyone
The Relay splits the eight stations across four colleagues, so nobody races the full course alone.
A report in 14 days
Results, leaderboard position and a participation rate by department, site and level.
Athlete stories
More than a race
The leaderboard gives a time and a position. These are the parts of the day it does not record, in the words of the people who raced.
At the tyre flips, I remember looking at the judge nearly in tears. I did not think I was going to finish.
Laura
She finished her first Solo Ultra inside the top 10. She came back in Pathway Pairs, took second, then first and a new course record. The solo podium is next.
I was carrying sadness that nobody could see. But I still stood on that start line and gave everything I had.
Nada
She raced on the anniversary of her mum's passing. She came back with one of her closest friends and took on Pathway and Peak at the same event. Next time she is coming for the hour.
I have been battling depression, and I have lost people who were very dear to me. This race made my mind sharp again.
Mazine
She teaches around twenty classes a week and came from martial arts. She is coming back from an injury for a faster Ultra and a higher place on the leaderboard.
I do races like Primal to go to that dark place which, for the hour or so, blocks out all the overthinking.
Simon
Approaching 50 and still chasing the top 10. He has spoken openly about living with anxiety and depression, and about what racing gives him. The Primal Championships are next.
Every athlete here gave us their story in their own words. There are more of them on Instagram.
04 Train
Train where Primal trains
Primal Hubs are certified gyms running Primal sessions and benchmark workouts on the same standards we judge on race day. Find one near you, or put your gym forward.
05 Results
Every race publishes results
Results go up by division after every race. You get a position, a split for each station and a finishing time, and because the course is fixed you can hold it against any other Primal race in the world.
Where you finished
Your position in your division at that race.
Every station
A split for each of the 8, so you can see which one cost you the race.
The full time
Your total, with all 8 of the 400m runs in it.
Against the season
Every Primal result sits on one board, so you can see where your time puts you against the whole season and not just your own race.
06 Race day
What to expect on the day
Registration, the holding pen, the judging and the kit, so nothing on race morning is a surprise. Each race page carries its own timings.
Before you arrive
Bring photo ID and your entry confirmation. Registration times are on your race page.
At the venue
Be in the holding pen 20 minutes before your wave. Bag drop closes 30 minutes before.
On the floor
A judge briefs you at each station. If a rep does not meet the standard you are told at the time and asked to repeat it.
Kit
Trainers you can run and lift in, your race number pinned front, and a change of clothes. Gloves are permitted.
Before you enter
Do I need to be fit
You need to be able to run and to move a load. Pathway, mixed pairs at all levels, is built for first-timers and most of them finish. Every load and distance is in the table above, so you can see what you would be lifting before you enter.
Which division should I pick
Pathway if it is your first race or you want a partner alongside you, and Solo Pathway if you want that course on your own. Primal Team if there are three of you, Relay if there are four. Ultra if you want the full course on your own at the advanced loads, and Peak if you want those loads in a pair. The course is the same in every division.
Do I need a partner or a team
Ultra and Solo Pathway are solo. Peak and Pathway are mixed pairs, Primal Team is three and Relay is four. You can enter first and add your team members afterwards. The Hong Kong Sprint has a solo category in the afternoon.
What is the difference between the Sprint and the race
The race is 8 stations with a 400m run after each, roughly 3.2km of running, in 6 divisions. Primal Sprint is 6 stations with a 200m loop between each, 1,200m of running, run inside an arena. The Sprint is the shorter way in. Both are judged to the same standards.
Is there a cut-off
Yes. Every race has a cut-off time and it is on the race page before entries open. Pathway loads are set so that most first-timers finish inside it.
Are spectators allowed
Yes, and we want them there. Bring your family, your friends, your gym, everyone. The course is laid out so they can follow you through every station, and results go up on the board through the day. The more people on the rail, the better the race. Spectator details for each race are on its race page.
Can I transfer my entry or change division
Yes. Transfer your entry to another athlete at no cost, or move to another division subject to space, up to the deadline on your race page. Email [email protected] with your entry number.
Can my partner drop out
Find a replacement and transfer their half to them at no cost. Tell us at least 7 days before race day so the new name is on the start list.
What if I am injured
Tell us at least 7 days before race day. We will move your entry to a later race where we can, and where we cannot you can transfer it to another athlete at no cost. Inside 7 days the entry cannot be moved.
Is there a youth race
At selected races, on scaled loads. The race page says whether yours has one.
How do I qualify for the World Championships
Every Primal race is a qualifier. Race any division in any market and your time goes on the board. The fastest earn a place. There is no qualifying time to enter your first race.
07 Partners
Brands we have raced with
Partners from Primal races run so far, across the Gulf, North Africa and Asia-Pacific. Some are returning in 2027 and some were for one market or one race. A category is held by one brand in a market. The partners for a given race are listed on that race's own page.
Brands from previous races
Hosts, federations and venue partners from previous races
08 Entries
3 steps to the start line
Pick your race and your division, and give us a name and an email address. Where entries are open your confirmation and start time come back by email. Where a city is still being confirmed you pre-register and we tell you the day it opens.
Announcements
Hear the day a race opens
Leave an email address and a region and we will tell you the day entries open there. Nothing else, and no more than that.