FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 8th, 2016
2016 IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TO AIR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBC
Annual Special Features Stories of World Champions and Inspirational Athletes Competing In Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
IRONMAN World Championship Kona Preview Show to air Friday, December 9 at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN
NBC Sports Group and Ironman Celebrate 25th Anniversary of World Championship Special on NBC
STAMFORD, Conn. – December 8, 2016 – NBC Sports will celebrate the 25th anniversary of broadcasting the IRONMAN World Championship, this Saturday, December 10 at 2:30 p.m. ET, when it chronicles this year’s edition of the iconic triathlon held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
For more than 35 years, the IRONMAN World Championship triathlon has showcased not only the raw power and competitive nature of the top endurance athletes in the world, but also some of the most awe-inspiring and impactful stories of courage and determination from the age-group athletes and everyday individuals competing alongside them.
The 90-minute broadcast will provide viewers an all-access experience as more than 30 cameras captured the action from the air, across the barren lava fields, and under the water of Kailua Bay during the 140.6-mile challenge that took place on October 8, 2016.
The broadcast special spans from the pre-race build-up to the big day, unveiling the intensity, emotion, physical demands and dramatic competition as more than 2,300 athletes representing 64 countries and territories swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles across rugged Hawaiian terrain.
Among the features of this year’s IRONMAN World Championship special:
- Exclusive interviews from current and former World Champions and other professional IRONMAN athletes.
- 2015 Female IRONMAN World Champion Daniela Ryf of Switzerland looks to claim victory for the second year in a row with a performance that will be hard to match.
- Blistering race pace by Olympic Gold medalist and male IRONMAN World Champion Jan Frodeno of Germany, who has reached the top heights in every level of triathlon.
- First-time journey of the inspiring Team Agar duo of father Jeff and his son Johnny, who battles cerebral palsy.
- The determined journey of Australian Turia Pitt, who against the odds returned to competing in endurance events after suffering burns to 65% of her body.
Veteran sportscaster Al Trautwig will again narrate the annual special and offer viewers a front-row seat to one of the most captivating events in sports. A programming fixture on NBC since 1991, the IRONMAN World Championship special has garnered more than 50 Emmy Award nominations and won 16 Emmys along with many other accolades.
In addition to NBC’s coverage of the race, NBCSN will air the IRONMAN World Championship Kona preview show this Friday, December 9 at 9 p.m. ET. The IRONMAN World Championship preview show will introduce viewers to the world of IRONMAN and the World Championship race that has made the sport so popular.
For more information about the IRONMAN World Championship and the NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the event, please visit www.ironman.com.
About IRONMAN
A Wanda Sports Holdings company, IRONMAN operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN 70.3 Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl, IRONKIDS, six of nine International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon Majors Series, mountain bike races, premier marathons and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than 680,000 participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. The iconic IRONMAN Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a global sensation with more than 260 events across 42 countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.
–NBC SPORTS GROUP–