FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 9th, 2018

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS LIVE COVERAGE OF 2018 IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FROM KAILUA-KONA, HAWAII

Live Race Coverage Begins Saturday, Oct. 13 at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Streaming Coverage Available Across NBCSports.com, IRONMAN.com & NBC Sports App

IRONMAN Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Seminal Event During Race Week

STAMFORD, Conn. – Oct. 9, 2018 – Triathlon’s most iconic race returns to NBC Sports for the 27th year on Saturday, Oct. 13, when NBCSN presents live coverage of the 2018 IRONMAN® World Championship  from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Live race coverage begins Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. In addition, live streaming coverage will be available across NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, IRONMAN.com and IRONMAN Now on Facebook Watch.

Since its inception in 1978 in Oahu, Hawaii, 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.

NBCSN’s 90-minute broadcast will provide viewers an all-access experience as dozens of cameras capture the action from the air, across the barren lava fields, and under the water of Kailua Bay during the 140.6-mile challenge. Approximately 2,500 athletes will swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles across rugged Hawaiian terrain.

Steve Schlanger (play-by-play) will offer viewers a front-row seat to one of the most captivating events in sports alongside two-sport Olympian Julie Swail Ertel (analyst), and veteran NFL athletic trainer Mike Ryan (analyst). A programming fixture on NBC since 1991, the IRONMAN World Championship has garnered more than 50 Emmy Award nominations and won 16 Emmys along with numerous other accolades.

Live reports on NBCSN and NBC will air throughout the day on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Following the conclusion of the race, NBCSN will air recap coverage from Kailua-Kona on Sunday, Oct. 14, at 12 a.m. ET and 1 p.m. ET.

For more information about the IRONMAN World Championship and NBC Sports’ coverage of the event, please visit www.ironman.com.

About IRONMAN World Championship Brought to You by Amazon

Since its inception in 1978 on the island of Oahu, the IRONMAN World Championship brought to you by Amazon has etched its name in history through stellar performances, inspirational participants and emotional memories. In 1981, the race moved from the tranquil shores of Waikiki to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Island of Hawai`i where it continues to take place to this day. The race now sees approximately 2,500 athletes embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN World Champion. Athletes will enter Kailua Bay for the 2.4-mile ROKA swim course and then embark out on the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway for the 112-mile Ventum Bike course before finally capping the day through the crowds of Kona town, Palani Road, the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway and the infamous Natural Energy Laboratory Hawai`i Authority (NELHA) and Ali’i Drive for the 26.2-mile HOKA ONE ONE run course. The most iconic one-day sporting event in the world is the culmination of 40 global IRONMAN events with athletes around the world striving for one of the coveted qualifying slots.

About IRONMAN

As part of Wanda Sports Holdings, the IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series®, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon® Series, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, premier marathons including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, trail running like Ultra-Trail Australia™, and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than a million 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 230 events across 53 countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

–NBC SPORTS–