FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 11th, 2015

2015 IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY GO PRO TO AIR SATURDAY AT 1:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

 Coverage Features IRONMAN Journey of Actor Sean Astin and Other Inspirational Athletes 

Annual Special Includes Dramatic and Dominant Performances by Female World Champion Daniela Ryf and Male World Champion Jan Frodeno

STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov, 11, 2015 – NBC Sports’ annual IRONMAN World Championship broadcast special, from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, will air Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET. 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 stories of courage and determination from age-group athletes and everyday individuals competing alongside them.

The 90-minute show 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 10, 2015.

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.

The broadcast special spans from the pre-race build-up to the big day, unveiling the intensity, emotion, physical demands and dramatic competition as 2,300 athletes from more than 60 countries swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and ran 26.2 miles across rugged Hawaiian terrain.

Among the features of this year’s IRONMAN World Championship presented by Go Pro special:

  • Exclusive interviews with current and former World Champions and other IRONMAN finishers.
  • Dramatic and dominant performance by Female World Champion Daniela Ryf of Switzerland to become just the second female to win both the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and IRONMAN World Championship in the same year.
  • Blistering race pace by Male World Champion Jan Frodeno of Germany who also captured both the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and IRONMAN World Championship titles this year.
  • First-time journey of actor and star of films The Goonies, Rudy and Lord of the Rings trilogy Sean Astin.
  • Tammy Nicholson’s remarkable story of perseverance and healing after a near-fatal car crash which left her with the prognosis of never walking again.
  • Heart transplant recipient and cancer survivor Derek Fitzgerald endures life’s challenges.
  • Steve Walker, a former marine battling retinitis pigmentosa which is gradually causing him to go blind.
  • New and unique course perspective utilizing GoPro cameras.

For more information about the 2015 IRONMAN World Championship presented by GoPro and the NBC broadcast special, please visit www.ironman.com.

About IRONMAN

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. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, IRONMAN has grown from a single race to a global sensation with more than 190 events across five unique brands: IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series, Iron Girl and IRONKIDS. For more information, visit www.ironman.com

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–