Ironman on TV

Kona re-airs on Feb. 16, Clearwater show set for April 12

Don't miss the re-broadcast of this year's Ford Ironman World Championship, will air on NBC at 2PM EST (check local listings) on February 16.

The exciting coverage of the fast-paced Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 from Clearwater will air on NBC at 5PM EST (check local listings) on April 12, 2008. You won't want to miss the dramatic men's race, which came down to a sprint finish between American Andy Potts and Argentina's Oscar Galindez, or the world best performance by Mirinda Carfrae in taking the women's race.

While highlights of the Ford Ironman World Championship first aired on television in 1980 as part of ABC's Wide World of Sports, it wasn’t until 1991 when the broadcast was moved to NBC, that it became a stand-alone program. Since then the 90-minute show has earned more than 40 Emmy nominations, won 14 Emmy awards and received three prestigious CINE Golden Eagle Awards.

Heading into the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship, much of the pre-race media focused on the anticipated battle between Chris McCormack and his German rivals Normann Stadler and Faris Al-Sultan. For the women, the pre-race hype surrounded the race between defending champion Michellie Jones and six-time winner Natascha Badmann. 2007 also included the emergence a number of Kona “rookies,” including the 2006 Ford Ironman 70.3 World Champions Samantha McGlone and Craig Alexander, not to mention Britain’s latest Ironman phenom, Chrissie Wellington.

In addition to the exciting racing, features will profile some of the inspirational athletes who took part last year. In 2004 college swim star Brian Boyle was in a car accident that almost took his life. He died eight times on the operating table. Boyle would eventually return to collegiate swimming and, this year, took on the challenge of the Ford Ironman World Championship. Other features include the stories of Scott Rigsby, who arrived in Kona this year dreaming to become the first above the knee double-amputee to finish the Ironman World Championship, and blind athlete Charlie Plaskon, who competed on behalf of the C-Different Foundation.

The television coverage of the Ford Ironman World Championship has long provided the most visible and inspiring images of the event to the world. Ironman’s crowning moment came in 1982 when ABC’s cameras captured a scene that would be etched in the minds of millions for years to come. The scene that would come to embody the spirit of Ironman showed a young woman named Julie Moss, physically and mentally spent, drawing on only heart and fortitude to crawl across the finish line. Those images of courage and determination launched Ironman into an international sensation and have kept television viewers riveted to their sets ever since.

For almost three decades, the drama of Ironman Triathlon has captured the attention of millions around the world. Its compelling stories of ordinary people accomplishing the extraordinary move and inspire television viewers of all ages.

Each year, a crew of approximately 40 people cover the 140.6-mile course in spite of logistical and communication challenges. While there is much planning involved, how the race will unfold is never guaranteed. Favorites can drop out early or never become a factor, unknowns can surface and age group athletes may not keep their pace. For the television crew, it’s a long grueling day that starts at 3 AM and lasts until 2 AM when everyone finally calls it a day. For Ironman athletes, it all turns into 90 minutes of riveting television.