TAMPA, Fla. (March 25, 2019) – IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings Company, is excited to announce the continuation of unprecedented live event coverage on the IRONMAN Now^® Facebook Watch page which will feature 17 events from around the world in 2019. Available globally to fans on Facebook, the coverage debuts on Sunday, April 7 with the Standard Bank IRONMAN^® African Championship taking place in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa.
 
The events covered this season will come from 11 different countries and four continents. The storylines are rich with intrigue as three regional championships will be featured along with first edition events in Cork, Ireland and Vitoria, Spain, and live coverage on Facebook Watch coming to Australia for the very first time. Additionally, IRONMAN Florida will enjoy its return to Panama City Beach as the city continues its recovery and reopens its doors to the world following the devastation of Hurricane Michael last October. Long-standing IRONMAN triathlons in Lake Placid, New York and Tempe, Arizona will also join the likes of IRONMAN Wales which is globally known as one of the most challenging events on the circuit.
 
The extensive coverage continues with the 2019 IRONMAN^® 70.3^® World Championship taking place on Sept. 7-8 in Nice, France where nearly 6,000 of the best triathletes in the world will converge on the French Riviera for the largest event in the series’ history.
 
The IRONMAN World Championship, which takes place annually in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i, will again receive robust week-long programming, culminating in nearly a full-day of live race coverage on October 12. Last year’s IRONMAN World Championship included more than 20 hours of comprehensive live race day coverage, including everything from the early morning body marking to the final hour finish line celebration.
 
IRONMAN will produce its live coverage for a connected audience, incorporating unique viewer interaction through Facebook Watch Parties, real-time polls, fan discussion, and user generated content from spectators along the course.
 
The fully produced live event coverage will be hosted by past champions of IRONMAN events, including Dede Griesbauer, Rachel Joyce, Matt Lieto, and Michael Lovato, as well as IRONMAN World Champions and Hall of Famers Paula Newby Fraser and Greg Welch.
 
Live race coverage of the following events as well as a range of on-demand programming will be available globally via the IRONMAN Now Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/IRONMANnow. The full 2019 schedule can be found below.
  For more information on IRONMAN and events in the IRONMAN Group portfolio, visit www.ironman.com.
   
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.

About Facebook Watch
Facebook Watch is a place to discover and enjoy video on Facebook. Home to a wide range of video – from scripted comedy and drama, to competition and reality series, to individual creators and live sports – Facebook Watch is a destination where content, community and conversation come together. This is a personalized viewing experience, where you can discover new content based on what your friends are watching, and catch up on the shows you follow. Facebook Watch is available for free on mobile apps across Apple and Android, on desktop, laptop and on TV apps listed HERE.