How to watch the 2018 IRONMAN Triathlon World Championship

Your one-stop guide to watching the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship

KEY FACTS (The quick version…)

DATE: Saturday 13th October 2018
TIME: 6:35 a.m. (local time) / 5:35 p.m. (UK time – Saturday evening)
WATCH: Facebook Watch via www.facebook.com/IRONMANnow
DATA & TRACKING: IRONMAN Tracker app
CHAT: TRI247 Twitter via www.twitter.com/tri247
HASHTAG: #GBKONA

THE DETAILS (Everything you need to know…)

The 2018 IRONMAN World Championship, as in previous years, will be available – free of charge – to follow via live video, text and online timing/tracker updates.

We have compiled here – with UK timings to make it easy for many of our readers – an extended and comprehensive schedule of key race events to provide approximate times of some of the notable moments during the coverage. You can now plan your viewing around important things like dinner or a few pints at the local… but still know what time to get back to see the marathon start!

Live Streaming (TV) Coverage:

Live (internet-based) TV coverage of the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship for global viewers will be available on Facebook Watch via www.facebook.com/IRONMANnow

Race day live coverage is due to begin from at 6:10 a.m. local time (5:10 p.m. UK time) on Saturday 13th October, building up to the start of the Pro races at 6:35 a.m. local time (5:35 p.m. UK time).

In addition, a ‘live body marking show” will also be broadcast from 4:40 a.m. to 5:40 a.m. local time (3:40 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. UK time), hosted by Greg Welch, Paula Newby-Fraser, Michael Lovato and Paul Kaye, again building up towards the start of the race.

“Producing this year’s event is Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.), a best-in-class television production company that is highly experienced in Live coverage of endurance sports events such as the Tour de France to audiences around the world. The live-action will include more cameras than ever before and aerial imagery that will put viewers into the heart of the race, showcasing the amazing beauty and grueling conditions that the island of Hawai’i is known for.”

Live Tracking and Results:

The best way to keep up to date with tracking athletes – Professional and Age-Group – is by downloading the (free) IRONMAN Tracker app. The app provides timing information, leaderboards and allows you to set notifications for athletes you want to follow, which will update as they pass through what is likely to be approximately 30 timing points on the course. It really does work a treat.

If you don’t have it already, you can download in via the iTunes App Store or via Google Play.

Who is racing?:

We can help you with that – for ease of finding details and race numbers on the Pro athletes plus all the Great Britain and Ireland entrants, we’ve got all that summarised for you already:

Join the conversation online:

If you are a Twitter user, then please do follow us via @tri247 for updates, chat and commentary. Join in the fun and let us know how you think the race is going!

If you are following / commenting on the progress of the GB & Ireland athletes, then please add hashtag #GBKONA.

Race Start Timings: Saturday 13th October 2018

(UK time = 11 hours ‘ahead’ of Kona)

Race Start (Male Pro) – 6:35 a.m. local time / 5.35 p.m. UK time (Saturday evening)
Race Start (Female Pro) – 6:40 a.m. local time / 5.40 p.m. UK time (Saturday evening)
Race Start (Age Group Men) – 7:05 a.m. local time / 6.05 p.m. UK time (Saturday evening)
Race Start (Age Group Women) – 7:20 a.m. local time / 6.20 p.m. UK time (Saturday evening)
Race Ends (Final finisher) – 00:20 local time (Sunday) / 11.20 a.m. UK time (Sunday morning)

Estimated Schedule of Events – ALL UK TIMES

EVENT	ESTIMATED UK TIME	DAY / DATE
Pro Men Swim Start	5.35pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
Pro Women Swim Start	5.40pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Men reach swim turn (halfway)	5.59pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
Male Age Group Swim Start	6.05pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Woman reaches swim turn (halfway)	6:05pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
Female Age Group Swim Start	6.20pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Swim Finishers (Pro Men)	6.22pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Men Start Bike	6.24pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Swim Finisher (Pro Women)	6.29pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Women Start Bike	6:31pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Swim Finisher (Male Age Group)	6.57pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Swim Finisher (Female Age Group)	7:12pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
Swim Cutoff (Last Female Age Grouper)	8:40pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Men at Hawi (Bike turn, circa 59 miles)	8:48pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Women at Hawi (Bike turn, circa 59 miles)	9:10pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Men Finish Bike	10:45pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Women Finish Bike	11:28pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Women Start Run	11:30pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Men at 'Pay & Save Hill' (Palani, 8 miles**)	11:45pm	Saturday 13th (evening)
First Pro Women at 'Pay & Save Hill' (Palani, 8 miles**)	12:28am	Sunday 14th (morning)
First Male Pro Finisher	1:35am	Sunday 14th (morning)
First Female Pro Finisher	2:30am	Sunday 14th (morning)
First Male Age Group Finisher	2:55am	Sunday 14th (morning)
First Female Age Group Finisher	4:05am	Sunday 14th (morning)
Bike Cutoff (10:30 after final start time)	4.50am	Sunday 14th (morning)
Race Finishes (17:00 after final start time)	11.20am	Sunday 14th (morning)

(** A change to the run course this year means that athletes should reach the bottom on Palani on the Marathon earlier than in previous years at approximately eight rather than ten miles into the run).

Race Links

Here are some further links which may prove useful.

Race website: www.ironmanworldchampionship.com / Race pack: HERE.