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The 2013 Ironman World Championship is set to take place on Saturday in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, a sleepy town that's turned into an epicenter of triathlon for a week every year.
The race begins Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET (6:30 a.m. Kona time), with the pro men. The female professionals follow shortly after, at 12:35 p.m.. Then there's a 25-minute lull before the Age Groupers begin their epic journey at 1 p.m.
Live coverage on race day will be streamed at Ironman.com, beginning at noon ET, and hosted by Greg Welch (1994 Ironman World Champion) and current pro triathletes Michael Lovato and Matt Lieto. A majority of the live coverage will be focused on the male and female pros (expect the winner to finish sometime around 8:30 p.m. ET).
Ironman.com also offers an Athlete Tracker, allowing you to follow any participant in real time.
The Ironman World Championship is the pinnacle of long-course triathlon racing. Originally run in 1978, the race has competitors swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and then run a marathon (26.2 miles). The course in Kona is known for being hot and windy, and the field typically boasts the toughest competition in the sport. Starting at 7 a.m., age groupers have until midnight to complete the grueling race.
NBC will air its customary special recap of the race on Nov. 15, at 4:30 p.m. ET. This year's airing (usually 90 minutes or two hours) will be the first filmed with GoPro cameras. The company was announced as the race's title sponsor on Monday.
2013 Ironman World Championship Race Day Schedule (all times Eastern):
- 12:30 p.m. Race Start - Male Professional/Elite Athletes
- 12:35 p.m. Race Start - Female Professional/Elite Athletes
- 1:00 p.m. Race Start - Age Groupers
- Midnight Race Officially Ends