Ironman launches Facebook Watch live coverage at stacked 70.3 race in St. George

Ironman will begin its season of live race coverage on Facebook Watch with this weekend’s Ironman 70.3 North American Championship in St. George, Utah. According to a release from Ironman today there will be 18 events presented on the company’s Facebook Watch page  including the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in October, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in St. George in September and May’s Ironman North America Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The remaining events on the schedule “will be announced as the year unfolds.”

The live event broadcasts will be hosted by Dede Griesbauer, Matt Lieto, Michael Lovato, Paula Newby-Fraser and Greg Welch.

Stacked St. George field

This weekend’s race has drawn an incredibly competitive field. Five-time Ironman 70.3 world champion Daniela Ryf heads the women’s field, but will face some stiff competition from 2016 Ironman 70.3 world champion and defending champion Holly Lawrence, and Canada’s Paula Findlay. Others to keep an eye on include recent Ironman 70.3 Florida champion Emma Pallant and Ironman 70.3 Texas winner Skye Moench.

The men’s race features Canada’s Lionel Sanders as the pre-race favourite, but he’ll take on a  field stacked with Ironman and Ironman 70.3 champions including men’s defending champion Rudy Von Berg, Ben Hoffman, Ironman 70.3 Florida champion Bart Aernouts, two-time 70.3 world champion Michael Raelert and Canada’s Jackson Laundry.

You can check out the full start list for the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship here.