Ironman World Championship Documentary Special Airs on Dec. 30 … and it’s not on NBC

The television coverage of the iconic Ironman World Championship is what truly put the sport of triathlon on the map. While a story that ran in Sports Illustrated peaked some interest, it was ABC’s Wide World of Sports coverage in the early 1980s that truly gained the sport some recognition. The riveting footage of Julie Moss crawling to the line in 1982 inspired many to try the sport and captivated the interest of sports fans. In 1991 the show moved to NBC and, over the years, earned 68 Sports Emmy nominations and earned 16 wins.

For the first time in over 30 years this year’s show won’t appear on NBC – instead the 90-minute documentary on the two different Ironman World Championships in Nice and Kona will appear free on the Outside Watch streaming service starting at 9 AM EST on Saturday, Dec. 30.

Kona Coverage: Recapping the incredible women’s racing at the Ironman World Championship

The documentary “delves into the vibrant history and evolution” of the world championship, recap the pro racing and also “showcase the profiles of amazing athletes that have made this annual documentary such a traditionally inspirational watch for triathletes and sports fans around the world.”

Sam Laidlow nails Nice with huge Ironman World Championship win

Feature stories include:

• Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) chases a title that has long eluded her following four previous second-place finishes at triathlon’s pinnacle event
• Sam Laidlow (FRA) looks to improve on his runner-up performance in the 2022 edition to become the youngest winner of the Ironman World Championship in the event’s 40+ year history while also giving France its first world title
• Els Visser (NLD), who survived a shipwreck and went on to become a professional triathlete and two-time Ironman champion, looks to stamp her name at the first-ever women’s-only Ironman World Championship
• Cam Wurf (AUS), a seasoned professional who balances a multisport calendar split between Ironman racing and professional cycling with Team INEOS Grenadiers, sets ambitious goals in an effort to earn his first Ironman World Championship title in Nice, France
• Nadine Hunt (AUS) looks to become the first Indigenous Australian woman to compete at and finish the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawai`i

Winner of first “Top Chef Canada” competes in first Ironman in Nice

• After traveling the world, working his way through the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay and Daniel Boulud for a decade before winning the first season of “Top Chef Canada,” Dale Mackey (CAN) looks to finish the prestigious Ironman World Championship in Nice, France
• Cyril Del Pistoia (FRA) was diagnosed with a severe case of acute leukemia in 2012 and was given a very low chance of survival. Cyril traveled to his birthplace of Nice, France in September to take on the Ironman World Championship triathlon to prove that Anything is Possible
• Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Sara Whittingham (USA) who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 47, races to raise awareness and inspire others battling the disease and to show what is possible for people with Parkinson’s with a commitment to consistent exercise

The documentary special will be available on Ironman’s YouTube channel on Saturday, Jan. 6.