UIPM 2017 World Cup Final: Global audience set to tune in to Pentathlon

 The 2017 UIPM World Cup Final will be beamed out to millions of sports fans around the world this weekend thanks to a new set of agreements with TV networks covering 163 countries.

An exciting partnership between UIPM and Eurosport, covering the 2017 World Cup Final in Vilnius (LTU) and 2017 World Championships in Cairo (EGY), means viewers across Europe will be able to see the world's most versatile athletes in action on each of the three days (June 23-25) via Eurosport 2.

CCTV, M4 Sports, OSN Sports and Fox are among those also transmitting the live coverage of the Men's, Women's and Mixed Relay Finals from Vilnius while another several networks will broadcast the highlights. The action will go out across the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa as well as Australia and New Zealand. 

The 72 pentathletes who qualified to compete have gathered in Vilnius ahead of the individual Fencing Ranking Rounds, which take place tomorrow (June 22). The Men's Individual Final follows on June 23, with the Women's Individual Final following on June 24 before the Mixed Relay concludes the 2017 World Cup season on June 25.

The coverage of each final on Eurosport 2 will begin with highlights from Swimming, Fencing and Riding before the Laser-Run and medal ceremony are relayed in full.

As with all UIPM World Cup events a live stream of the Laser-Run will also be available at UIPM TV. The Olympic Channel is another place where online viewers can see the action live.

Four Olympic champions - Lena Schoeneborn (GER, 2008), Laura Asadauskaite (LTU, 2012), David Svoboda (CZE, 2012) and Alexander Lesun (RUS, 2016) - are on the entry list along with both 2016 individual world champions, Sarolta Kovacs (HUN) and Valentin Belaud (FRA).

Asadauskaite (LTU) will start as favourite for many as she competes in front of her home crowd along with compatriots Justinas Kinderis, Ieva Serapinaite and Lina Batuleviciuite. But the world No.1, winner of World Cup Final gold in 2012 and 2015, is sure to find stiff competition from the likes of Annika Schleu (GER), Gulnaz Gubaydullina (RUS) and Kim Sunwoo (KOR).

Lesun, Olympic gold medallist in Rio 10 months ago, also goes to Vilnius defending the world No.1 spot and he is sure to relish renewing a long-running battle with Pavlo Tymoshchenko (UKR), who took Olympic silver behind Lesun in Rio but who has been the standout performer in this World Cup season, occupying every position from 1st to 4th in the four rounds to date.

Other Men's Individual contenders at Vingis Park are likely to be Valentin Prades (FRA) and the Korean duo of Jun Woongtae and Jung Jinhwa.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: "Vilnius, the home city of our London 2012 Olympic champion Laura Asadauskaite, is a city with a long tradition in Modern Pentathlon and the national federation of Lithuania is an important pillar for UIPM and the Olympic Movement.

"Lithuania has already arranged many Modern Pentathlon competitions, including our European Championships and CISM military events. This is their first time hosting a UIPM World Cup Final and we are confident it is going to be a wonderful success.

"We are looking forward to great performances from 36 women and 36 men athletes who have emerged on top after four World Cups and we wish success to all pentathletes."