Paramount Press Express | THE MILESTONE 30TH SEASON OF “THE AMAZING RACE” KICKS OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH SOME OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE RACERS TO EVER TAKE ON THE RACE, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3

The Amazing Race
- Latest
- Episodes
- Photos
- Releases
- Video
- Talent
- About

Storyline

12/12/2017

THE MILESTONE 30TH SEASON OF “THE AMAZING RACE” KICKS OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH SOME OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE RACERS TO EVER TAKE ON THE RACE, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3

“You’re a Champion, Prove It” (Iceland) – The milestone 30^th season of THE AMAZING RACE kicks off from Washington Square Park in New York City with some of the most competitive and accomplished group of racers ever to take on the Race. Teams travel to their first destination, Iceland, where they must traverse a massive canyon high above the Geitargljufur River, on the season premiere of THE AMAZING RACE, Wednesday, Jan. 3 (8:00–9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Phil Keoghan (@PhilKeoghan) is the host.

CHEAT TWEET: #AmazingRace kicks off the New Year with the most competitive teams yet! @NBA All Stars, @IndyCar Drivers, @CBSBigBrother houseguests & more!! Wed. Jan. 3 at 8pmET/PT! http://bit.ly/2z3MxzT

Following are the 11 teams, listed in no particular order:

CEDRIC AND SHAWN

#TeamSlamDunk

Name: Cedric Ceballos

Age: 48

Current occupation: Retired NBA Player

Qualifications: Former NBA All-Star and Slamdunk Champion

Instagram: @cedceballos

Name: Shawn Marion

Age: 39

Hometown: Chicago

Connection to teammate: Retired NBA Player

Qualifications: 4-time NBA All-Star and NBA Champion 2011

Instagram: @matrix31

Twitter: @matrix31

APRIL AND SARAH

#TeamGoatYoga

Name: April Gould

Age: 39

Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.

Connection to teammate: Friends

Qualifications: Goat Yoga Instructor

Instagram: @AprilGouldNinja

Twitter: @AprilGouldNinja and @GoatYoga

Name: Sarah Williams

Age: 39

Hometown: Mesa, Ariz.

Connection to teammate: Friends

Qualifications: Goat Yoga Instructor

Instagram: @desertpaddleboards

Twitter: @GoatYoga

CODY AND JESSICA

#TeamBigBrother

Name: Cody Nickson

Age: 32

Hometown: Plano, Texas

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: “Big Brother 19” Power Couple

Instagram: @codythemarine

Twitter: @codythemarine

Name: Jessica Graf

Age: 26

Hometown: Los Angeles

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: “Big Brother 19” Power Couple

Instagram: @thejessicagraf

Twitter: @thejessicagraf

HENRY AND EVAN

#TeamYale

Name: Henry Zhang

Age: 22

Hometown: Los Angeles

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: Former President of the Yale Debate Team

Instagram: @HenryTZhang

Twitter: @HenryTZhang

Name: Evan Lynyak

Age: 22

Hometown: Los Angeles

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: Top-ranking Female Debater in the World in 2016

Instagram: @evan.lynyak

TREVOR AND CHRIS

#TeamWellStrung

Name: Trevor Wadleigh

Age: 30

Hometown: New York, N.Y.

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: Billboard Chart-Topping Musician in the String Quartet “Well Strung”

Instagram: @tdwadleigh

Name: Chris Marchant

Age: 33

Hometown: New York, N.Y.

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: Billboard Chart-Topping Musician in the String Quartet “Well Strung”

Instagram: @chrisjmarchant

Twitter: @chrisjmarchant

ALEX AND CONOR

#TeamIndyCar

Name: Alexander Rossi

Age: 26

Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.

Connection to teammate: IndyCar Drivers and Friends

Qualifications: Indianapolis 500 winner 2016

Instagram: @alexanderrossi

Twitter: @AlexanderRossi

Name: Conor Daly

Age: 25 (26 on 12/15/17)

Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.

Connection to teammate: IndyCar Drivers and Friends

Qualifications: Placed 2^nd in the Detroit Grand Prix

Instagram: @conordaly22

Twitter: @conordaly22

DESSIE AND KAYLA

#TheRingGirls

Name: Dessie Mitcheson

Age: 27

Hometown: Apollo, Pa.

Connection to teammate: Friends

Qualifications: Ring Girl and Instagram Model

Instagram: @dessiemitcheson

Name: Kayla Fitzgerald

Age: 26

Hometown: Clermont, Fla.

Connection to teammate: Friends

Qualifications: Ring Girl and Instagram Model

Instagram: @kaylafitz3

JOEY AND TIM

#TeamChomp

Name: Joey Chestnut

Age: 33

Hometown: San Jose, Calif.

Connection to teammate: Friends

Qualifications: World Champion Competitive Eater

Instagram: @joey.chestnut

Twitter: @joeyjaws

Name: Tim Janus

Age: 41

Hometown: New York, N.Y.

Connection to teammate: Friend

Qualifications: Former Competitive Eater

Instagram: @timothyjanus

Twitter: @eaterx

KRISTI AND JEN

#TeamExtreme

Name: Kristi Leskinen

Age: 36

Hometown: Uniontown, Pa. and Scottsdale, Ariz.

Connection to teammate: Retired Professional Skiers and Friends

Qualifications: 2^nd Place World Champion and 3^rd Place X Games Skier

Instagram: @kristileskinen

Twitter: @kristileskinen

Name: Jen Hudak

Age: 30

Hometown: Park City, Utah

Connection to teammate: Professional Skiers and Friends

Qualifications: 2-time X Games Gold Medalist & 4-time National Champion

Instagram: @jenhudak

Twitter: @jenhudak

LUCAS AND BRITTANY

#TeamOceanRescue

Name: Lucas Bocanegra

Age: 35

Hometown: Miami Springs, Fla.

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: Lifeguard Lieutenant

Instagram: @luc8719

Twitter: @luc8719

Name: Brittany Austin

Age: 31

Hometown: Miami Springs, Fla.

Connection to teammate: Dating

Qualifications: Ocean Rescue Lifeguard

Instagram: @bitaba10

ERIC AND DANIEL

#TheFirefighters

Name: Eric Guiffreda

Age: 33

Hometown: Ponchatoula, La.

Connection to teammate: Twin Brothers

Qualifications: Firefighter

Twitter: @Eguiffreda

Name: Daniel Guiffreda

Age: 33

Hometown: Gonzales, La.

Connection to teammate: Twin Brothers

Qualifications: Firefighter

THE AMAZING RACE sends 11 teams on a trek around the world. Each Team is comprised of two people. At every destination, each Team competes in a series of challenges – some mental and some physical – and when the tasks have been completed, they learn their next destination. Teams who are farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning at least $1 million.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, Elise Doganieri and Mark Vertullo are the executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Worldrace Productions in association with ABC Studios and Amazing Race Productions. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

For more detailed information on THE AMAZING RACE and the Racers’ bios, log on to http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/.

Photos are available on www.cbspressexpress.com

Website: www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amazingrace

Twitter: www.twitter.com/amazingrace_cbs

Instagram: @TheAmazingRace_CBS

CBS Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/CBSTweet

Phil Keoghan: https://twitter.com/PhilKeoghan

Bertram van Munster: https://twitter.com/BvMProfilesTV

Elise Doganieri: https://twitter.com/EliseDoganieri

* * *

Press Contacts: