Toronto, ON (September 1, 2010) – One of the most-watched competition shows in Canada, the multiple EMMY AWARD-winning series THE AMAZING RACE returns to CTV with an extended 90-minutes premiere Sunday, September 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). A Top 10 show in Canada which averaged 2.54 million viewers last season, the 17th cycle of THE AMAZING RACE visits new destinations including Bangladesh, Ghana and the Arctic Circle. THE AMAZING RACE moves to its regular timeslot on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET beginning October 3. New episodes of THE AMAZING RACE are also available on demand the day following their television broadcast on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.

THE AMAZING RACE sends 11 teams on a trek around the world. Each team is comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another. 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 $1 million.

This season's cast of racers travel over 32,000 miles, covering four continents and 30 cities. Additionally, for the first time in the history of THE AMAZING RACE, the team to finish in first place during the premiere episode is awarded a surprise, game-changing advantage.

Season 17 features racers from all walks of life, including a team of home shopping hosts, newly dating couples, an internet entertainer, Ivy League a cappella singers and a birth mother/daughter team who were recently reunited after the mother gave her newborn daughter up for adoption over 20 years ago.  

Below are the 11 teams, listed in no particular order:
 
Team 1:
Brook Roberts
Age: 27
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Occupation: Home Shopping Host

Claire Champlin
Age: 30
Hometown: Reno, Nev.
Occupation: Home Shopping Host
Relationship: Home Shopping Hosts

Team 2: 
Nick DeCarlo
Age: 26
Hometown: Henderson, Nev.
Occupation: Bartender 

Vicki Casciola
Age: 26  
Hometown: Henderson, Nev.
Occupation: Hair Stylist
Relationship: Dating

Team 3:
Ron Kellum
Age: 45
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Occupation: Director/Choreographer

Tony Stovall
Age: 42
Hometown: Tucson, Ariz.
Occupation: Doctoral Student (University of Arizona)  
Relationship: Best Friends

Team 4:
Michael Wu
Age:  58
Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas
Occupation: Software Consultant and Content Creator 

Kevin Wu
Age: 20
Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas
Occupation: Student/Internet Entertainer 
Relationship: Father/Son

Team 5:
Chad Waltrip
Age: 26
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Occupation: Operations Manager

Stephanie Smith
Age: 23
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Occupation: Hair Stylist  
Relationship: Newly Dating

Team 6:  
Nat Strand
Age: 31
Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Occupation: Doctor

Kat Chang
Age: 35
Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif.
Occupation: Doctor
Relationship: Doctors/Friends

Team 7: 
Gary Ervin
Age: 53
Hometown: Morganfield, Ky.
Occupation: Entrepreneur 

Mallory Ervin
Age: 24
Hometown: Lexington, Ky. 
Occupation: Miss Kentucky 2009
Relationship: Father/Daughter 

Team 8: 
Connor Diemand-Yauman
Age:  22
Hometown: Chesterland, Ohio
Occupation: Student (Princeton)

Jonathan Schwartz
Age: 22
Hometown: Cranford, N.J.
Occupation: Student (Princeton)
Relationship: Ivy League a Cappella Singers
 

Team 9:
Jill Haney
Age: 27 
Hometown: Marina Del Ray, Calif. 
Occupation: Hair Stylist

Thomas Wolfard
Age: 30
Hometown: Marina Del Ray, Calif.
Occupation: Ad Sales Director
Relationship: Dating

Team 10:
Andie DeKroon
Age:  43
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Occupation: Stay-at-Home Mom

Jenna Sykes
Age: 21 
Hometown: Athens, Ga. 
Occupation: Student (University of Georgia)  
Relationship: Birth Mother/Daughter

Team 11:
Katie Seamon
Age: 23
Hometown: Rahway, N.J.
Occupation: Beach Volleyball Player

Rachel Johnston
Age: 24
Hometown: Moorestown, N.J
Occupation: Beach Volleyball Player
Relationship: Beach Volleyball Partners

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

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:

@AmazingRace_CBS  http://twitter.com/AmazingRace_CBS
@PhilKeoghan http://twitter.com/PhilKeoghan

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/amazingrace

Source: BBM Canada (CTV Telecasts in 2009-10 only)