The contestants have been announced for this season's addition of the Amazing Race

Amazing Race contestants at the CBS website


The Amazing Race: Season 19 Contestants Revealed| The Amazing Race

Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca

Sonja Flemming / CBS
The Survivors: Reality show fans will recognize Ethan Zohn, 37, and girlfriend Jenna Morasca, 30, as past Survivor winners. But the couple is looking to pull from more than just their time in the wild to finish first. "What we have been through the past two years has not been the greatest," Zohn said of surviving cancer. "To be able to come out on top and then go away and travel the world – it's a celebration." But Morasca clarified: "A stressful celebration."

The Yachters: Abby Sunderland was famously lost at sea in 2010. Now her father Laurence, 48, and her brother Zach, 19 – the youngest American yachter to circumvent the globe – will hopefully find their way around the world. "We've had to work together in the yachting arena," Laurence says of helping his son achieve his record. "[There] you don't play for points or money – you play for life."

The Snowboarders: As members of the United States Olympic Snowboarding team in 2002 and 2006 respectively, Tommy Szechin, 31, and Andy Finch, 30, have "years of experience knowing how to be focused and get in our zone," Finch says. But they know their weaknesses. "Typical snowboarder – the book smarts part of it is probably going to be the hardest for us," Szechin says.

The NFL Couple: Retired NFL tight end Marcus Pollard, 39, and his wife Amani, 36, are planning to rely on their relationship more than Marcus's athletic prowess. "We've been a team for a lot longer than the four weeks we will be here," he says of being married for ten years. "This will be like a Super Bowl for us because we've already played the games before."

The Twins: Liz and Marie Canavan, both 23, are former ocean lifeguards and recent University of Kentucky graduates who hope to use their twin powers to their advantage. "We are pretty much the same person. Don't even bother saying which of us said what," one Canavan told PEOPLE. "We work better together," said the other. "It's like a marriage – but we didn't get to choose."

The Flight Attendants: Ron Zeitz, 43, and Bill Smith, 48, met on a plane before falling "madly in love" and becoming "best friends," according to Zeitz. Smith is calling the race a chance to "celebrate" after three years of various family medical issues. "Instead of being so focused on them we can celebrate their health and spend some time together," he said.

These seasoned competitors and travelers shouldn't count out the other contestants, who've also come to win:

• Bill Alden, 63, and his wife Cathi, 62 – who begin the race on the week of their 41st wedding anniversary – are the oldest team this season. But they still compete in triathlons.

• Jeremy Cline, 35, and Sandy Draghi, 33, just made the "slow transition from friends to dating," according to Cline. The new couple is looking forward to spending time together away from their "really busy careers."

• Justin Young, 30, and his sister Jennifer, 26, are hoping their sibling bond will get them to the finish line. "It's not going to be a cakewalk," Jennifer said. "But we're siblings – you can't divorce them, you can't leave them."

• Ernie Halvorsen, 29, knows who will be in charge on the race – his fiancée Cindy Chiang, 30. "A normal day is Cindy planning my day and me executing that plan," says Halvorsen, who has been doing team-building exercises with Chiang to prepare for the race.

• As best friends, roommates and co-workers, Las Vegas cocktail waitresses Kaylani Paliotta, 33, and Lisa Tilley, 31, look at the race as "an opportunity to push yourself to the ultimate limit," according to Paliotta, who is a mom to a pre-schooler.

Season premiere tonight and Marc and Arlene are on the right continent to watch!

Yea!!!!

well, it seems that the football game is running over. That means that 60 Minutes will start late AND Amazing Race will start late.
That means that all the TIVOs will miss the last part of the show.
I love Amazing Race, but I truly hate the way CBS broadcasts it.
I can adapt with many muttered curses when I am home, but when I travel...I miss so much of the show.

ok, my 2 cents Doug

Doug, just dvr the show after Amazing Race, too!

yup, got a work around!
Just po'd that I need one.

Thanks, Karen

I don't think I should of watched Expedition Impossible this summer because tonight's challenges seemed so lame to me compared to those on EI. Repeating a phrase and rowing a boat with a bunch of professional boat rowers, seriously???
I guess I am rooting for the grandparents, the son and dad and the snowboarders because I like the reggae music they play in the background ;)

I think it's funny how enthusiastic and perky they all are on the first day, by the next episode they will be all grouchy and serious.

Karen,totally agree about Expedition Impossible. I thought Amazing Race would try to raise it up a notch. I am glad, though, if they continue to take airport decisions out of the mix.

We are on schedule on the West Coast. Hasn't started yet. But we will be watching!

Karen, sorry that the grandparents came in last (very last). They were rather confused. Maybe they will do better next week. I'm rooting for Ethan and Jenna -- he has been through so much in the past two years. Rumor has it that he will finally propose on the show.

Great show last night. I have to wonder about the passport being left behind at the gas station then miraculously showing up at the airport - perhaps a little too coincidental - but maybe not. I'm such a skeptic!

Agree about the passport. What are the odds that someone finds a passport and makes their way to LAX to deliver it? Must have been found by a very special person.

I must agree the passport thing is odd. I would also think that keeping special documents in a secure place would be one of the first things on my mind and not having it just any place.

The other aspect that seemed very odd to me is those that did now know how to get to LAX. Would seem to me that one would figure out the LA / So cal layout a bit before starting the race. It is a given that the first effort is to get to LAX if in So. Cal. They all would know they are in So. Cal before as they must have spent the night before starting. Maybe just me. Seemed very odd.

I remember when that guy was tweeting that he found the passport of an amazing race team member. I guess he is a huge fan of the show and was at the gas station when they were filming the girls.

Go snowboard dudes! Does anyone besides me still think the challenges are too easy? The bike challenge was just lame, I thought

We lost cable right in the middle of the show last night. Grrrrrrrr!!!!

Betty, do you want to know who came in first and who got booted or are you going to watch it on demand?

If I don't get a chance to watch it tonight, you will have to tell me Karen, please!

I agree, Karen - the challenges are WAY too easy. SO far anyway...

I thought the Buddha thing was pretty complicated and I was surprised that everyone got it. I also thought when they had to go to the restaurant in the boonies that for sure they would have to eat something gross!! Maybe they are running out of ideas?
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Helen

Well, I saw half of the show, thinking I was DVRing The Good Wife. Overlong football, DVR mixups.

Yeah, we pretty much have an ongoing DVR date with The Good Wife - knowing that football will run over into 60 Minutes, then TAR.

Is nobody watching? No comments recently. I know several of you have been on cruises :D

I got caught up last night. I am still disappointed with this season, lame challenges and pretty lame racers, too.

I do love the older couple, they are my favs!! I love how she falls down everywhere, she reminds me of myself :)

On the other hand, this season of Survivor is the best one ever!

What I think this season of AR shows is that great communication and being nice rules! I think the "couple who are older than the rest" are fantastic and an inspiration. Some of the couples sure made dumb moves this season...like the woman who rode the bicycle and didn't return to the starting point...and all the many directionally challenged with whom I relate. I really liked the rabbit race last week.

We've been watching TAR and think it's just so-so. I agree with Karen, Survivor is one of the best yet. Good God, that Ozzie!

I have been watching too. Just not much to talk about really. Not much focus on the places and no drama with the teams. Good for them I guess but less than compelling viewing?
I still wouldnt miss it tho
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Helen

The "older" folks continue to surprise me! Was sorry the father & son from Australia were eliminated instead of the dating couple, but the dancing and then getting lost were just too much to overcome.

I was so touched by the older guy's "she was 12 and I was 13" anecdote. How cute is that? I never did catch just how old they are but they are certainly in very good physical shape for not being kids. But I still dont think they can beat the snowboarders.
adding: Oh duh, just realized that Karen has posted their ages up top.
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Helen

Boooo! I was sad when my fav couple came in last! I guess I am rooting for the two guys and the football player and his wife. For some reason, Cindy really annoys me!

She bugs me too. Too pushy w/him. But hey 2 brand new 'stangs! How great is that? Too bad Marcus and Amani could not keep their lead.
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Helen

They call that Ford proving ground thing a TASK? ;) Oh man, would that be fun...

I was pretty sure whoever came in first would win their own Mustangs but when they mentioned they could get them customized, that was really over the top. Very cool.

The final three couples, what a surprise!
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Helen

Opinions?? on the finale?

Blah. Worst finale ever.

Agree; they really didn't do much. Odd choices of sites in ATL; how anyone could think The Dump store was a former residence is beyond me. It was formerly a Home Depot! At least those 2 didn't win.

So much for the GPS finding the Swan House - it's not that hard!

I think this was my worst season of TAR ever. Really lame challenges through out the whole season and I only liked a few of the racers.
Cindy made me groan last night when she said that it would be awful if the C racers beat the A+ racers. Out of all the contestants, she was the last one I wanted to win!

Definitely one of the least exciting finishes ever. Hope this is not the season in which TAR "jumps the shark"!
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Helen

For what it's worth...(not much!)
http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2011/12/11/did-the-georgia-couple-win-the-amazing-race/ I wonder if this TV guy has ever watched a "good" season.

I do agree with the comment that said they could have had them race up Stone Mountain or something a little more arduous!

This season was lame, I agree. I hope they get back to something better again - this show has been the best thing besides "America's Most Wanted" (any of you support this?! Can you think of a better way to spend precious airtime than hunting down child predators, murderers, etc? What if it were YOUR loved ones who were victims?).

FOX dumped "America's Most Wanted", shame on them, don't get me started :mad: :mad: :mad: , but it is on Lifetime now, thank God. I probably should have started a new thread about this...I don't think we've ever talked about it here.

Anyway, hopefully TAR gets back to their roots, or else they'll be booted, too.