Guest Author - Ingrid Stamatson

Just as CBS announced the cancellation of Viva Laughlin, it also gave us two weeks’ notice that The Amazing Race was to premiere. The teams will be visiting places like Ireland, Croatia and Lithuania and traveling over 50,000 miles. This season is a bit shorter than the previous ones, so prepare for lots of action.

These 11 teams will trek around the world for approximately 30 days. At every destination, they are given tasks or challenges to perform and these can be mental or physical. The first team to complete their task and get the clue to return to “base” are the winners of that round. The team finishing last is eliminated (usually). There are exceptions and twists as can be expected. And onward they go to the next location. Eliminations are based upon finishing order at each city until the final three and that winning team will get the $1 million bucks. Other prizes are awarded to teams which come in first at some of the locations.


The Teams

1. Kynt & Vyxsin (CBS Link)
Described as Dating Goth best friends, they are the keepers of Goth Pride in Louisville.

2. Jennifer & Nathan (CBS Link)
A Dating Couple who met in college and live in California.

3. Ronald & Christina (CBS Link)
A Father/Daughter combination who want to get to know each other all over again since the Dad was working a lot when his daughter was growing up. Wish we all had that chance 

4. Shana & Jennifer (CBS Link)
http://alpha.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race12/bio/shana_jennifer.shtml
Friends from Los Angeles CA who say they have what it takes to win.

5. Azaria & Hendekea (CBS Link)
Here is a Brother/Sister team who will be interesting to watch. She describes her brother as "confrontational and emotional" and he says of his sister that she is "irrational."

6. Lorena & Jason (CBS Link)
Another Dating Couple from Sherman Oaks CA, they are a volatile pair and this Race will test their relationship to the limit.

7. Nicolas & Donald (CBS Link)
This Grandson/Grandfather team will be heartwarming to watch. I know that I wish I could spend some quality time with any of my grandparents (who have all passed now.) Of course that Generation Gap could make for some tense moments.

8. Ari & Staella (CBS Link)
They describe themselves as best friends, both from California in the restaurant business.

9. Marianna & Julia (CBS Link)
This Sister Team from Miami will be strong and worth watching.

10. Rachel & TK(CBS Link)
They have been dating for almost a year and certainly this Race will show each what the other is made of.

11. Kate & Pat (CBS Link)
Eager to push the boundaries, CBS has included a married team of Episcopal ministers. They hail from Thousand Oaks, CA and say they can play dirty too.

So there you have it. The show premieres for its 12th season on November 4th 2007 on CBS.

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