CBS today announced the 11 Teams set to compete in “The Amazing Race 14.” “The Amazing Race 14” premieres Sunday, Feb. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Phil Keoghan is the host.
These contestants will travel one of the most grueling courses ever assembled on the Race – spanning 40,000 miles and nine countries in just 22 days. Teams will be faced with a multitude of extremes, including the world’s second tallest bungee jump, bone-chilling Siberian temperatures followed by the suffocating heat of India, and an Olympic-sized challenge that leaves Teams gasping for air. For the first time in the history of the Race, Teams will travel to Romania and Siberia.
“Heading into our 14th season, I wanted to pull out all the stops. We have extreme climates, intense roadblocks and less time in airports, which adds up to an exhausting course for the Racers. Whether you’re a screenwriter, a Harvard graduate, a jockey or a carpenter, this Race will test your stamina, your heart and your will to win,” said Bertram van Munster, executive producer/co-creator of “The Amazing Race.”
This 14th group of Racers features an eclectic cast that includes a Team of brothers who are stuntmen, a pair of flight attendants, a brother/sister Team who are Harvard lawyers, an accomplished feature film writer/producer/actor and his father, a Team of former NFL cheerleaders and the Race’s first ever deaf contestant and his mother.
Following are the 11 teams, listed in no particular order:
Name: MARK MUNOZ
Hometown: Los Angeles
Age: 48
Occupation: Stuntman/Jockey
Name: MICHAEL MUNOZ
Hometown: Maui, Hawaii
Age: 51
Occupation: Stuntman/Actor
Relationship: BROTHERS/STUNTMEN
This Team of brothers has been competing – against everyone else and each other – their entire lives. Standing at 4′ 9″, they chose similar paths in their lives and after years of surfing big waves and racing horses around a track, they’re eager to run the Race of a lifetime with one another.
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Name: TAMMY JIH
Hometown: San Francisco
Age: 26
Occupation: Lawyer
Name: VICTOR JIH
Hometown: Los Angeles
Age: 35
Occupation: Lawyer
Relationship: SIBLINGS/LAWYERS
If they can manage to set aside sibling rivalries long enough to use their most valuable attribute – their intelligence – this brother/sister duo, both with Harvard Law degrees, might just have what it takes to outsmart the competition and be a force to be reckoned with.
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Name: LAKISHA HOFFMAN
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Age: 28
Occupation: Program Coordinator
Name: JENNIFER HOFFMAN
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Age: 24
Occupation: Marketing Assistant
Relationship: SISTERS
These two former Division 1 collegiate athletes look forward to becoming the first ever all female Team to win the Race. Both attended the University of Louisville where LaKisha played basketball and Jennifer played volleyball. Both sisters are extremely competitive and athletic, but aside from their physical prowess, the similarities between the two are hard to find.
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Name: CHRISTIE VOLKMER
Hometown: Choctaw, Okla.
Age: 37
Occupation: Flight Attendant
Name: JODI WINCHESKI
Hometown: Houston
Age: 40
Occupation: Flight Attendant
Relationship: FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
These two savvy flight attendants met while working on a Southwest Airlines flight six years ago and they made an instant connection. Both are extremely competitive. Will their extensive knowledge of the airline industry prove to be enough of an advantage to bring home the million dollars?
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Name: CARA ROSENTHAL
Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla.
Age: 26
Occupation: Law Student
Name: JAIME EDMONDSON
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Age: 29
Occupation: Former Police Officer
Relationship: FORMER NFL CHEERLEADERS
Cara and Jaime met three years ago while cheerleading for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. But don’t be fooled by their looks, these two women are as tough as they come. Jaime is a former police officer and Cara is planning to attend law school.
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Name: BRAD HUNT
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Age: 52
Occupation: Distribution Dispatcher
Name: VICTORIA HUNT
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Age: 47
Occupation: Tax Manager
Relationship: MARRIED
Married for nine years, Brad and Victoria may not always see eye-to-eye, but they do make a dynamic team. After having major foot surgery, Victoria was told she could never run again. She is now out to prove that anything is possible. This physically fit Team hopes to gain a lifetime of stories and a little bit of glue to reinforce their bond.
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Name: MEL WHITE
Hometown: Lynchburg, Va.
Age: 68
Occupation: Writer/Clergyman
Name: MIKE WHITE
Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif.
Age: 38
Occupation: Writer, Producer, Actor
Relationship: FATHER/SON
Mike and Mel had a pretty typical family life until Mike was 11 years old, which is when Mel told the family that he was gay. Mike works as a writer, director and actor in Los Angeles. His writing credits include the feature films “Nacho Libre” and “School of Rock,” in which he also starred opposite Jack Black. Mel, a gay rights activist, has worked as a writer, professor, filmmaker and a pastor and is eager to have a once in a lifetime experience with his youngest child.
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Name: LINDA COLE
Hometown: Martinsville, Va.
Age: 52
Occupation: Customer Service Supervisor
Name: STEVE COLE
Hometown: Martinsville, Va.
Age: 43
Occupation: Carpenter
Relationship: MARRIED
This husband and wife team met when Steve went with a date to Linda’s house for a party. Linda asked her brother to keep his date occupied while she asked Steve out. They have been together ever since and married for 17 years. They both have children from previous marriages, but treat all of them as their very own.
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Name: JENNIFER HOPKA
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Age: 26
Occupation: Student
Name: PRESTON MCCAMY
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Age: 28
Occupation: Software Engineer
Relationship: DATING
Jennifer and Preston have been dating for over a year but they couldn’t be more different. Preston is adventurous and Jennifer would rather hang out with friends, but as a team they hope to bring out the best in each other and solidify their relationship. They have broken up and made up on several occasions and, while she’s ready to get engaged, he has some reservations.
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Name: AMANDA BLACKLEDGE
Hometown: San Diego
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
Name: KRIS KLICKA
Hometown: San Diego
Age: 24
Occupation: Sales Representative
Relationship: DATING
This young couple who met more three years ago hopes to spend the rest of their lives together, but before taking their relationship to the next level they are looking forward to sharing this experience together. Amanda is a communications student at Cal State San Marcos and Kris works as a sales representative for a communications company. Neither has traveled extensively but they are eager to see the world.
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Name: MARGIE ADAMS
Hometown: Denver
Age: 51
Occupation: Clinical Research Associate
Name: LUKE ADAMS
Hometown: Denver
Age: 23
Occupation: College Graduate
Relationship: MOTHER/SON
This mother/son team is determined to show the world that nothing can stop them from living out their dreams. They enjoy hiking and traveling together and share a strong bond. Luke has been deaf since the age of two and Margie became his link to the hearing world. He uses sign language to communicate.
“The Amazing Race 14” will send 11 teams – each comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another – on a trek around the world for 22 days. At every destination, each couple will have to compete in a series of challenges – some mental and some physical – and only when the tasks have been completed will they learn their next destination. Couples 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.
Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman and Hayma Screech Washington 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.
For more information on “The Amazing Race 14” and the new 11 couples, log on to CBS.com.
