Amazing Racers Unveiled: Olympians, Ex-NFL Stars, Showgirls and…Survivor Champs?!

Castaway champs and reality power couple Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca lead up the new batch of 11 two-person teams set to compete in 19th installment of Emmy-winning competition

By Gina Serpe Aug 31, 2011 3:40 PMTags
THE AMAZING RACE CastRobert Voets/CBS

Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

Which may be why Survivor champions and reality power couple Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca are following in the footsteps of castaways-turned-globetrotters before them Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich and heading up the new batch of contestants set to face off and travel the world for the 19th installment of CBS' Emmy magnet The Amazing Race.

But they'll be faced with some stiff competition—and not just from their fellow competitors, but from the new twists the show has in store…

Unlike previous seasons, one of the 11 two-person teams competing this year will incur a penalty straight out of the gate, as producers will be introducing something called the Hazard, which will be doled out right at the starting line.

And not only that, but this season, producers are upping the drama by introducing the show's first ever double elimination. Speaking of new things, there'll also be no shortage of fresh scenery for viewers and competitors alike, as for the first time in the show's history, the game will take them to Belgium, Denmark, Indonesia and Madonna country—er, Malawi.

So, who will the recovering Ethan (he was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma) and Jenna, the winners of Survivor: The Amazon and Survivor: Africa, respectively, be facing off against?

Well, let's just say this season isn't skimping on the athletes: among this year's competitors are former NFL tight end Marcus Pollard and his wife, Amani, Olympic snowboarders Andy Finch and Tommy Czeschin, and Zac Sunderland, who became the youngest ever person to sail around the world alone when he accomplished that feat at 16. He'll be competing with his dad.

Here's the full list of teams set to compete for the $1 million prize:

Ethan Zohn, 37, change maker/Survivor winner from New York; Jenna Morasca, 30, TV host/student/Survivor winner from New York (dating)
Ernie Halvorsen, 29, project manager from Chicago; Cindy Chiang, 30, brand manager from Chicago (engaged)
Justin Young, 31, doctor from Stone Mountain, Ga.; Jennifer Young, 26, special education teacher from Stone Mountain, Ga. (siblings)
Liz Canavan, 24, marketing assistant from Deerfield, Ill.; Marie Canavan, 24, soul searcher from Deerfield, Ill. (twins)
Ron Zeitz, 44, flight attendant from Laguna Niguel, Calif.; Bill Smith, 49, flight attendant from Laguna Niguel, Calif. (domestic partners)
Bill Alden, 63, farmer/rancher from Albany, Ore.; Cathi Alden, 62, college instructor/retired high school principal from Albany, Ore. (married for 40 years)
Andy Finch, 30, professional snowboarder/former Olympian from Truckee, Calif.; Tommy Czeschin, 32, professional snowboarder/former Olympian from Crowley Lake, Calif. (friends/former Olympic teammates)
Amani Pollard, 36, business owner from Pine Mountain, Ga.; Marcus Pollard, 39, retired NFL player/football coach from Pine Mountain, Ga. (married)
Kaylani Paliotta, 33, cocktail waitress from Las Vegas; Lisa Tilley, 32, cocktail waitress from Las Vegas (friends/former Vegas showgirls)
Laurence Sunderland, 48, yacht manager from Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Zac Sunderland, 19, record-setting boat captain from Thousand Oaks, Calif. (father/son adventurers)
Jeremy Cline, 35, commercial real estate broker from Alamo, Calif.; Sandy Darghi, 33, nurse practitioner from Dublin, Calif. (dating)

The new season kicks off Sept. 25 with Phil Keoghan returning, as always, to host.