CBS Announces Teams for Next Cycle of THE AMAZING RACE

CBS announced today the 11 teams that will embark on a sprint around the globe for $1 million dollars on the new season of THE AMAZING RACE, premiering Sunday, Feb. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Emmy Award nominee Phil Keoghan (@philkeoghan) is the host.

The Amazing Race has won the Emmy Award for "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program" nine times in the past 10 years.

This season, which marks the 22nd race around the world for the series, will introduce a new twist to the game in which the first Team to check in at the first pit stop will earn two "Express Passes" - one to keep for themselves and one that must be given to another Team by the end of the fourth leg of the Race.

Teams will travel more than 30,000 miles, over five continents and through nine countries as they skydive from 10,000 feet in Bora Bora, participate in a Shemozzle race in New Zealand, hunt for scorpions with the Bushmen of Botswana and scale the treacherous north face of the Eiger Mountain in Switzerland.

This season's diverse cast includes twin brothers who are both OB/GYNs, father/son cancer survivors, Southern firefighters, roller derby moms and female country singers.

Following are the 11 teams, listed in no particular order:

Name: Idries Abdur-Rahman
Age: 36
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Current occupation: OB/GYN Physician

Name: Jamil Abdur-Rahman
Age: 36
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Current occupation: OB/GYN Physician
Connection: Twin Doctors
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Name: Max Bichler
Age: 30
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Current occupation: Cigar Sales

Name: Katie Bichler
Age: 24
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Current occupation: Pharmacist

Connection: Newlyweds
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Mona Egender
Age: 33
Hometown: Castle Pines, Colo.

Current occupation: Captioner/Roller Derby Player

Name: Beth Bandimere
Age: 36
Hometown: Arvada, Colo.
Current occupation: Tech Support/Roller Derby Player

Connection: Roller Derby Moms
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Bates Battaglia
Age: 36
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Current occupation: Former Professional Hockey Player
(Played for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs)

Name: Anthony Battaglia
Age: 33
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Current occupation: Professional Hockey Player
(Currently plays for the Huntsville Havoc)

Connection: Hockey Brothers
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Chuck McCall
Age: 46
Hometown: Daphne, Ala.
Current occupation: Retail Manager/Taxidermist

Name: Wynona McCall
Age: 49
Hometown: Daphne, Ala.
Current occupation: Cosmetologist/Hairstylist

Connection: Married
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: David O'Leary
Age: 58
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Current occupation: Investment Properties

Name: Connor O'Leary
Age: 21
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Current occupation: Professional Cyclist
Connection: Father/Son (Both Cancer Survivors)
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Name: Caroline Cutbirth
Age: 29
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Current occupation: Singer/Songwriter (Band Member of "Stealing Angels")
*Caroline is a direct descendant of Daniel Boone

Name: Jennifer Kuhle
Age: 30
Hometown: Nashville
Current occupation: Songwriter (Band Member of "Stealing Angels")
*Jennifer is the granddaughter of John Wayne

Connection: Friends/Country Singers
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Joey Graceffa
Age: 21
Hometown: Los Angeles
Current occupation: YouTube Host
Internet Personality Joey's YouTube Channel

Name: Meghan Camarena
Age: 25
Hometown: Los Angeles
Current occupation: YouTube Host
Internet Personality Meghan's YouTube Channel

Connection: Friends/YouTube Hosts
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Pamela Chien
Age: 29
Hometown: Los Angeles
Current occupation: Art Director and Fitness Instructor

Name: Winnie Sung
Age: 29
Hometown: Los Angeles
Current occupation: Senior Project Manager

Connection: Best Friends
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Jessica Hoel
Age: 26
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.
Current occupation: Account Manager

Name: John Erck
Age: 27
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.
Current Occupation: Entrepreneur/Computer Programmer

Connection: Dating
_________________________________________________________________________

Name: Matthew Davis
Age: 25
Hometown: Gaffney, S.C.
Current occupation: Firefighter

Name: Daniel Moss
Age: 24
Hometown: Gaffney, S.C.
Current occupation: Firefighter

Connection: Best Friends/Firefighters
_________________________________________________________________________

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 at least $1 million.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, ELISE DOGANIERI and Mark Vertullo 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.

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