On September 9, 2009, CBS officially unveiled the identities of the 12 teams who will compete in The Amazing Race 15.
With 15 of the new contestants in their 20s, 3 in their 30s, 4 in their 40s, and 2 above 50, this cast is considerably younger than Season 14’s cast, which was one of the oldest in the series’ history. It also features a record number of contestants with ties to the entertainment industry.
The teams of The Amazing Race 15 are:
Brian Kleinschmidt and Ericka Dunlap, a married couple from Nashville, TN. Brian and Ericka met nine years ago at a leadership seminar and Brian was immediately drawn to Ericka. Five years later, they began dating and they were finally married in 2007. They are proud to be the first married interracial couple to compete on The Amazing Race.
Cheyne Whitney and Meghan Rickey, a young dating couple from San Diego, CA. Cheyne and Meghan first met in elementary and were good friends for 10 years before they finally took their relationship to the next level. They’ve now been happily together for five years.
Gary and Matt Tomljenovich, father and son from Billings, MT. Gary and Matt have very little in common and have not spent a lot of time together, as a result. They are hoping that running the Race together will help them to strengthen their relationship.
Herbert “Flight Time” Lang and Nate “Big Easy” Lofton, friends and Harlem Globetrotters from New York, NY (originally from Louisiana). These teammates have traveled extensively with the Globetrotters (Herbert to over 60 countries and Nate to over 30), and are certain that their athleticism will help them go far in the Amazing Race.
Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, best friends and professional poker players from Los Angeles, CA. Tiffany and Maria were the last women standing in the World Series of Poker Championship in 2007 and 2008. Now, they hope to be the last women standing in The Amazing Race.
Lance Layne and Keri Morrione, an engaged couple from Boston, MA. While Lance admits to being aggressive and confrontational, Keri likes to take the softer kinder approach. As a result, this super-athletic couple is looking to test their relationship and communication skills on the Race.
Sam and Dan McMillen, brothers and college students from Liberty, MO. These brothers claim to be polar opposites and didn’t truly bond until the summer of 2008 when they both came out to each other as being gay.
Justin Kanew and Zev Glassenberg, best friends from Los Angeles, CA. Justin and Zev met six years ago as camp counsellors in Massachusetts. Zev has Asberger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism, but they don’t let this affect their relationship. These friends are certain that they can persevere and look forward to running the race together.
Jessica Stout and Garrett Paul, a couple from Larkspur, CA and Santa Cruz, CA, who has been dating on-and-off for 7 years. They met while studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain and have had at least three major breakups. But ultimately, this well-traveled couple keeps coming back to one another. They hope that the Amazing Race will be the ultimate test of their relationship.
Marcia “Marcy” Maloy and Ron Shalita, a dating couple from San Francisco, CA. This “older” couple met online a year ago and wants to show that at 60 years old, they are just as capable of winning the Amazing Race as any other team.
Canaan Smith and Mika Combs, a newly dating couple from Nashville, TN. These country singers have only been dating for a few months, they are certain that their newfound love for each other is strong enough to take them to the finish line.
Eric and Lisa Paskel, married yoga instructors from Encino, CA (originally from Michigan). Eric and Lisa are both vegans and former drug addicts and alcoholics. They have been married for over 18 years (although they were briefly divorced and got remarried) and have two daughters.
The Amazing Race 15 will premiere Sunday, September 27 at 8 p.m. EST with a special two-hour premiere on CBS. For more information on the new teams, see the show’s official Web site at CBS.com.
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