Teams » Season 9

Jeremy & Eric
Best Friends
Age: Jeremy (26) & Eric (27)
Occupation: Jeremy (Valet) & Eric (Waiter & Bartender)
Hometown: Jeremy (Pompano Beach, FL) & Eric (Deerfield Beach, FL)
Jeremy & Eric met while running college track at Johnson County Community College. Both are admittedly cocky, very competitive and strong athletes. They are avid volleyball players who frequently compete in local tournaments.

Sarcastic and patient, Jeremy is well-traveled and ready for the adventure of a lifetime. He hopes the Race will help him to make something of his life.

Eric has little experience traveling outside of the United States. A two-time NJCAA Track and Field All American in the pole vault, Eric describes himself as being athletic and outgoing. His biggest pet peeve about his teammate is that Jeremy won't take criticism. The former collegiate athletes hope their physical abilities will help carry them past the competition to the $1 million prize.

Bary & Fran
Married 40 Years
Age: Barry (63) & Fran (61)
Occupation: Barry (Urologist) & Fran (Retired Accountant)
Hometown: Silverthorne, Colorado
Fran & Barry have known each other for 45 years and have been married for over 40. The proud parents of two children, this adventure-loving couple makes their home in Summit County, Colorado. Although they travel a lot, the word "vacation" is not a frequently used term in their home. They prefer to refer to their trips around the world as "adventure travel."

Fran describes herself as having a positive outlook on life. Fran enjoys skiing, biking, and hiking and has climbed all of Colorado's 54 14ers, which are the Colorado mountain peaks that exceed 14,000 feet. Fran admits that she's running THE AMAZING RACE to show that "old people" can compete just as well as most 25 year olds.

Barry thrives on challenging himself and loves to compete. A former battalion surgeon with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam, Barry describes himself as outgoing and dependable. His biggest disappointment with regards to Fran was that she refused to bungee jump from a bridge in New Zealand. Although he does point out that she made good by agreeing to skydive.

Having traveled to more than 45 countries together, these high school sweethearts are hoping their previous traveling experience will give them an advantage over the other Teams.

BJ & Tyler
Best Friends
Age: BJ (26) & Tyler (25)
Hometown: BJ (Los Angeles, CA) & Tyler (San Francisco, CA)
BJ & Tyler are bohemian best buds who first met four years ago during the Semester at Sea program, where they shared the experience of sailing around the world. One of their most memorable moments was starting a dance party in the streets of downtown Guilin, China, which turned into a mass gathering of hundreds of Chinese men. They have been friends ever since, whether bouncing on trampolines at Burning Man or spontaneously swimming in the San Francisco Bay.

BJ is a graduate of Harvard University, while Tyler graduated from UC Santa Cruz after completing two semesters abroad--one in Hungary, the other in South Africa. Both have traveled the world extensively and speak several languages including Spanish and Japanese.

Both BJ and Tyler share a love of adventure, travel, and good times. After graduating from college, BJ moved to California to pursue surfing, karate and frisbee. Meanwhile, Tyler fell in love with a Japanese girl and decided to impress her by walking the 2000-mile length of Japan.

Their primary motivation for taking part in THE AMAZING RACE is to share in the adventure of racing around the world, meeting new people and, of course, winning $1 million.

Danielle & Dani
Childhood Friends
Age: 22
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Danielle & Dani met over 10 years ago and have been inseparable ever since.

Outgoing and talkative, Danielle, who recently graduated from St. Johns University with a degree in Speech Pathology, has limited experience when it comes to traveling abroad and is eager to see what this globetrotting adventure has to offer.

Dani recently graduated at the top of her class from Wagner College. She describes herself as being fun-loving, wild and eager to get out of Staten Island. Like her teammate, Dani also hasn't traveled very much. She hopes the Race will provide her with the chance to explore all the different cultures in the world.

Armed with bold personalities and a fearless attitude, the duo believes that anything is possible with good looks and thick accents, which they aren't afraid to use if it helps them to win the $1 million prize.

David & Lori
Dating
Hometown: Manhattan, Kansas
David & Lori are a couple who have been dating for three years. Although Lori is ready to get married, David would like to get his career off the ground before he ties the knot.

Describing himself as intelligent and compassionate, David has done little traveling, but is eager to explore the world. He received Bachelor's of Arts and Science degrees from Kansas State University. A musician who is very involved with his local underground music scene, David's many bands have released three full length CDs and have played in several local music festivals and venues across the country. His one phobia is heights.

An assistant manager at Pizza Hut, Lori says she is energetic, understanding and willing. She also believes herself to be more spontaneous than her partner, who is more reserved and likes to have a plan. Nevertheless, they look forward to working together as they travel around the world and learn about different cultures on THE AMAZING RACE. Their team nickname was "The Nreds." After the race they got engaged.

John & Scott
Lifelong Friends
Age: John (38) & Scott (41)
Occupation: John (Wealth Manager; Artist) & Chuck (Sales)
Hometown: John (Dorchester, Massachusetts) & Scott (West Harwich, Massachusetts)
John & Scott met in high school and have been friends for more than 25 years. The men differ in that John admits to being too controlling at times where Scott is not controlling at all.

John plans to pursue a career in real estate one day. When he's not working, John enjoys spending time on Cape Cod with his two Great Danes, Hector and Percy. His proudest accomplishments include purchasing and renovating his 1883 brownstone and completing the Boston to New York AIDS 250-Mile Bike Ride.

Scott describes himself as a fun and gregarious person whose personal motto is "live, live, live." He claims that the most exciting moment in life has yet to happen.

The lively duo share memories from road trips they've taken to New York City and Provincetown, Massachusetts. However, you won't hear of any far off places that they've traveled to because John has a fear of flying and hasn't been on a plane in over eight years! One of the main reasons for going on the Race is John's hope that he will overcome his fears while both friends will be able to see the world together.

Lisa & Joni
Sisters
Age: Lisa (48) & Joni (44)
Occupation: Lisa (Owner of Art Gallery)
Hometown: Lisa (Santa Rosa Beach, FL) & Joni (Katy, TX)
Lisa & Joni are sisters who have lived apart from one another for almost 20 years. After their father passed away, Joni opted to stay in Texas with their mom, while Lisa moved to Florida. The sisters hope their experience on THE AMAZING RACE will help them to reconnect with one another and make up for lost time.

Lisa, who lives in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, is a mother of two and has been married for seven years. Several years ago, Lisa accomplished her longtime goal of opening her own art gallery. She's an avid artist who enjoys anything creative and describes herself as smart, determined and competitive.

Joni, who resides in Katy, Texas, is also the mother of two and has been married for 10 years. She has never traveled outside of the United States and is quite eager to see what the world has to offer. Funny and headstrong, Join claims to be a people person who is much more patient than her teammate.

This outgoing twosome are loud, rambunctious, and each stand over six feet tall. If they win the $1 million prize, both Lisa & Joni admit that they would like to get some plastic surgery.

Joseph & Monica
Dating
Age: 23
Hometown: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Joseph & Monica have been dating for the past three years. This fun-loving couple met at a local bar in Fayetteville, Arkansas during college when Joseph claims he "just about broke his neck when Monica walked through the door." After a brief separation for a few months, they missed each other tremendously and decided to give their relationship a second try. They've been together ever since.

Joseph describes himself as confident and funny, while Monica is independent and tenacious. Born and raised in the South, the couple shares a love of country music, wakeboarding and traveling. Joseph's proudest accomplishment has been building and selling his first home.

Although Monica's primary motivation for taking part on THE AMAZING RACE is to pay off her student loans, both she and Joseph are eager to take part in an experience that will bond them for life.

Lake & Michelle
Married Parents
Age: Lake (37) & Michelle (36)
Occupation: Lake (Dentist) & Michelle (Home maker; Dental Assistant to her husband)
Hometown: Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Lake & Michelle met as freshmen in college and have been married for 13 years.

Lake has limited traveling experience outside of the United States. While he describes himself as energetic and motivated, Michelle notes that he's your typical Type A personality, very impatient and always looking for ways to do it better.

Michelle claims that she's much more laid back than her husband and hopes this won't cause friction between the two while taking part on THE AMAZING RACE. Michelle sees herself as being loyal, kind and loving and is running the Race to prove to herself and Lake that she's capable of accomplishing things.

While Lake & Michelle are both aware of their personality differences, they feel they work well together and hope their differences will actually help them as they travel the world on the Race.

Ray & Yolanda
Dating
Age: 27
Occupation: Ray (Attorney) & Jaree (Math and Science Teacher)
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Ray & Yolanda have been dating for five years. An accomplished athlete, Yolanda ran track with Ray's cousin at the University of Florida. One day while visiting his cousin at the track, Ray was introduced to Yolanda, but it wasn't until later that the two were reacquainted and exchanged phone numbers.

Natives of Florida, Ray & Yolanda now reside in Chicago, Illinois. Yolanda grew up in Gainesville, Florida and was a math and science teacher in Miami before she recently moved in with Ray, who is originally from Jacksonville. After receiving his law degree from the University of Miami and practicing law in South Florida, Ray accepted a position as an attorney in Chicago.

While Ray is said to be the more disciplined of the two, both describe themselves as opinionated and stubborn. Yolanda admits that she has a bit of trouble finishing what she's started and Ray claims that she often runs late. Nevertheless, Yolanda & Ray enjoy working out together and are looking forward to the adventure of the Race and the thrill of competition.

Wanda & Desiree
Mother & Daughter
Age: Wanda (44) & Desiree (24)
Occupation: Wanda (Corporate Trainer) & Desiree (Writer)
Hometown: Wanda (Smyrna, Georgia) & Desiree (New York City, NY)
Wanda & Desiree are a mother and daughter Team with a close-knit bond. Both women have a great sense of humor and enjoy shopping, traveling and cooking.

Wanda is married. Fluent in Spanish, Wanda has previously lived in New York and Puerto Rico. One of the accomplishments for which Wanda is most proud is earning two college degrees while raising her daughter. More recently, Wanda was able to share in the excitement of watching Desiree graduate from NYU.

Currently in a steady relationship, she describes herself as passionate and artistic. An only child, her biggest pet peeve about her mother is that she tends to be overprotective.

Although they are definitely playing to win, Wanda & Desiree also hope to expand their knowledge of different cultures while seeing the world on THE AMAZING RACE.