Bangkok--9 Oct--Total Quality PR (Thailand)
The Amazing Race Asia Is Here!
Watch the 10 teams of Asia’s Very Own Compete for the
Coveted Grand Prize
The inaugural The Amazing Race Asia, is slated for broadcast on Thursday, 9 November 2006, 10.00pm, exclusively on AXN (Ch.19, UBC), the heart of action and adventure television! Come join the ten pairs of adventurous and gutsy residents of Asia as they take part in the first-ever Asian edition of the four-time Emmy award winning reality-competition series, The Amazing Race!
The Amazing Race Asia is the B!GGEST AXN original production to date. Expect to see the ten teams from Asia going head to head with mental, physical and emotional obstacles all over the world. No one knows where they will be headed next or what challenges they have to face…
From models to lovers, brothers to best friends, expect an intense no holds barred scramble to the finishing tarmac, where a prize money of US$100,000 awaits the winning team.
The Amazing Race Asia promises to be a highly entertaining program not to be missed!
Exciting and diverse teams from all over Asia!
Ten teams chosen from more than 2,000 applicants
ANDREW AND SYEON
Dating Couple
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Andrew Tan, 26
Managing Director
Syeon Park, 28
Business Development Manager
Self-proclaimed “pocket rockets!”, Andrew and Syeon met while snowboarding in Australia. Even though Andrew is a true-blue Malaysian and Syeon is of Korean-Australian descent, they hit it off easily, sharing many common values and principles, which they feel will help them to be in sync during the Race. “Every team needs a leader,” says Syeon, “And if there are two leaders, then you just wind up arguing.” The couple has agreed that Andrew will be the leader and will make all final decisions. This is the crux of their strategy, which also involves putting emotions aside to play the game as a game — and playing it to win.
ZABRINA & JOE JER
Friends & ex-colleagues
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Zabrina Fernandez, 26
TV Producer
Joe Jer Tee, 29
TV producer
These fast-talking longtime friends have bonded over their love for TV and reality shows. Ultra competitive and sporty, these plucky gals have scrutinized all past Amazing Race seasons and have come up with their own winning strategy. They have decided to make decisions first, whether right or wrong, and bicker later. “We know the game inside out. We watch it all the time. We take note of all the things that go wrong and right in the game.” Watch to find out if their strategy will work or will they be unable to resist trading barbs on screen?
JACQUELINE & AUBREY
Best friends
Manila, Philippines
Jacqueline Yu, 23
Model
Aubrey Sandel, 26
Actress
These best friends from the Philippines make a striking first impression. Aubrey and Jacqueline make no secret of the fact that they enjoy living the good life and like to jokingly associate themselves with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. There is more to them than meets the eye, and even though they enjoy what they call the “girlier” side of life, like shopping, or watching movies, or even flirting with the boys, they also excel at more masculine pursuits like rock-climbing, and karting, and going to the gym.”
They are both looking forward to the Race, approaching it more as a personal challenge than as a direct competition with the other teams. “Our passion, being adventurous, that’s our strength,” said Jacqueline. Aubrey agreed, adding “We’re really skinny, we don’t look so athletic, but it’s all about what’s inside you.”
ERNIE & JEENA
Married for 10 years
Manila, Philippines
Ernesto Lopez, 42
Businessman
Jill Lopez, 35
Homemaker
Ernie and Jeena have been married for ten years, but you couldn’t tell from looking at them. Full of life, jokes and fun, these two consider themselves the clowns of the race, and are looking forward to having fun on the race.
‘We’re hoping to use how good we are as husband and wife as an advantage, to get ahead,” says Jeena, explaining how being attuned to one another after ten years of marriage might stand them in good stead.
“Our relationship is an adventure!” says Ernie. Sports has been one of the foundations on which they have built their marriage as both are sports fanatics. The love of sport stems from a mutual love of adventure, a passion that has led them to skydiving, bungee jumping and technical diving.
LAURA AND ANDY
Business partners and couple
Koh Samui, Thailand
Laura Kluk, 37
Entrepreneur
Andy Lawson, 28
Entrepreneur
Laura and Andy have been together for seven years, living and running a home business in their perfect island paradise. Being stuck together all the time for the entire duration of the race will be nothing new to the dynamic twosome, they're just glad to be finally getting out of the house and hitting the road!
This well-traveled pair (they've been to 14 countries) are deliberately approaching the race without a strategy, because it might impair their ability to react, in real time, to situations that develop as they go along. “When the stress hits the other teams, we plan to still be laughing!” said Andy.
MARDY AND MARSIO
Reunited brothers
Jakarta, Indonesia
Mardy Juwono, 36
General Civil Contractor
Marsio Juwono, 34
Photographer
Mardy and Marsio, brothers from Jakarta, Indonesia, have families and careers of their own to contend with but are eager for some time of brotherly bonding on the race. The brothers are eager for the opportunity to spend more time together. They lived together for a while in the US, a time they remember fondly, and something that is a distant memory for them because of their fast-paced lives. Will their relationship survive the stresses of the race?
They’re appealing because they are quite different from the other teams. They are hoping that the other teams will underestimate them, which would give them some advantage. Not that they are not sporty fellows — one of the few things that they still manage to find time for is to go diving together — but they’re concerned that the physical aspect is one of their obvious weaknesses.
Marsio says “Our biggest strength is our brain, and our perseverance”, a comment that sets them both laughing.
PRASHANT AND SAHIL
Model buddies
Mumbai, India
Prashant Raj Sachdev, 26
Model
Sahil Shroff, 26
Model
From the catwalk runway in fashion capital of Mumbai, these close friends aren't labelled the “Bollywood Hunks” for nothing! But don't let appearances deceive you...
This duo are as serious about roughing it out and giving it all they've got on the challenges in the Race, as they are about their modeling careers. Although Prashant and Sahil haven’t seen many episodes of The Amazing Race, the two are confident this won't prove to be a disadvantage as their compatibility and mutual understanding will set them apart from the rest. The only team to shout out that they were representing their country in the Race, will their national pride and good looks bring them closer to the coveted grand prize?
SAHRAN AND HOWARD
Long-time best friends
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sahran Abeysundara, 31
Interior Designer and Events Manager
Howard Bicknell, 39
Area Manager for a British Tour Operator
Best buds Sahran and Howard have decided to celebrate their decade-long friendship by taking part in The Amazing Race Asia! British-born Howard and Sri Lankan Sahran met through a series of coincidences that both swear is too complicated a story to explain. Strong advocates for travel, the two have visited a “giant laundry list of countries” together. As Sahran puts it: “People's problems come from their lack of understanding of other countries and civilizations in the world. The more people travel, the more understanding they generate within themselves.”
FRANCESCA & SANDY
Dating Couple
Hong Kong
Francesca von Etzdorf, 27
Model
Sandy Sydney, 29
Personal trainer
Both expatriates living in Hong Kong, British model Francesca met New Zealander Sandy, a personal trainer at the gym where he works in Hong Kong. Still in the early stages of their relationship, Sandy and Francesca are taking the brave step of entering The Amazing Race Asia, hoping to discover how well it will stand up to pressure. This attractive couple has more than just good looks, and hopefully their perseverance and refusal to ever quit will stand them in good stead.
For these two, life seems to be all about the challenge. They know that the Race will put them under great stress, individually and together, but the couple is resolute that neither one of them is a quitter. There might be screaming, or crying, or numerous other things, but no one is about to quit anytime soon. “Broken limb, broken leg, we’ll still be going,” says Sandy.
MELODY & SHARON
Former Schoolmates
Singapore
Melody Chen, 28
In Entertainment industry
Sharon Wong, 31
Headhunter
“Our relationship is very simple — we’re good friends,” says Melody. This all-girl team comprises former schoolmates who bonded despite their marked differences. Sharon, more corporate in her outlook, is used to a structured, office environment while Melody is the extrovert, exuberant and easy going, having appeared in local film and television. Their approach to the Race is one of staying focused on themselves, rather than on the other teams, while having some good, clean fun. “I’ve always had the sheer determination to make it in whatever I do,” proclaims Melody. Sharing a strong focus, determination and belief, do these ladies have what it takes to be the first all-girl team to win?
About AXN
Delivering top rated series, blockbuster features, adventure-reality and first-run lifestyle sports programming, AXN is a leading international television destination among young adults 18-34. AXN is seen in 50 countries across Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and is part of Sony Pictures Television International's diverse portfolio of over 40 global networks. Sony Pictures Television International is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
AXN Asia is available to more than 76 million households 24-hours daily throughout Asia in Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, South Korea, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Nepal, Maldives, Mongolia and in hotels and VIP compounds in China. AXN can also be seen in 40 million cable television households on time-block basis in China. More information about AXN Asia can be found online at www.axn-asia.com .
For more information as well as pictures, please do not hesitate to contact:
Priscilla Yip
SPE Networks — Asia
Direct: +65 6260 6328
Fax: +65 6781 5839
E-mail: Priscilla _Yip@spe.sony.com
Tom Van Blarcom / Ruthaiwan Tanwongwan
Total Quality PR (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Tel: 0-2260-5820 Ext. 114 Fax: 0-2260-5847-8
Email: [email protected]
Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net