The Amazing Race 9 Two Hour Premiere Tonight  2/28/06

Three-Time Emmy Award Winner "The Amazing Race" Returns to Its International Format Where Teams of Two Will Travel to Exotic Locations, Spanning Five Continents, With a Two-Hour Premiere Tonight Tuesday, Feb. 28, 9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT

"The Amazing Race 9" Moves To Its New Tuesday, 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT Time Period Beginning March 7

"Here We Go, Baby, Off To Win A Million Dollars" -- The three-time Emmy Award-winning reality adventure series returns to its international format where teams of two will travel to exotic locations, spanning five continents, with stops in the Middle East, Moscow and Sicily, to name a few. The 11 teams, including a Pizza Hut manager, a dentist, a science teacher, a children's minister, a retired physician and a valet, will compete against one another in a race around the world for a $1 million prize. THE AMAZING RACE 9 will begin with a special two-hour premiere on Tuesday, Feb. 28 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Starting Tuesday March 7, the Amazing Race will move to its new timeslot from 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT. Phil Keoghan is host of the series.

The race begins in Denver, Colorado when teams quickly jet off to their first location, Sao Paulo, Brazil where, upon landing, they must venture deep into the heart of the city to find their next clue at the Hotel Unique. Almost immediately, teams make their way by foot to Viaduto Santa Ifigenia, a pedestrian footbridge overlooking the highway and the Vale do Anhangabuau. One team struggles to locate the clue box, while other teams seem to find it with ease.

At the bridge, teams are faced with their first detour and must choose between finding a local motorcycle shop, where they will have to assemble a motorcycle from scratch, or soar high above the city of San Paolo in a helicopter in order to locate a specific building where they will find their next clue.

THE AMAZING RACE will be broadcast regularly on Tuesdays (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) beginning March 7.

THE AMAZING RACE has won three consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Reality Program.

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

Name: BJ AVERELL (Male) Occupation: Online Tutor

Age: 26

Hometown: Los Angeles

Name: TYLER MACNIVEN Occupation: Filmmaker

Age: 25

Hometown: San Francisco

Relationship: BEST FRIENDS

Name: SCOTT BRAGINTON-SMITH Occupation: Sales

Age: 41

Hometown: West Harwich, Mass.

Name: JOHN LOWE Occupation: Wealth Manager

Age: 38

Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.

Relationship: LIFE-LONG FRIENDS

Name: YOLANDA BROWN-MOORE Occupation: Science Teacher

Age: 27

Hometown: Chicago

Name: RAY WHITTY Occupation: Attorney

Age: 31

Hometown: Chicago

Relationship: DATING

Name: MONICA CAYCE Occupation: Student

Age: 23

Hometown: Fayetteville, Ark.

Name: JOSEPH MEADOWS Occupation: Homebuilder

Age: 23

Hometown: Fort Smith, Ark.

Relationship: DATING

Name: DESIREE CIFRE Occupation: Writer

Age: 24

Hometown: New York

Name: WANDA LOPEZ-ROCHFORD Occupation: Corporate Trainer

Age: 44

Hometown: Smyrna, Ga.

Relationship: MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Name: MICHELLE GARNER Occupation: Homemaker

Age: 36

Hometown: Hattiesburg, Miss.

Name: LAKE GARNER Occupation: Dentist

Age: 37

Hometown: Hattiesburg, Miss.

Relationship: MARRIED PARENTS

Name: JONI GLAZE Occupation: Children's Minister

Age: 44

Hometown: Katy, Texas

Name: LISA HINDS Occupation: Realtor/Artist

Age: 48

Hometown: Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

Relationship: SISTERS

Name: BARRY LAZARUS Occupation: Retired Physician

Age: 63

Hometown: Silverthorne, Colo.

Name: FRAN LAZARUS Occupation: Retired Accountant

Age: 61

Hometown: Silverthorne, Colo.

Relationship: MARRIED 40 YEARS

Name: JEREMY RYAN Occupation: Valet

Age: 26

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Name: ERIC SANCHEZ Occupation: Waiter

Age: 27

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Relationship: FRIENDS

Name: DAVID SPIKER Occupation: Musician

Age: 30

Hometown: Manhattan, Kan.

Name: LORI WILLEMS Occupation: Pizza Hut Manager

Age: 25

Hometown: Manhattan, Kan.

Relationship: DATING

Name: DANI TORCHIO Occupation: Recent College Graduate

Age: 22

Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.

Name: DANIELLE TURNER Occupation: Recent College Graduate

Age: 22

Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.

Relationship: CHILDHOOD FRIENDS

THE AMAZING RACE 9 is an adventure reality show hosted by Phil Keoghan. The show features 11 teams of two on a trek around the world for approximately 30 days. At every destination, each team of two will have to compete in a series of challenges -- some mental and some physical -- and only when the tasks have been completed will 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 $1 million.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman and Hayma Screech Washington are the executive producers for Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc., in association with Touchstone Television and Amazing Race Productions. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

RATING: To Be Announced

Source: CBS Press Release