'The Amazing Race' Celebrates 20 Years with Season 33: Meet the New Teams 

It's been 20 years of racing around the world.

The Amazing Race is returning for season 33, which marks the 20th anniversary of the show on CBS. Over 600 racers have joined the action-packed travel competition in the previous 32 seasons, and a whole new slate of racers is ready to make history in January 2022.

The show has been a reality competition staple on CBS since it first aired in September 2001. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, the show follows 11 or 12 teams of two who race around the world to complete challenges. Each week, the last team to make it to the new destination is eliminated. The end prize for one lucky team is "at least $1 million," according to CBS.

Season 33 began filming before the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020 but filming halted due to international lockdowns.

"We implemented many new safety features that made this historic season possible, including having the cast and crew fly by private chartered plane," said Elise Doganieri, co-creator and executive producer of The Amazing Race. "The Race has been highlighting the beauty of traveling for over 20 years, and we are extremely grateful to showcase again the wonders of the world with this incredible cast."

A trailer for season 33 captures some of the most memorable highlights from the 32 previous seasons. Claire Champlin's watermelon launch to the face, former Big Brother winner Rachel Riley crying about the intensity of the competition and some racers shaving their heads for a shortcut to the finish line flash by in clips from seasons past.

It all prefaces the upcoming season, which will see 11 new teams race through seven countries and over 22,000 miles. "The longest pit stop is over," the trailer says.

So, who are the new teams competing on The Amazing Race season 33? From American heroes to Love Island stars, the next Amazing Race chapter will see the contestants from all over the United States.

Akbar Cook Sr. (45) and Sheridan Cook (44)

The pair from Martinsville, New Jersey, are married educators (Akbar is a principal and Sheri is a teacher) who met in college playing D1 basketball. The couple has three kids of their own, and is dedicated to supporting kids in the community.

Akbar started the "Light's On" program at his high school, which keeps the school open until 11 p.m. in order to help reduce student involvement in gun violence.

Their biggest strength? Their bond. "We know each other, so we know how to help each other out and keep each other going," Sheri said.

Taylor Green-Jones (38) and Isiah Green-Jones (31)

Husbands Taylor and Isiah from Portland, Oregon, met on Facebook and have continued growing their digital presence after their wedding flash mob went viral. They're considering The Amazing Race to be their "second honeymoon" and their strategy is to arrive "under the radar."

Raquel Moore (31) and Cayla Platt (30)

Flight attendants from Chicago, Illinois, and Gulf Breeze, Florida, Raquel and Cayla are no strangers to travel, but The Amazing Race is still out of the "comfort zone."

The friends met during flight attendant training and aim to "use other people's judgments" of them as a strategy. "Being a girl is such an advantage when you use it in the right way," Raquel said.

Dusty Harris (38) and Ryan Ferguson (37)

Best friends Dusty and Ryan from Columbia, Missouri, are ready to take on the world together. Ryan was wrongfully convicted of a murder he didn't commit and spent 10 years in prison. He won an $11 million civil rights lawsuit with the help of Making a Murderer attorney Kathleen Zellner.

"The true meaning of making up for lost time. Getting to see the whole world and seeing this thing through. I think that's important to both of us," Dusty said.

Armonde "Moe" Badger (42) and Michael Norwood (26)

Moe and Mike from Buffalo are "singing police officers" in New York, and they'll lead with personality and competitive spirit on season 33. "Our strengths as a team are knowing each other, knowing how we think," Mike said.

"We've had to trust each other in some of the darkest situations of our life," Mike said. Moe added: "I think that's gonna help us out a lot."

Marianela "Lulu" Gonzalez (37) and Marissa "Lala" Gonzalez (37)

Identical twins Lulu and Lala from North Bergen, New Jersey, are radio personalities for iHeartRadio, and they have some secret skills that may come in handy. With a history of working at a hardware store, and fluency in Spanish, the sisters may have a leg up on some of the competition.

"Being in radio is a very competitive field, and so now I'm like, it's just another notch," Lulu said of the competition. They also said the "twin language" may be an advantage.

Anthony Sadler (29) and Spencer Stone (29)

Public speakers Anthony and Spencer from Sacramento, California, were victims of an Isis terrorist attack while traveling in Paris. Spencer rushed the terrorist and became known as a viral "hero American." The childhood best friends turned their trauma into advocacy and have become applauded names since.

Spencer was named PEOPLE's Sexiest American Hero in 2015.

Kim Holderness (45) and Penn Holderness (47)

Kim and Penn from Raleigh, North Carolina, are former news anchors who turned their media success into a family career. Now, they're viral content creators with their two children.

"I think the Amazing Race even will show a different side of us. This is going to expose a lot," Kim said.

Arun Kuman (56) and Natalia Kumar (28)

Father daughter duo Arun and Natalia from Detroit, Michigan, have both had a competitive nature throughout their lives and have dedicated their relationship to travel. "I think I've prepared for this my whole life," Arun said.

Arun grew up in India and has "driven in Indian traffic" according to Natalia. "What other preparation [do we need]?" she joked of their family's travel skills.

Caro Viehweg (32) and Ray Gantt (35)

Love Island couple Caro and Ray from Los Angeles and Tom Rivers, New Jersey, are well-versed in reality TV. They appeared on the first American season of the series in 2019.

They're a long-distance couple, so competing on The Amazing Race is a way for the pair to spend time together.

"We're very passionate about winning that million dollars," Caro said. "It would mean so much."

Connie Greiner (37) and Sam Greiner (39)

Married couple Connie and Sam from Charlotte, North Carolina, have been through their share of struggles in life. Sam is a high school football coach who took in his leading quarterback as an honorary member of the family.

Their strategy is to visualize winning the competition. "It's gonna be amazing to hear that at the end," Sam said.

Season 33 of The Amazing Race will air Jan. 5 on CBS.