The Amazing Race > The Racers
♥♥♥ TAR14: Amanda Blackledge & Kris Klicka - Dating
puddin:
1 More DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :jumpy:
SAN MARCOS: CSUSM coed, boyfriend among latest "Amazing Race" participants
By ANDREA MOSS - Staff Writer
SAN MARCOS ---- When the latest version of "The Amazing Race" reality television show debuts Sunday night, Cal State San Marcos student Amanda Blackledge and her boyfriend Kris Klicka will be watching closely, with dozens of relatives and friends by their sides.
Blackledge, 23, and Klicka, 25, comprised one of 11 teams that raced around the globe competing for a $1 million prize on the CBS show's 14th season.
Press releases about the race, filmed last fall, describe the competition as one of the show's most grueling ever with participants covering 40,000 miles and nine countries in 22 days.
Challenges they faced along the way included extreme temperatures in Siberia and India, little down time and the world's second-tallest bungee jump, according to the releases.
Talking about the race Friday, Blackledge and Klicka said they were sworn to secrecy about where they had been during it, what they did along the way, or how they fared. Even relatives and friends don't know yet, the couple said.
But the two ---- who described themselves as nearly inseparable since they met on a San Diego beach about four years ago ---- said they had a "super awesome" time participating in the show and hope everyone in the region tunes in to cheer them on.
"Really, the thrill of it ---- it's just outrageous," said Blackledge, who took a semester off from her communications studies to do the show.
She and Klicka said they were "Amazing Race" fans even before a CBS recruiter approached them during a friend's birthday party at a San Diego hotel last year and asked if they'd like to try out for the show.
"It was loud in there, and I had (had) a few drinks," said Klicka, who earned a communications degree from San Diego State University last year. "I thought she said (another reality TV show called) 'The Real World.' I told her to throw rocks or something. Then Amanda came by and she said, 'yeah, let's go for it.' "
The two said they felt like they already knew each other's personalities and characters well by then. Neither had traveled outside of the U.S. much, though, and they had never taken a trip together.
"That was one of the things we looked forward to (in the race) 'cause we hadn't experienced anything like that in our relationship," Klicka said.
The two actually did extensive interviews for last season's "Amazing Race," only to be told they weren't right for that version's cast. But in September, a CBS rep called to ask if they were game for the Season 14 race.
Given just three weeks' notice, Blackledge and Klicka said they spent much of that time studying maps and packing ---- then repacking ---- for the trip of a lifetime, without knowing what they might need.
"You have to pack for potentially everything in the world," Blackledge said. "That's like part of the challenge ---- trying to figure it out with your partner what you should bring."
Fellow contestants included a pair of Harvard-educated lawyers, a team of stuntmen brothers, two flight attendants, and the race's first-ever deaf contestant and his mother.
Klicka, a former baseball player, and Blackledge, a former competitive cheerleader, said they felt their own athleticism, youth and energy were major assets during the race.
They quickly encountered a major roadblock, however.
"We figured out we're both leaders and both kind of like to take control of things," said Klicka. "That's one thing we had to kind of work on during the race: learning how to step back and let each other take charge."
The couple said aspects of the race that viewers never see, including lengthy periods with little water and no food, frustrating airport layovers and lost sleep caused by wondering what waited at the end of a flight, were among the most challenging.
"It was just really emotionally and physically draining," said Klicka. "It's overwhelming when you're in that position. ... you have to just kind of (focus and keep going.)"
Overall, however, they balanced each other out well, the couple said.
"If he starts to freak out about something, I can go up to him and put my hands on his shoulders and calm him down," Blackledge said. "And if I start to freak out about something, he calms me down."
Participating in the race together strengthened the bond between them, said Blackledge and Klicka, who will watch Sunday's episode with family and friends at the La Jolla sushi restaurant where Klicka works.
"We were both there for each other," said Blackledge. "And that really helped 'cause there were moments when we both really needed the other person."
Contact staff writer Andrea Moss at (760) 739-6654 or amoss@nctimes.com.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2009/02/14/news/inland/san_marcos/z654f7565cbb00cd88825755d00791457.prt
georgiapeach:
So what do you all think of Amanda and Kris now that we have had a chance to see them in action a little bit?
I'm loving these cutie pies! They are so cute together and even their little ask for directions squabble was not annoying.
I like how they keep on working together and they are moving right on up!
I have my fingers crossed that CBS is just making a big to do over nothing about the fanny pack, do y'all?
:hearts: for Amanda and Kris!!
TARAsia Fan:
I like them so far.
Ashe:
I like them okay, but Amanda's doing everything possible to get the useless team member/vapid blonde girl edit right now, shown by her not contributing much to the cheese task last week and then pawning off the Roadblock on Kris for the second week in a row. And not only making two grammatical mistakes, but having them aired -- and highlighted via editing -- really isn't doing her any favors.
georgiapeach:
really? I thought they worked really well together, and din't even notice their grammar, lol.
I understood not wanting to do the RB if you have a problem with heights, Kisha did the same. That might be a smart move if you are afraid of freezing and slowing down the team.
In the end it was a good thing after all that Kris had to do the running, he really got them a nice jump.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version