The Amazing Race > The Racers
TAR 29: Ashton Theiss
Plaidmoon:
Here's another article about Ashton with a few more details.
http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/tv/article141047038.html
Fort Worth’s Ashton Theiss starts off ‘The Amazing Race’ solo, but not for long
BY DAVID MARTINDALE
Special to the Star-Telegram
Ashton Theiss says she’s good at keeping secrets.
But who knew so many people would test her resolve?
Theiss, a 25-year-old Fort Worth real estate agent, is a participant this season in “The Amazing Race,” the long-running reality/competition show on CBS.
She was instructed not to reveal any details about her adventures in advance. It was easy to keep a lid on spoilers at first, because no one knew she had secrets to spill.
Then the network unveiled its list of 22 racers and suddenly her cover was blown.
“It has definitely been a whirlwind since it was announced,” Theiss says. “I don’t think I was prepared for all of the attention. I have been asked more times than I can possibly count, ‘What countries did you go to?’ ‘Who were you paired with?’ ‘Did you win?’
“I keep telling everyone, ‘You’re just going to have to tune in and see.’ So far, I’ve been really good about keeping everything under wraps, but I’ve certainly been grilled.”
Theiss will soon be able to breathe a little easier. The first big secret — the identity of her race partner — will be revealed during the season premiere at 9 p.m. Thursday.
For the first time in the show’s 29-season history, the competitors are all strangers leading up to the race, which spans nine countries, 17 cities and 36,000 miles.
Before host Phil Keoghan gives the “Go” command, the racers must compete in a challenge that determines the order for picking a teammate. The new partners then have mere minutes to cover the basics (“What’s your name?” “Where are you from?”) before the journey begins.
The winning duo will split a $1 million prize.
Theiss — a TCU grad (Class of 2014) who lives in west Fort Worth — is a longtime “Amazing Race” fan who loves to travel (although she hasn’t seen as much of the globe as she’d like).
“For me, this was an incredible opportunity to see the world in a unique way,” she says. “I’ve traveled some. I’ve been to South America and the Caribbean quite a bit. But I’ve been to Europe only once for a study-abroad experience in college.
“I wanted to add stamps to my passport and to check more places off my bucket list, which I was able to do. And on top of that, getting the chance to win half a million dollars? For me, it was a no-brainer.”
Theiss grew up in Tomball, about 30 miles northwest of Houston, and moved to Fort Worth in 2010 to study strategic communication and sociology at TCU.
“It was the only university I applied to,” she says. “I was like, ‘If I don’t get in, I don’t know what I’ll do.’ But I did get in with an academic scholarship. I did my four years, walked away with a double degree and then stayed in Fort Worth because I grew to love the city once I got to know it.”
Theiss originally applied to complete on “The Amazing Race” with her friend, unaware that those chosen this season would be asked to go it alone.
“That was definitely a plot twist for us,” she says. “But when they asked if I would be interested in doing this on my own, I said, ‘Absolutely. I don’t care how I have to do this. I just want the opportunity.’
“It was scary but exciting at the same time. I knew there would be certain personality types that I might not mesh well with. But I went in knowing I could play the cards I was dealt with.
“I’m a strong alpha female. I have a big personality. I can make the best of the situation.”
By the way, that friend who applied with Theiss, the one who didn’t get to tag along, didn’t hold a grudge. “She’s been very supportive and super excited about everything. It worked out OK for us.”
Theiss can’t drop even the vaguest of hints about any of the map dots she visited in the show. (In fact, a network publicist listened in during the phone interview, ready to intercede if anything too specific was discussed.) But Theiss can disclose her post-“Amazing Race” travel plans.
“I’ll actually be going to Peru in May for a charity trip,” she says. “I didn’t want to wait any longer than I had to before getting back out there and continuing my world trips. I am so hooked now.”
georgiapeach:
Exit Interview: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-ashton-theiss-talks-the-amazing-race----u-turning-only-my-team-was-unfair-bad-strategic-move-21931.php
gamerfan09:
Very interesting to hear that she was recruited (in a way) by Josh of Tanner & Josh.
Although it is very unfortunate that they could have survived had they not gotten lost looking for the cluebox :(
Platrium:
A lot of interesting things told from this interview.
--- Quote ---Ashton Theiss: I would say that the actual Detours took less than 30 minutes each. Finding the clue box and getting to each point was what was so time consuming.
--- End quote ---
I did notice that teams had to do a lot of walking going to each detour side. Maybe that's what made it "equal" from the racers' perspective. ??? Meanwhile...
--- Quote ---Ashton Theiss: We were told that we were only about 15 minutes behind LoLo. Had we done the Detours in reverse order, we probably could have beat them to [The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan].
--- End quote ---
Could this mean that the 1st detour might've been closer to the pit stop? It could also be something else. ???
--- Quote ---Ashton Theiss: I think it was a decision made on social and emotional perspectives, not strategy. Yes, Vanck and I were doing well consistently, but we fought like cats and dogs. Why not U-Turn a strong team that had a strong bond? Tara and Joey and Matt and Red would have been the better move strategically. Vanck and I posed less of a threat because we had a hard time getting along.
--- End quote ---
Gotta agree on this. If this was all Brooke's plan, she's pulling out an awfully pathetic move, like how Caroline & Jennifer told almost every team to target Joey & Meghan and Mona & Beth to save themselves. :groan: This is what I'm seeing so far with Brooke. Hope she doesn't plan all this madness again on another team on the next W-turn.
--- Quote ---Ashton Theiss: My #1 regret during the Race was not putting my compass on my fanny pack. I'd left it attached to my pack, which I clearly didn't have at the start line. Then I followed [Jessica "Jessie" Shields] and [Francesca Piccoli] that couldn't read their compasses and that's ultimately why I came in so late.
If I'd had my own compass or followed someone else, I would have been more likely to pick a partner.
--- End quote ---
This explains something we barely saw in the SLT. I had to check with maf's racing report to see that Ashton finished 2nd to the last in the SLT.
--- Quote from: gamerfan09 on May 03, 2017, 06:23:42 PM ---Very interesting to hear that she was recruited (in a way) by Josh of Tanner & Josh.
Although it is very unfortunate that they could have survived had they not gotten lost looking for the cluebox :(
--- End quote ---
Interesting to know indeed.
cbacbacba1:
I think it is because of the fact boat travel is included in part of the rock climb detour while not for the molding one
So Vanck and Ashton basically travelled in this way
U-turn > Boat > Rock climb detour > boat > molding > boat > pit-stop
Whereas have they reversed the detour order, they can be like
U-turn > Molding > Boat > Rock climb > boat (shorter distance ) > pit-stop
Which would be saving much more time
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