Derek Gottenbos (he/him)
Age: 28
Occupation: YouTuber
Current City: Richmond, B.C.
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
Strengths: Memory, confidence, multi-tasking (Bonus: hair)
Fear/phobia: Being the first team eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE CANADA
Pet peeve about your teammate: He won’t shut up, he has bad taste in food and television, he’s a sore winner, and he’s too tall.
Jaspal Sidhu (he/him)
Age: 28
Occupation: YouTuber
Current City: Richmond, B.C.
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
Strengths: Staying calm under pressure, adaptable, good at improvising
Fear/phobia: Heights!!!
Pet peeve about your teammate: His ego is larger than the solar system, he’s under six feet tall, and he’s a sore loser.
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Derek and Jaspal first met in high school and have been inseparable ever since. Over the last six years, they’ve developed an audience of 2 million YouTube™ subscribers, who have become loyal fans of their content and have lovingly nicknamed the duo “Der-pal.”
Not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get to work, Derek takes pride in everything he does. Growing up with a single mother, he saw first-hand the struggle and hardships she went through, and the sacrifices she made so that Derek and his sister could have a future. His mother has been his inspiration for always persevering and striving to do his best.
After learning his father had been diagnosed with brain cancer, Jaspal was determined to work just as hard as he’d always seen his parents work when he was growing up, so that he could one day give back to his family. Overcoming the realization that he would have to give up his dream of becoming a professional soccer player, Jaspal learned that everything happens for a reason. He decided to push himself out of his comfort zone by starting to create content on YouTube™ and the rest, as they say, is history.
Despite their light-hearted and fun-loving personalities, Derek and Jaspal are in it to win it – losing is not an option! Beyond just the prize money – which would be life-changing for their futures and their families – they’re also racing for the title of “Best Duo.”
Fun Facts
What team do you most associate with from previous seasons of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA and why?
We’re like a mix of Brendan and Connor from Season 8 and Dave and Irina from Season 7. We’re funny and have good banter, but we’re also highly strategic.
What is your team motto?
“Anyone but us.”
What would your walk-on song be?
“Breaking Free” by Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez from High School Musical.
If you could compare yourself to a character from a TV show or movie, who would you be and why?
Derek: Jaspal’s answer for me is Tony Stark, because I can make hard decisions even when I don’t agree with them, and apparently I have a big ego.
Jaspal: I would be Joey from FRIENDS, simply because he’s always the life of the party, clueless to a lot of stuff going on around him, and he’s extremely good-looking.
What will you do with the prize money?
Derek: Put it towards a mortgage and my savings.
Jaspal: I’d love to be able to help my parents out, put a down payment on a house, and travel.
