'World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the adventure series
'World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji' is up for release soon. The 10 episodes of the series will tell the story of the ultimate expedition race, in which 66 teams from 30 countries race non-stop for 11 days, 24 hours a day, across hundreds of miles of rugged Fijian terrain complete with mountains, jungles, rivers and ocean. Here's all you should know about it.
Release date
'World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji' will premiere on August 14, 2020, in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Plot
According to Amazon Prime Video's press release, "At its core, 'World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji' is about perseverance. People from all walks of life and every corner of the globe join together to overcome the most incredible obstacles. The challenges lie both within the course itself, and competitors’ equally daunting personal struggles, which are only magnified by the demands of the expedition. Viewers worldwide will see the limits of human physical and mental endurance tested like never before."
Cast
Here's a lowdown on the select participating teams.
Team Gippsland Adventure (Australia)
Team Gippsland Adventure is made up of experienced orienteers, runners and adventure racers. They have been friends for years, but this is the first time that they will all be racing together as one team.
Competitors: Rob Preston (Team Captain), Kathryn Preston, Tim Boote, Aaron Prince, Patrick Howlett (Team Asst.Captain)
Mad Mayrs (Australia)
This family team consists of two brothers, one cousin, and an honorary family member who was born in Australia and have shared a lifetime of adventures together from around the world.
Competitors: Tyson Mayr (TC), Elijah Mayr, Nick Mayr, Courtney Home, Chris Dixon (TAC)
Team Atenah Brasil (Brazil)
With a friendship spanning over 21 years, Team Atenah Brasil has traveled, lived and raced together in two Eco-Challenges, but unfortunately, one member fell ill and they had to exit the race. They are back in hopes to redeem themselves in Fiji.
Competitors: Shubi-Silvia Guimares (TC), Karina Bacha Lefevre, Nora Audra, Jose Caputo, Jose Pupo (TAC)
Team Canada Adventure (Canada)
A group of mostly Canadian world-class ultra-endurance athletes and adventurers, the team includes an obstacle course racing legend, 4x Adventure Racing World Series Event Winner, a Spartan Pro Team member, and a mountain biker and orienteerer.
Competitors: Bob Miller (TC), Ryan Atkins, Scott Ford, Rea Kolbl, Wayne Leek (TAC)
Team True North (Canada)
Team True North is a father-daughter, father-son team from central Canada. Both fathers were part of the original True North squad that was the only Canadian team to finish Eco-Challenge Argentina in 1999.
Competitors: Alex Man (TC), Becca Man, Philip Roadley, Logan Roadley, Jason Gillespie (TAC)
Costa Rica (Costa Rica)
Team Costa Rica is made up of five friends who share a profound connection with nature and an innate desire for exploring. Racing Eco-Challenge has been a lifelong dream for all of them.
Competitors: Eduardo Baldioceda (TC), Sergio Sanchez, Gerhard Linner, Veronica Bravo, Eric Cano (TAC)Team
Estonian ACE (Estonia)
Team Estonian ACE is a team who all have strong navigation backgrounds. Trekking over pathless terrain is their preferred type of adventure racing.
Competitors: Silver Eensaar (TC), Timmo Tammemäe, Reeda Tuula-Fjodorov, Rain Eensaar, Arthur Raichmann (TAC)
Namako (Fiji)
Team Namako encompasses Fijian locals and one Australian who are all current/former athletes and have the hometown advantage by having this amazing adventure hosted in their backyard.
Competitors: Alivate Logavatu (TC), Petero Manoa, Eroni Takape, Kim Beckinsale, Courtney Nicole Kruse (TAC)
Hombres D’Maiz (Guatemala)
Team Hombres D’Maiz was formed in 1999 and has since competed all over the world in sprint, stage and expedition length adventure races after being inspired to start adventure racing from the first Eco-Challenge.
Competitors: Netzer Quan (TC), Andres Duante, Gabriela Molina, Sebastian Lancho, Leopoldo Bolanos (TAC)
Team Khukuri Warriors (India)
Team Khukuri Warriors (India) Team Khukuri Warriors is the first team from India to join Eco-Challenge. Led by twin sisters from Dehradun (India), who by 23 years of age defied gender stereotypes to reach the world’s highest and farthest points – Mt Everest, the North Pole, and the South Pole – and became the first twins to climb Everest, as well as the Seven Summits. They will be joined by a mountain climbing, skiing and rafting expert, doctor, and their father, who was a former Colonel in the Indian Army.
Competitors: Tashi Malik (TC), Nungshi Malik, Brandon Fisher, Praveen Singh Rangar, Col VS Malik (TAC)
Team East Wind (Japan)
Team East Wind has been racing since 1996 and won the special spirit award at Eco-Challenge 1998.
Competitors: Masato Tanaka (TC), Machiko Nishii, Koki Yasuda, Akira Yonemoto, Masayuki Takahata (TAC)
New Zealand (New Zealand)
Team New Zealand is a group of friends looking forward to adventuring through Fiji.
Competitors: Nathan Fa’avae (TC), Sophie Hart, Stuart Lynch, Chris Forne, Mark Rayward (TAC)
Summit (Spain)
Team Summit is made up of a group of people who have a broad experience in expedition races. This will be the first time Team Summit races together as a team in 10 years.
Competitors: Emma Roca (TC), Jukka Pinola, Fran Costoya, Albert Roca, David Rovira (TAC)
Team Able Abels (USA)
Team Able Abels consists of an Eco-Challenge Fiji 2002 veteran who is returning 17 years later, with his two daughters, an experienced navigator, and his wife as the Team Assistant Crew.
Competitors: Dan Abel (TC), Ashley Abel, Lauren Abel, Fletcher Hammel, Allison Abel (TAC)
Endure (USA)
Team Endure toes the line at Eco-Challenge Fiji 2019 to celebrate living fully, persevering in the face of adversity, and the foundational importance of friends and family. They are experienced adventure racers with past finishes at Eco-Challenge and similar events.
Competitors: Travis Macy (TC), Mark Macy, Danelle Ballengee, Shane Sigle, Andrew Speers (TAC)
Nika (USA)
Team Nika is made up of CrossFit and Jiu-Jitsu fanatics which includes CrossFit and ultramarathon athletes, a gym owner, a firefighter, a spartan racer and football coach. They are racing in memory of their close friend Brad Strickland.
Competitors: Jeff Bates (TC), Kara Haun, Ashley Andrews, John Bender, Keria Galan (TAC)
Team Onyx (USA)
Team Onyx will be the first entirely African-American adventure racing team to compete on the global stage. The team features a mixture of gay and straight athletes made up of seasoned adventure racer and former Marine, former Navy SEAL and Crossfit gym owner, a record-holding ultra-marathoner, skilled ultra-endurance mountain biker, and a filmmaker and former basketball player.
Competitors: Clifton Lyles (TC), Coree Aussem-Woltering, Sam Scipio, Chriss Smith Jr, Mikayla Lyles (TAC)
Team Stray Dogs (USA)
With an average age of almost 66 years old, and a combined 26 Eco-Challenge races, the Stray Dogs are the oldest team, and one of the most experienced.
Competitors: Marshall Ulrich (TC), Adrian Crane, Bob Haugh, Nancy Bristow, Heather Ulrich (TAC)
Team Unbroken (USA)
Working their way through combat disabilities, wounds and internal struggles, Team Unbroken is a team of veterans and civilians who are racing to remind themselves and others that you may be wounded, but you remain unbroken.
Competitors: Hal Riley (TC), Gretchen Evans, Dr Anne Bailey, Keith Knoop, Cale Yarborough (TAC)
Host
Bear Grylls
Bear Grylls has filmed all around the world, fronting the biggest television programs that also include 'Running Wild', 'The Island', 'Man vs. Wild', and 'Absolute Wild'.
Creators
The series is produced by MGM Television in association with Amazon Studios and is being helmed by the host and executive producer Bear Grylls, showrunner and executive producer Lisa Hennessy ('Eco-Challenge', 'The Biggest Loser'), and executive producers Mark Burnett ('Survivor', 'The Voice'), Eric Van Wagenen ('Survivor', 'The Amazing Race'), Barry Poznick for MGM Studios, and Delbert Shoopman, Grylls’ producing partner.
Trailer
The super-adventurous trailer gives viewers a peek of what's about to come in the 10 episodes. Teams navigate dangerous mountains, jungles, rivers, oceans, caves, etc with as little as four-hour sleep in four days. Click on the video below to watch it.
Where to Watch
All 10 episodes of 'World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji' will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
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