CBS ANNOUNCES THE CAST FOR THE MILESTONE 25TH EDITION OF THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING SERIES "THE AMAZING RACE," PREMIERING FRIDAY, SEPT. 26

This Year's Emmy Award Winner For Outstanding Reality-Competition Program Races To A New Day And Time, Fridays At 8:00 PM This Fall

Series Introduces New Game-Changing Element, "The Save"

CBS announced today the 11 teams racing around the globe for the opportunity to win the $1 million dollar prize, on the new season of THE AMAZING RACE. The show premieres on its new day and time, Friday, Sept. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Phil Keoghan (@philkeoghan) is the host.

This season of THE AMAZING RACE, which marks the 25th edition of the 10 time Emmy Award-winning series, will feature 11 new teams, including professional surfer Bethany Hamilton and her husband Adam Dirks, Boston firefighters Michael Ward and Scott Strazzullo and professional wrestlers Robbie E. Strauss and Brooke Adams.

The Race kicked off in May with the first-ever public start from Times Square in New York City where Phil Keoghan introduced a new game-changing element, "The Save." The team that finishes first in the premiere episode will be awarded "The Save," which they can use to rescue themselves if they come in last on a leg and face elimination.

Teams this season will be put to the test as they travel through eight countries and 20 cities, spanning more than 26,000 miles. For the first time in the show's history, the Race will visit St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, where teams will fly high in the sky; Valletta, Malta, where they'll rappel 200 feet into a breathtaking Blue Grotto sea cave; and the Shetland Islands, Scotland, to test their sheep-herding skills.

Following are the 11 teams, listed in no particular order:

Name: Adam Dirks
Age: 26
Hometown: Princeville, Hawaii
Connection to teammate: Married

Name: Bethany Hamilton
Age: 24
Hometown: Princeville, Hawaii
Connection to teammate: Married
Follow on Twitter: @bethanyhamilton
Follow on YouTube: TheBethanyHamilton

Name: Maya Warren
Age: 29
Hometown: Madison, Wis.
Connection to teammate: Food scientist and friend/co-worker
Follow on Twitter: @MayaWarren

Name: Amy DeJong
Age: 24
Hometown: Madison, Wis.
Connection to teammate: Food scientist and friend/co-worker
Follow on Twitter: @AmyEDeJong

Name: Dennis Hour
Age: 30
Hometown: Tustin, Calif.
Connection to teammate: Dating
Follow on Twitter: @DennisHour

Name: Isabelle Du
Age: 28
Hometown: Tustin, Calif.
Connection to teammate: Dating
Follow on Twitter: @isabelledu

Name: Brooke Adams
Age: 29
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Connection to teammate: Dating
Follow on Twitter: @realbrookeadams

Name: Robbie E. Strauss
Age: 30
Hometown: Woodbridge, N.J.
Connection to teammate: Dating
Follow on Twitter: @robbieeimpact

Name: Whitney Duncan
Age: 29
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Connection to teammate: Engaged
Follow on Twitter: @whitneyduncan

Name: Keith Tollefson
Age: 29
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Connection to teammate: Engaged
Follow on Twitter: @keithtollefson

Name: Kym Perfetto
Age: 30
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Connection to teammate: Friends
Follow on Twitter: @kymnonstop
Follow on YouTube: KymNonStop

Name: Alli Forsythe
Age: 26
Hometown: New York
Connection to teammate: Friends
Follow on Twitter: @alliforsythe

Name: Lisa Thomson
Age: 28
Hometown: Miami Beach, Fla.
Connection to teammate: Sisters
Follow on Twitter: @LisaAThomson

Name: Michelle Thomson
Age: 22
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Connection to teammate: Sisters
Follow on Twitter: @IsellMiami

Name: Michael Ward
Age: 40
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Connection to teammate: Friend and fellow firefighter

Name: Scott Strazzullo
Age: 39
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Connection to teammate: Friend and fellow firefighter

Name: Misti Raman
Age: 36
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Connection to teammate: Married

Name: Jim Raman
Age: 37
Hometown: Columbia, S.C.
Connection to teammate: Married

Name: Shelley Porter
Age: 42
Hometown: Detroit, Mich.
Connection to teammate: Mother

Name: Nici Porter
Age: 24
Hometown: Detroit, Mich.
Connection to teammate: Daughter
Follow on Twitter: @PrettyEyesRTB

Name: Timothy Tsao
Age: 23
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Connection to teammate: Dating
Follow on Twitter:

Name: Te Jay McGrath
Age: 24
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Connection to teammate: Dating

THE AMAZING RACE sends 11 teams on a trek around the world. Each Team is comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another. At every destination, each Team competes in a series of challenges - some mental and some physical - and when the tasks have been completed, they learn their next destination. Teams who are farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning at least $1 million.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, Elise Doganieri and Mark Vertullo are the executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with ABC Studios and Amazing Race Productions. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

For more detailed information on THE AMAZING RACE and the Racers' bios, log on to http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/.

Website: www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amazingrace

Twitter: www.twitter.com/amazingrace_cbs

CBS Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/CBSTweet

Phil Keoghan: https://twitter.com/PhilKeoghan

Bertram van Munster: https://twitter.com/BvMProfilesTV

Elise Doganieri: https://twitter.com/EliseDoganieri