'The Amazing Race Canada' Season 9 gives us more 'Canadiana' with 'feisty' racers

With the premiere of The Amazing Race Canada Season 9 (Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning July 4), host Jon Montgomery can simply classify the new season as "amazing."

We got our first glimpse at what Amazing Race Canada has to offer with Tuesday's premiere, which started in Winnipeg and closed out in Calgary, Alta. We also got the season's first elimination. It's clear that the competition is stiff for Season 9.

The season's competitors include YouTubers, pro-wrestlers, Drag Race stars and an ex-hockey player who was a survivor in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in in 2018.

Describing this season's racers, Montgomery said they're "feisty" and "doggedly determined."

The host and Olympic gold medallist also teased that Season 9 will inject more "Canadian flavour" and "Canadiana" into the franchise formula, and stressed that a lot of the best challenges in the franchise originated in Canada.

"There's always some gameplay that originates on The Amazing Race Canada, that invariably other Amazing Race franchises, like the Americans, will pick up on and try and utilize, and incorporate into theirs to liven it up, to keep it fresh," Montgomery said. "We're originators, by golly, here in the great white north, north of the 49th parallel."

"We will do just about anything to see ourselves on there and we like to leave our Canadiana phrases, and we've done it in the past and we're going to do it again this season. So expect more of that."

'They can insert themselves from their living room, ... to the top of a mountain'

With a whopping nine seasons of the show, it's become Canada’s most-watched summer series. When it comes to what keeps Canadians coming back, the show's host highlights that the audience can see themselves in the series.

"They can insert themselves from their living room, in the comfort of their own home, to the top of a mountain, to the precipice of a big leap of faith, onto the dance floor, into the game itself," Montgomery said.

"You don't have to have any special skill set. ... Sometimes the capacity to move your body, doesn't even have to be really well, but undoubtably the courage to take those steps towards the unknown and find yourself in the mix. We can all do that. I mean, I couldn't be on So You Think You Can Dance, I couldn't be on [Canadian Idol]. None of those shows would have me. But by golly, The Amazing Race Canada is the place for me."

Montgomery also highlighted the diversity of the cast on Amazing Race Canada each season.

"It's as diverse... as the day is long," he said. "We can be proud of that."

"I don't have the opportunity necessarily to, on a daily basis, engage in a really broad community. ... But when I get to go and be a part of The Amazing Race Canada, I am dropped into a experience where we have to work with people from all corners of the country, in all walks of life. We get to do so harmoniously, while collectively working towards the greater good of producing Canada's favourite television show during the summertime. ... It's a great example of what can be achieved when we celebrate each other, when we check our biases and preconceived notions about who should be what, when and where, and why."

Common mistakes racers make on 'The Amazing Race Canada'

While Montgomery is the host of the show, that doesn't mean he doesn't have his eye on particular teams in the competition.

"I'm always rooting for the homies, whether they're here from Vancouver Island, where I now call home, ... or more people back in Manitoba, where I grew up and spent my formative years," he said. "Those folks are always the first ones that I'm like, 'Ooh, what are they all about?' And I try and check them out, size them up."

"This year, I wasn't disappointed. There [were] awesome people from both places and spaces that I could root for and cheer on. But every single team on that race are folks that you grow to love."

The host has also seen people make some massive mistakes when they're on the show, but sometimes it's just simple things that can slow racers down.

"Too much crap in your backpack slows you down, you've got to be fleet of foot, got to be ready to run," Montgomery said.

The "mental baggage" you have is also something that Montgomery said racers should leave at home.

"Leave your baggage at home, your mental baggage, your preconceived notions about what should happen while you're on the race, because I can promise you producers, they're going to surprise you," he said.

While Amazing Race Canada has seen a lot of success throughout the years, if any Canadians are still holding out to get into the show, Montgomery's message is, "you better be there or be square."

"It's the greatest show on television and if you can't be inspired by it, you're probably a little bit dead in the ticker," he said.

The 10 teams on Season 9 of The Amazing Race Canada are:

Allie & Eddie

A "competitive and athletic" married couple

Allie Seller (she/her)

• Age: 48

• Hometown: Courtenay, B.C.

• Occupation: Business Coach

Eddie Parinas (he/him)

• Age: 52

• Hometown: Courtenay, B.C.

• Occupation: Health & Fitness, Business Coach

Ben & Anwar

Best friends and first-generation Canadians

Ben Chutta (he/him)

• Age: 31

• Hometown: Winnipeg

• Occupation: Entrepreneur

Anwar Ahmed (he/him)

• Age: 32

• Hometown: Winnipeg

• Occupation: Former Talent Acquisition Specialist

Derek & Jaspal

YouTubers racing to become the “Best Duo”

Derek Gottenbos (he/him)

• Age: 28

• Hometown: Richmond, B.C.

• Occupation: YouTuber

Jaspal Sidhu (he/him)

• Age: 28

• Hometown: Richmond, B.C.

• Occupation: YouTuber

Deven & Amanda

Racing for their daughters and Indigenous youth across Canada

Deven Condo-Mitchell (he/him)

• Age: 33

• Hometown: Gesgapegiag, Que.

• Occupation: Conservation Officer

Amanda Larocque (she/her)

• Age: 41

• Hometown: Gesgapegiag, Que.

• Occupation: Director of Health & Social Services

Gail & Gisele

Former and current pro-wrestlers racing for the LGBTQ2S+ community, and "to inspire young girls everywhere"

Gail Kim (she/her)

• Age: 46

• Hometown: Toronto

• Occupation: Producer and Talent Relations/Ex-Pro Wrestler

Gisele Shaw (she/her)

• Age: 33

• Hometown: Yellowknife, N.W.T.

• Occupation: Pro Wrestler

Gracie & Lily

Friends and self-described “chaos masters”

Gracie Lowes (she/her)

• Age: 25

• Hometown: Pelham, Ont.

• Occupation: Harm Reduction and Overdose-Related Service Provider

Lily Bateman (she/her)

• Age: 24

• Hometown: Canning, N.S.

• Occupation: Data Development and Communications

Jermaine & Justin

Drag sisters motivated to be inspirational representatives of the LGBTQ2S+ community

Jermaine Aranha (he/him)

• Age: 41

• Hometown: Toronto

• Occupation: Airport Lounge Manager/Drag Queen (Anastarzia Anaquway)

Justin Baird (he/him/she/her)

• Age: 36

• Hometown: Toronto

• Occupation: Pain Management Nurse/Drag Queen (Kimora Amour)

Shayla & Joel

Siblings who hope to be "a source of light and inspiration for Indigenous youth"

Shayla Oulette Stonechild (she/her)

• Age: 29

• Hometown: Medicine Hat, Alta.

• Occupation: Indigenous and Wellness Advocate

Joel Oulette (he/him)

• Age: 21

• Hometown: Medicine Hat, Alta.

• Occupation: Actor

Ty & Kat

Couple and mental health advocates

Ty Smith (he/him)

• Age: 25

• Hometown: Calgary, Alta.

• Occupation: Public Speaker and Mental Health Advocate

Kat Kastner (she/her)

• Age: 25

• Hometown: Calgary, Alta.

• Occupation: Client Success Specialist

Tyler & Kayleen

Couple racing to prove that, "despite living with disabilities, you can still take home the gold"

Tyler Turner (he/him)

• Age: 35

• Hometown: Comox Valley, B.C.

• Occupation: Professional Athlete

Kayleen VanderRee (she/her)

• Age: 31

• Hometown: Comox Valley, B.C.

• Occupation: Commercial Scuba Diver