‘Amazing’ relationships

The nation will get a taste of what hometown Huntington Beach can accomplish Sunday when the 12th season of “The Amazing Race” kicks off. Surf City is well represented in the CBS reality series this season with two Huntington Beach teams competing.

“The Amazing Race,” a five-time Emmy-winning show, pits 11 teams of two against one another in a race across the world. Each episode documents the teams on one leg of their journey as they complete tasks and challenges along their way. The teams at the back of the pack are eliminated throughout the monthlong race until there are only three teams. Whichever team finishes the last leg first gets the glory.

The $1 million prize doesn’t hurt either.

The teams are composed of pairs with various relationships, including friends, siblings and even a grandfather and grandson duo. Huntington’s teams are both couples, teaming substitute teacher TK Erwin and florist Rachel Rosales up against student Jennifer Parker and aspiring volleyball player Nathan Hagstrom.

With the race over, both couples are anxious to see the show air.

“I think it’s a fantastic show, it’s just a straight race,” Erwin said.

One focus of “The Great Race” is how the trials and obstacles of the long road affect the relationships of the teams. The show served as a proving ground for both local couples.

Though Rosales and Parker have known each other for years through their parents, it wasn’t until recently they really got to know one another. Sparks flew, and romance grew. “I think we were definitely looking at the race as something to test our relationship,” Erwin said.

Hagstrom and Parker have been together for a long time, but they say the relationship was always rocky. When Hagstrom’s mother mentioned auditions for the show, both saw an opportunity.

“We both got this feeling in our mind like ‘Oh my god we have to do this,’” Parker said.

The couple says that since they’ve returned to Southern California, their bond has been strong. More than that, they feel a little more adept at dealing with normal life.

“Since Nate and I have been back, everything has been so easy now,” Parker said.

Because the show hasn’t aired yet, the couples couldn’t give any details of their adventures, but when asked about the race, both responses were the same: It was really hard.

This season’s competitors traveled to multiple countries including Ireland, Croatia and Lithuania.

On each leg of the journey, teams must complete tasks, many of which involve local customs and people.

Rosales, who had always watched the show and wanted to participate, says growing up in the ethnic diversity of Orange County helped their team adapt well to the different cultures they experienced. Exposure to those cultures gave her and Erwin the travel bug.

“Ever since I’ve been home I’ve just wanted to travel somewhere else,” Erwin said.

Parker and Hagstrom said they feel the same way. “It’s opened our horizons to other opportunities and things outside of Southern California,” Parker said. “We’re kind of in a little bubble here in Southern California and when we got out it was definitely a little culture shock.”

To see which Surf City team comes out ahead in the first leg of “The Amazing Race,” tune in to CBS Sunday at 8 p.m.