The First Team is Eliminated in the Season 5 Premiere of CTV's THE AMAZING RACE CANADA

– Aaron and Deb, mother and son team from Grand Forks, B.C., are the last team to arrive at the Pit Stop and the first team to exit Season 5 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA –

– Best Friends Kenneth and Ryan take the first leg in Vancouver, winning a trip for two to Barcelona, Spain –

– Next week: Tension builds as team's race to Fort McMurray, Alta., with a series first as three Express Passes are up for grabs –

– Exclusive content available at CTV.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada – 

To tweet this alert: bmpr.ca/2sDsWoJ

TORONTO, July 5, 2017 /CNW/ - It was a heartfelt goodbye for Mother/Son team Aaron and Deb in tonight's Season 5 premiere of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA. The wacky funeral directors were buried by the competition when they struggled with the Roadblock in Vancouver, B.C., where Deb had to walk a tight rope above the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The Grand Forks-based duo became the first team eliminated at the Pit Stop at the Van Dusen Botanical Garden's hedge-maze.

"It's just heartbreaking to have to go out first, but there are no words to describe how excited I am to have actually been a part of this with my mom," said Aaron, Deb went on to say, "[Aaron] and I have this really special bond. Our bond is unbreakable."

**MEDIA NOTE** To download additional artwork for THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, please visit BellMedia.ca/PR.

In the Season 5 premiere, 10 teams embarked on the country's biggest summertime adventure, beginning in Newfoundland and Labrador. Starting in St. John's, teams raced to Signal Hill National Historic Site where they had to translate a Morse code to determine their first clue. Once teams deciphered the audio message, "Vancouver Capilano Bridge," they travelled 5,000 kilometers to Vancouver. At the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, teams looked for their next clue, which sent them on a search for "Gassy Jack" in Vancouver's historical Gastown. Faced with their first Roadblock and the first Canada 150 Challenge of the season, one racer from each team had to walk a 130 foot tight rope 12 stories high above the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. While Deb struggled to get across, Ivana, Adam, and Bert made it across on their first attempts, while Aaron, Korey, Andrea, and Karen watched safely from street level.

Teams then proceeded to their first Detour – a choice between "Peddle" or "Paddle". In the "Peddle" challenge, racers had to complete two bike polo training drills before receiving their next clue. For the "Paddle" challenge, teams joined a dragon boat team where one racer joined the paddlers, while the other steered the boat through a course. Once teams completed their Detour, they raced to the Pit Stop where they had to find Jon Montgomery in a hedge-maze at the Van Dusen Botanical Garden. Best friends Kenneth and Ryan arrived first, winning a trip for two to Barcelona, Spain. After struggling to make up time and unable to catch up to Megan and Courtney, Mother/Son duo Aaron and Deb were the last team to arrive at the Pit Stop and the first team eliminated from Season 5 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA.

Last night's episode also featured the debut of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA's new in-show game RACE PLAY. The game integrates race action from the broadcast into in-show polls and trivia, prompting viewers in real-time to answer on their second screens during all original broadcasts across the country. Viewers were able to weigh in on pivotal moments throughout the episode and predict the order teams hit the mat. Fans who have not yet created an account can still join in and have their answers count towards a season-long leaderboard.

Last night's episode encores Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Sunday, July 9 at 5 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO. Visit CTV.ca to check local listings. Previous seasons are also available for streaming now on CraveTV.

Viewers can catch Aaron and Deb live today (July 5) on YOUR MORNING (Weekdays at 6 a.m. ET), CP24 BREAKFAST (Weekdays 5:30 a.m. ET, and Saturday and Sunday at 7 a.m. ET), THE SOCIAL (Weekdays at 1 p.m. ET), and ETALK (Weekdays at 7 p.m. ET) as they discuss their elimination from THE AMAZING RACE CANADA.

On the next episode of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, "You've Got To Leave My Hose Alone Dude!" (Tuesday, July 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT), teams race to Fort McMurray, Alta., where some start to feel the heat with three express passes up for grabs. This is the first time in THE AMAZING RACE CANADA history that three express passes have been up for grabs in a single challenge.

The nine remaining teams competing for the Ultimate Grand prize on THE AMAZING RACE CANADA are:

• Dan and Riya – YouTube Creators – Toronto, Ont.
• Adam and Andrea – Brother and Sister – Montreal, Que.
• Zed and Shabbir – Father and Son – Vancouver, B.C.
• Megan and Courtney – Cousins – Corner Brook, N.L.
• Korey and Ivana – Best Friends – Toronto, Ont.
• Andrea and Ebonie – Business Partners – Montreal, Que.
• Sam and Paul – Dating Couple – Toronto, Ont.
• Karen and Bert – Married Couple – Edmonton, Alta.
• Kenneth and Ryan – Best Friends – Collingwood, Ont.

For more on THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, fans can visit CTV.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada for exclusive content, including team videos, bios, full episodes, sneak peeks, and extras. Viewers can also get closer to the action this season with the immersive VR360 experiences that take fans inside some of the toughest challenges of the season.

Season 5 of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA welcomes back returning partner Chevrolet, which has been with the series for all five seasons, and BMO, which enters its third consecutive season as a partner. New partners this year are Sinorama, Canadian Tire's Woods brand, and Campbell's.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR 
@CTV_Television 
@AmazingRaceCDA 
#AmazingRaceCanada 

Facebook:
Facebook.com/ctv 
Facebook.com/AmazingRaceCDA

Instagram:
@CTV_PR 
@CTV_Television 
@amazingracecda

Racer's Social Media Accounts: 

Dan – Twitter: @dankipnis | Instagram: @dankipnis 
Riya - Twitter: @itsriyamalik | Instagram: @itsriyamalik 
Adam – Instagram: @cavy13 
Andrea - Instagram: @drecavaleri 
Zed – Twitter: @BeardandtheBald | Instagram: @cheddarburg 
Shabbir - Twitter: @BeardandtheBald
Megan – Twitter: @meganburden | Instagram: @mburden 
Courtney - Twitter: @crobbs2662 | Instagram: @courtney2662 
Korey – Twitter: @koachkore | Instagram: @koachkore 
Ivana – Twitter: @ivana_krunic | Instagram: @ivanaBodyFiTiK 
Andrea – Instagram: @andrea.croxen & @ibreathefitnessretreats 
Ebonie – Instagram: @eb_finley & @ibreathefitnessretreats 
Sam – Instagram: @slamchop 
Paul – Twitter: @pmitskop | Instagram: @paulmits 
Karen – Twitter: @teamrichardss | Instagram: @teamrichardss  
Bert – Twitter: @teamrichardss | Instagram: @teamrichardss  
Kenneth - Twitter: @team_giver | Instagram: @teamgiver & @kenneth.mcalpine 
Ryan – Twitter: @team_giver | Instagram: @teamgiver & @ryangiver

About CTV  
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 16 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

SOURCE CTV

please contact: Jesse Wanagas, CTV Networks, 416-384-3193 or [email protected]; Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416-384-2629 or [email protected]; Marin Pollock, CTV Networks, 416-384-2989 or [email protected]