Tanaka Sisters on Their Amazing Race

Season 20 of The Amazing Race premiered on Sunday, Feb. 19, debuting two teams with San Diego roots.

On team “Border Patrol Agents and Friends,” Art Velez (43) and J.J. Carrell (42) work together as United States Border Patrol Agents based in San Diego. Both men agree that their tested ability to make crucial decisions under extreme pressure will help them win The Race. Also from San Diego, the “Sisters” team is comprised of Misa Tanaka (27) and Maiya Tanaka (25). The Tanaka sisters were raised in Mira Mesa, where they won spots on the men’s golf team before establishing Mira Mesa High School’s first women’s golf team. Now, Maiya continues to train and tour as a professional golfer, while Misa has moved on to a career of car buying, from appraisals to auctions.

More Season 20 teams include "Engaged Couple" and former Big Brother houseguests Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly, "Twin Brothers" Elliot Weber and Andrew Weber, "Federal Agents and Friends" Nary Ebeid and Jamie Graetz, "Dating Divorcees" Vanessa Macias and Ralph Kelley, "Friends" Joey ‘Fitness’ Lasalla and Danny Horal, "Cousins" Kerri Paul and Stacy Bowers, "Married Couple" Dave Brown Jr. and Rachel Brown, "Friends" William ‘Bopper’ Minton and Mark Jackson, and "Married Clowns" Dave Gregg and Cherie Gregg.

The Season 20 premiere began with all 11 teams bicycling alongside The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan, in route to the official starting point -- a vineyard in Santa Barbara, CA. From here, in an adventurous turn of events, the teams ran through the vineyard and pulled balloon baskets down in hope of finding a clue. Out of 100 balloons, only 11 contained the clue which eventually led them to the Los Angeles International Airport’s American Airlines check-in counter, on their way to Santa Barbara, Argentina. A 10,000-foot sky dive and empanada cooking competition were next on the agenda, before the teams were able to find the first Pit Stop, otherwise known as the finish line. Although they were close, our San Diego girls Misa and Maiya finished in last place and were eliminated from The Race.

Now back in San Diego, I spoke with Misa Tanaka to get the Insider scoop on The Amazing Race experience. Everyone wants to know, why were these ladies drawn to the show? Misa explained: “The Amazing Race has been Maiya’s favorite show since the first season. She thought we should do it, and we applied last year in February.  We decided to just go for it. We figured we had nothing to lose. She is the one who always comes up with the crazy ideas, and I am the one to execute them.”

I asked Misa what she enjoyed most about the short yet significant experience. “The biggest thing for me was just to be able to travel with my sister. She’s always busy with the golfing and I’m always working, so getting a chance to travel with her was just amazing,” said Misa. “Meeting the people of Argentina and getting to know the cast -- I take a lot away from it. And sky diving -- it was my first time sky diving and I was so scared! I don’t really have any fears, but I needed that push to make me do it.”

As we can imagine, it’s very different to watch the show, than to actually live the challenges. Misa found a new respect for everyone who participates in The Amazing Race. “You just don’t realize how much pressure you’re under. The dehydration, the exhaustion and the not eating -- it really gets to you.  That was a huge challenge for me. It seems so easy when you’re watching on TV. It does not do it justice.”

Looking ahead, I asked Misa who she predicts will win Season 20. “Well we didn’t get to encounter the teams so much because we were gone so early. But we are rooting for our San Diego Border Patrol guys -- we got close with them. They were our guardians, always looking out for us. And also Jamie and Nary, the other female team, they have to represent now that we’re gone.”

So, what’s next after The Amazing Race? Misa gave us a glimpse into her everyday life and a cool charity event coming up this spring. “Now I’m back to buying cars in San Diego, but I do hope more opportunities will come from this. I love modeling and doing commercials. Maiya is back to doing a lot of training and practicing. She travels all over the place for golf -- it’s hard to keep up with what tournament she’s in next. And we want to give back from our experience. There is a Reality Rally event in Temecula in April -- it will be a Survivor / Amazing Race type of activity with reality TV stars, raising money for Michelle’s Place. You can learn more about it at realityrally.com.”

Keep in touch with Misa and Maiya on their website, tanakasisters.com

The Amazing Race airs Sundays at 8/7c on CBS. For more information, visit cbs.com

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