‘Race to Survive Alaska’ Cast Roundup: Who Are the Competitors?
Who are the bold reality TV competitors facing the brutal Alaskan landscape? The Race to Survive Alaska cast is comprised of teams of two who will do whatever it takes to survive and win the $500,000 prize.
The teams face punishing weather conditions, unforgivable terrain and put their relationships to the test as they race to the finish.
Over the course of six weeks and six races, the eight teams of two will traverse through the harshest Alaskan landscapes. They will have to source their own food and water while charting their own path on previously unexplored terrain. The duos must survive off the unwelcoming land as they battle every element while being relentlessly pursued by their competition.
In each leg of the race, the last team to reach the finish line will be eliminated from the competition. Tested like never before, participants will endure physical pain while forging alliances and backstabbing their way to claim a spot in the finale and the chance to win the $500,000 if they can survive the hostile land … and each other.
Who are these fierce competitors?
Max Djenohan & Christian Junkar
Max and Christian, both outdoor enthusiasts, met through mutual friends when Christian began working as a mountain guide. Christian is an experienced ice climber and Max previously competed on the show Naked and Afraid, having survived 156 days on four different continents. He’s also a climber and expert snowboarder.
Together, they’ve been on numerous adventures and are always looking for their next thrill. The two are incredibly opinionated and tend to butt heads. But between Christian’s terrain reading and navigational skills, and Max’s bushcraft abilities, they’re ready to take on their most difficult challenge yet on Race to Survive Alaska.
Wilson Hoogendorn & Oliver Hoogendorn
Oliver and Wilson are Inupiaq brothers from Nome, Alaska, known for their wilderness skills and feats of endurance. They were the first Native Alaskan team to summit Denali in 13 days. Plus they have skied down the highest peak in North America in one day.
Oliver is a commercial fisherman and Wilson a gold diver, spending six hours a day underwater. They hunt moose, seals and whales using traditional methods, tools and weapons carved from wood and ivory, valuing the land that sustains them.
Hakim Isler & Justice Norman
Hakim is a skilled psy ops Army vet and self-described ninja. Hakim’s partner, Justice, is no stranger to martial arts, having practiced for years in the art of Merpati Putih. They met through a course where Justice taught Hakim how to perceive things without the use of his eyes.
Hakim owns a survival school where he teaches veterans with PTSD primitive survival skills. They both pride themselves on being capable of surviving with nothing but knives on their hips and clothes on their backs.
Cason Crane & Bella Crane
Brother and sister duo Cason and Bella are Ivy League graduates and come from a family of adventure enthusiasts. Their love of adventuring has taken them across the globe. Bella completed the Pacific Crest Trail solo and Cason made history by being the first to plant the pride flag on all seven summits.
Bella, a successful financial professional in New York, has a fiercely competitive nature and often tries to outdo her brother. They pride themselves on their endurance, mountaineering skills and ability to thrive in extreme situations.
Jeff Leininger & Hunter Leininger
Jeff has been adventure racing for most of his life and his son, Hunter followed in his father’s footsteps and became the youngest racer ever at just 6 years old. Now 21, Hunter is the youngest racer in the competition while Jeff is the eldest.
As a team, they combine Jeff’s wisdom and experience with Hunter’s raw energy and speed, making them a formidable duo. The survival skills they’ve acquired from their epic wilderness quests give them a crucial edge. Will the bond between father and son help them cross the finish line, or will their dicey family dynamic make them vulnerable on Race to Survive Alaska?
Genevieve Walker & Favia Dubyk
Genevieve and Favia met at a rock-climbing festival and bonded over their shared mission to help establish a space for Black female climbers. Favia is an incredible athlete, who held the 100-meter dash record for seven years at Harvard, and a cancer survivor.
She also became both a professional rock climber and a practicing physician. Genevieve is a certified rock-climbing instructor and guide, as well as a wilderness first responder. These two fiercely competitive teammates have the skills, endurance and drive to win by any means necessary.
Robin Moore & Elizabeth Killham
Robin and Elizabeth are new friends who have bonded over their passion for outdoor adventure. The two daredevils met in Egypt while skydiving over the Great Pyramids, and their instant bond led them to partner up for an epic Alaskan wilderness adventure.
Robin is a licensed pilot and has ascended the seven summits, and Elizabeth has backpacked all over the world. Their common ground doesn’t stop there – Robin is an ER doctor and Elizabeth is a veterinarian. The duo has the grit, experience and determination to go all the way.
Brett Gatten & Esther Sunderlin
Brett met Esther shortly after he fulfilled his lifelong dream of moving to Alaska where the two matched on a dating app after their divorces. They quickly bonded over their love of the outdoors and adventure, and their wilderness survival skills made them a perfect match.
Esther and Brett are fishing and hunting pros, spending their days on snowmobiles. They’ve been dating for two years and are ready to take their commitment to the next level by spending six weeks racing and surviving the Alaskan wilderness together.
The rules are simple, but survival isn’t with USA Network’s new high-stakes outdoor competition series Race to Survive Alaska, which premieres on Monday, April 3 at 11 p.m. ET/PT with a supersized episode following WWE Monday Night RAW.
