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LOS ANGELES – An Orange County couple ran, hiked and even used a luge to win $1 million in“The Amazing Race 5” (search)that aired Tuesday.
Chip andKim McAllister (search), who live in Coto de Caza, beat three other teams in the season’s finale that was shown on CBS. Chip, 46, who runs a Web technology company, and Kim, 44, who owns a recruiting company, covered more than 72,000 miles over six continents and 11 countries to earn the top prize.
“This is just a blessing … this is like surreal right now,” saidChip McAllister (search)after crossing the finish line.
The remaining four teams of the 11 that started the race began their final trek in the Philippines, climbed up a snowcapped mountain in Canada and wriggled through a maze before finishing in Dallas.
The McAllisters said they decided to apply for the show because several of their friends and family thought they would make good contestants.
Colin Guinn and Christie Woods, a dating couple from Corpus Christie, Texas, finished in second. Brandon Davidson and Nicole O’Brian, who met last year at a Texas bridal show, came in third. The self-proclaimed bowling moms Linda Ruiz and Karen Heins, from Palmdale, Calif., finished in fourth place.
“The Amazing Race” has won Emmys the past two years for best reality series.