Albertan on winning Amazing Race Canada team for 3rd year in a row

For the third year in a row, the winners of Amazing Race Canada have a connection to Alberta. Miriam Valdes-Carletti has the story.

For the third year in a row, one of the newest winners of The Amazing Race Canada is from Alberta.

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Jesse Harink from Sherwood Park, east of Edmonton, and Jonathon Braun from Woodlawn, Ont., were crowned the Season 11 champions Tuesday night.

“We’ve had to keep lying to our family and friends for so long, it’s just nice to have it out there,” Harink told CTV Your Morning Edmonton on Wednesday.

Their loved ones gathered in Toronto to watch the season finale, the culmination of a race through 24 cities in five provinces and one territory over April and May.

The season began to broadcast in July.

“My dad had to leave the venue several times because he was so stressed out,” Braun said of the finale watch party. “So it was fun keeping it a secret.”

Their journey started in Alberta’s capital city, so Harink had an advantage, having been born in Lacombe.

While in Alberta, the contestants would also travel to Red Deer and Lake Louise.

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The pair won the first three legs of the race – and five legs in total – establishing themselves early on as fierce competitors.

“We definitely thought we’d go into the race and make all of these friendships … and the only thing we developed was a massive target on our back,” Harink laughed.

Braun added, “We do love the other teams and don’t hold it against them. We would have targeted us, too.”

They’d later visit the Northwest Territories, B.C., where Harink and Braun now live, Quebec, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The best friends said their most cherished memories from the experience are simply seeing Canada together.

“We truly went from coast to coast to coast. It was just so much fun seeing so many beautiful places. (I had) never been to the Arctic before, never been to Newfoundland and Labrador before, and getting to do with Jesse was just so amazing,” Braun said.

What’s next?

“Take a nap,” Harink joked. “But honestly, just soak this all in…. We’ve had to keep lying to our family and friends for so long, it’s just nice to have it out there.”

Braun said he might have to turn to re-runs to stifle his sadness over the race being over.

“We will probably watch ourselves do this many, many more times.”

Season 10 winners Taylor McPherson and Katie Mulkay were from Calgary and Edmonton, respectively, and both lived in the Edmonton area. Season 9 winners Ty Smith and Kat Kastner were from Hinton and Leduc, respectively, and lived in Calgary.

With files from CTV Your Morning Edmonton’s Cory Edel