FORMER Camperdown and Fitzroy footballer Ross Thornton and his daughter Tarryn are playing to win on the reality adventure show
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Following the first episode airing on Wednesday night, Tarryn, 27, said it was fantastic to have their secret out of the bag with the pair winning the first leg of the race.
“It was filmed a while ago now and mum knew we went,” she said. “You couldn’t disappear off the face of the earth without her knowing. But we couldn’t say anything.”
The first episode showed the 21 contestants in the Philippines having to eat a boiled egg with a fertilised embryo inside.
“It was pretty revolting to relive that,” Tarryn said.
“Anything we got to do, money can’t buy that type of thing. That leg was filmed in 36 hours, without sleep or meals. You’re mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted.”
Ross, 55, became quite emotional after the win and said he received a barrage of text messages from his brother saying there’d been enough tears.
“You tend to know you’re in front but it’s good just to hear those words,” he said.
Ross and Tarryn also won some fans after they used their salvage pass to save the last couple when they could have used it to advance themselves in the race.
“From a race perspective, they’re our opposition but they’re not going to affect our race,” Ross said. “It was a one-off and they deserved to still have the experience,” Tarryn added.
Ross played for Fitzroy from 1980 to 1989 and took out the club’s best and fairest in 1984. After footy he became a successful businessman owning two McDonald’s restaurant franchises.
Tarryn is a dietician and was a Victorian representative basketball player.
“I think with my footy background, and Tarryn has played basketball at a high level, that mentality to win at all costs definitely comes into it,” Ross said.
“At my age, I run about three to four times a week. I think that has stood me in pretty good stead.
“We’ve been absolute fans of the show, even when the American series was on.
“I think as a family we never missed an episode.”
For Tarryn to compete in the race with her father was the ultimate experience.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience,” she said. “I know all of us have said we’d do it again.”
This year’s race will take the teams across 65,000 kilometres with the winners taking home $250,000.
