Brendon & Rachel

Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly are a team of PhD Student & Event Hostess on the 20th season of The Amazing Race, and a team of Newlyweds on the second all-star season of The Amazing Race.

Known collectively as "Brenchel", they met on Big Brother 12 and both returned for Big Brother 13 where Rachel won. Despite having a large fanbase on Big Brother, Rachel's constant whining and crying paired with Brendon's regular belittling made them a very controversial team among Amazing Race fans. The engaged couple were also disliked by most of the other teams, Vanessa in particular, who regularly exchanged insults with Rachel. They eventually ended up 3rd when they mistakenly jumped in a cab when they were supposed to run to a nearby baseball field to catch a helicopter.

Rachel's temper tantrums helped get them back for All-Stars, where they entered as a more stable and likeable team, with Rachel acting as a calming force, even going out of her way to encourage the frustrated Margie & Luke at the Master Mix Detour, despite being the only two teams left. Despite having won no legs in their original season, they won 3 legs in All-Stars. They U-Turned Dave & Connor who took it very personally and consequently spent the final leg having a feud with Dave & Connor and their "Accidental Alliance" allies Caroline & Jennifer. They lost the final victory when the combination of a bad cab driver and missing the clue at The Mirage doomed them to a 3rd Place finish, yet again.

Brendon

 * Age: 31 (Season 20), 33 (All-Stars) (Brenchel waited 3 seasons to return)
 * Hometown: Westwood, California
 * Connection to Teammate: Fiancé
 * Current Occupation: Ph.D. student at UCLA
 * Met Rachel on Big Brother 12 and finished in 6th Place.
 * Reappeared on Big Brother 13 and finished in 9th Place.
 * Describe what you do: Cancer research via Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging. I am investigating biological mechanisms in the human brain that may aid in preventing neurodegenerative disease; also involved in proliferation of various types of cancer.
 * How will these skills help you win The Race? I am a logical thinker and believe I am fairly proficient at cartography.
 * Three words to describe you: Fun, competitive and intellectual.
 * Favorite hobbies: Running, reading and swimming.
 * What famous person reminds you of yourself? Stephen Colbert
 * What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Scarlett Johansson
 * What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? Working on my PhD. in Biomedical Physics.
 * What scares you most about traveling? Nothing.
 * What excites you most about traveling? Exploring new places with the love of my life.
 * Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together? I am impatient.
 * Pet peeve about your teammate: She’s short with me and often doesn’t want to listen to me.
 * What country and place would you most like to visit and why? South America, because they are Latin and I feel like I share similarities with them, culturally.
 * What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I hope we are able to enjoy the small moments and not forget to stop and smell the proverbial roses.

Rachel

 * Age: 27 (Season 20), 29 (All-Stars) (Brenchel waited 3 seasons to return)
 * Hometown: Westwood, California
 * Connection to Teammate: Fiancée
 * Current Occupation: Event Hostess
 * Met Brendon on Big Brother 12 and finished in 9th Place
 * Reappeared on Big Brother 13 and was the winner of that season.
 * Describe what you do: Just got off “Big Brother.”
 * How will these skills help you win The Race? We’re very competitive. Brendon and I work very well together: fast, strong, smart. If we can survive “Big Brother,” we can do anything.
 * Three words to describe you: Fun, bubbly and effervescent.
 * Favorite hobbies: Working out, making clothes with glitter and hiking with my dog.
 * What famous person reminds you of yourself? Lucy from “I Love Lucy.”
 * What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Ricki from “I Love Lucy.” He’s a fiery Hispanic and I’m the ditsy, flighty redhead.
 * What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? My B.S. Chem degree. I worked really hard. My magazine cover with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. Winning “Big Brother.”
 * What scares you most about traveling? I love it.
 * What excites you most about traveling? Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and seeing the world.
 * Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together? Brendon is impatient.
 * Pet peeve about your teammate: Impatience. He’s always rushing me.
 * What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Africa on a Safari. I’d love to go to Egypt and Kenya.
 * What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? Traveling around the world, bonding, falling deeper in love and working together as a couple.

Brendon

 * Name: Brendon Villegas
 * Age: 33
 * Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
 * Previous Seasons: Season 20
 * Current occupation: PhD student in biomedical physics at UCLA
 * Describe what you do: Currently, I am examining post-mortem brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease patients in an effort to correlate the pathology we saw using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging while the patient was still living with the disease. The field itself is tough, since so many individuals have or will have family members that will experience some form of dementia. In my lab at UCLA, we strive to find a biomarker that might be an early indicator at the onset of Alzheimer's disease, in which case we might be able to stop the disease before it heavily progresses.
 * Biggest mistake you made in your previous season: Not reading a clue properly and heading to the wrong location in the final leg.
 * Most memorable moment from your first Race: Taking a beautiful detour through the Ngorogoro crater in Tanzania and happening upon a pair of twin baby elephants. One of the baby elephants trumpeted as they walked around our safari jeep. It was one of those moments that we will remember for as long as we are alive.
 * Favorite place you visited on your first season: Tanzania, Africa.
 * Why do you want to run the Race again? To win the $1 million so I can buy my beautiful wife a house and also we can… wait for it… have a baby!!! We live in Los Angeles, so this is pretty much what it costs!
 * How have you changed since the last time you competed? I am married to Rachel and I would like to think that our relationship has grown considerably and we won’t be (knock on wood) arguing nearly as much during the Race!
 * What are you passionate about? My family and my future children with Rachel. After racing around the world, you quickly realize how much money and possessions can never replace the people you have in your life. I am passionate about my science and trying to do something that will have a positive impact on the world.
 * People would be surprised to learn: I was a competitive spelling bee kid when I was younger, and I absolutely hated it! I would sit at my house and read thousands and thousands of words and learn their root meanings. I enjoyed learning the words, but hated the competition itself. It is so nerve-racking for a child!
 * Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: Making sure we are passing the reigns to one another when the time is appropriate and not fighting each other over small things.
 * Pet peeve about your teammate: Not listening to me. Just kidding! Rachel is an amazing racer and I am lucky to have her as my best friend and partner. Sometimes Rachel and I will both be too anxious in a task and rush, rather than making sure we are doing it correctly. So it is more of a team pet peeve!
 * What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Africa is somewhere we will always want to go back and visit. What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? Get to make some more memories with my beautiful wife and have a baby after winning the million dollars!
 * Any strategic changes you will make heading into this Race: We are going to make sure we read our clues carefully and make detour decisions more carefully.

Rachel

 * Name: Rachel Reilly
 * Age: 30
 * Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
 * Previous Seasons: Season 20
 * Current occupation: Actress, reality TV personality, journalist and owner of Adventures4pets.com
 * Describe what you do: I compete in reality shows including The Amazing Race and Big Brother, as well as filming other reality lifestyle shows. Most people don't make a habit of doing competitive reality shows, but I keep getting asked back--obviously because I am so entertaining! I train for the shows mentally and physically for hours a day!!! I am going for the title of competitive reality TV tri-athlete, which means I will obviously have to compete on another CBS reality show.
 * Biggest mistake you made in your previous season: That would be trying to take a cab ride to Hawaii Pacific University. I really just wanted to spend more time in Hawaii, and knew if we won I wouldn't get asked back for another season… so it was a win win!
 * Most memorable moment from your first Race: The African Safari with my hubby. The romance and splendor of the birth in the African savannah; seeing the little baby twin elephants; witnessing baboons carrying their new born children; and romantic dinners at the end of every leg. Also, trying beers in every country we visited!
 * Favorite place you visited on your first season: Every place was amazing; it’s hard to pick just one! That’s like asking if I would rather play Big Brother or The Amazing Race again!
 * Why do you want to run the Race again? My motivation to run the Race again stemmed from my deep need to compete on reality TV. I think that America, and the world, needed to watch another season of #Brenchel going at it! I have to give the fans what they ask for and they really wanted us back. Oh, and Brendon promised me if we win I can have a Brenchel baby!!!!!
 * How have you changed since the last time you competed? I think I am the same, just more awesome and experienced!! We also got married, so that probably made a difference.
 * What are you passionate about? Other than being passionate about the hubs... I am passionate about sharing my life with America. Brendon and I fell in love while you were watching, we had our first kiss while you waited to see if we would get voted out of the house, we won money to start a family while you cheered us on, we traveled around the world on an adventure of a life time while you laughed at my tears, we got married and you shed tears with your besties. I love the entertainment industry; from competing on reality TV shows to filming my day to day life and making good TV.
 * People would be surprised to learn: I am an artist and headband designer! You can buy my designs online. I also paint glass! Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: Brendon and I just love each other too much and we always think the other one is right so it’s hard to make a decision.
 * Pet peeve about your teammate: My lil' bookie has no flaws; he's perfect in every way!
 * What country and place would you most like to visit and why? I would like to scuba dive with sharks in the Pacific. You haven't lived until you've swam with sharks!
 * What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I would like to have a Race baby, that way when we win the Race and have a baby we can tell them a really cool story about how they came into our lil' #brenchel family!
 * Any strategic changes you will make heading into this Race: I won't make any changes, since I am so competitive and have never been eliminated. Brendon and I want to have the record of the team never being eliminated… and winning The Amazing Race 24!!!

Race History
Notes: Leg 12 had two Roadblocks and no Detour. The team member who sat out the first Roadblock was required to perform the second one.

Race History
Notes: Leg 12 had two Roadblocks and no Detour. The team member who sat out the first Roadblock was required to perform the second one.

Post-Race

 * Brendon & Rachel got married on September 8, 2012.

Trivia

 * In both of their seasons, Brendon & Rachel came 2nd in both leg 1 & 10, and came 3rd in both leg 11 & 12.
 * To date, they are the only returning team to never be eliminated.
 * Most legs traveled by a co-ed team in a career with 24 legs.
 * In both of their seasons, the winning team (Rachel & Dave from Season 20, Dave & Connor from Season 24) had won at least half of their seasons and won the last four legs.