Lena Jensen and Kristy Jensen are a team of Sisters on The Amazing Race 6.
Despite being able to keep up with the pack for most of their time in the race, the sisters fell prey to one of the most infamous Roadblocks in The Amazing Race history, when Lena could not find a clue hidden among hundreds of hay bales. After over eight hours of futile searching, every other team had passed Lena and Kristy, resulting in their elimination in 9th place.
Lena & Kristy are sisters who grew up in Utah. In the Fall, Kristy will be starting her last year of college at University of Utah. She is the single mother of an eight-year-old daughter, Madison. She recently took a few months off from school to move to Denmark with her daughter.
Lena is a student and former striptease aerobics instructor. She also put college on hold so she could travel abroad, but is planning to return to school after the Race. She describes herself as outgoing, happy and competitive.
Most of the time the sisters get along very well; however, they agree that getting into a fist fight a few years back was a low point in their relationship. One of the most special times they had as sisters was living together in Las Vegas.
Being a young single mother, Kristy's motivation for being on THE AMAZING RACE is to enjoy this experience to the fullest and do all the things she has never been able to do, while Lena wants to win the $1 million.[1]
How would you describe your previous travel experience?
Lena: Since a child, I have traveled a lot. My mother is from Denmark, so as a toddler I lived there for a while, as well as extensive traveling all throughout Europe as a child and an adult. I have lived in Japan and traveled to parts of Asia and Australia, and all over the US.
Kristy: I have spent the last couple of years traveling quite a bit. I lived in Copenhagen, Denmark for a few months, and have visited interesting places like Thailand. My traveling opportunities are somewhat limited, due to the fact that I am a single mother and usually bring my daughter with me. I have also traveled extensively throughout the US.
What is the most stressful aspect of traveling?
Lena: I have never really had a stressful moment in traveling, except missing flights.
Kristy: Wondering if you've remembered everything you needed to pack. I can't stand layovers and waiting in the airport for hours; it's so unproductive.
Why did you want to be on THE AMAZING RACE?
Lena: To experience traveling the world in a way I never have. To do something so unique with my sis. A great way for us to spend time together after not seeing each other for a while.
Kristy: I hope to be an example and show the world that Mormons, Utahans and women can be interesting, exciting and capable of competing in high-stress situations while maintaining core values. Traveling always opens my mind to different issues facing foreign cultures. Some of my most life-changing and character-building experiences have come from traveling to unfamiliar places.
Have you and your partner traveled together before? If so, what was it like?
Lena: Only on family vacations, never alone.
Kristy: Lena and I haven't traveled very much as adults together, but have been on countless family road trips and vacations as children. I am anxious, and a bit worried, about what we might discover about each other now that we are adults. It's been at least a year since I have spent time with Lena, and I have never been forced to share time and space with anyone other than my daughter, especially someone who is my opposite.
What do you fear most about competing in THE AMAZING RACE?
Lena: I don't camp; I don't carry backpacks or carry my own luggage. Those are things I just don't do. So that is probably the thing I am most afraid of. Also I like to dress up. I like my heels and bags. I like being a girl and dressing up. So the whole not showering thing will probably be difficult for me.
Kristy: I do not want to ice climb or bungee jump, but would force myself if it came up. I will leave the eating to Lena; my stomach hasn't been very experimental. My biggest emotional fear is that I will miss my daughter too much and become depressed. I have never left her for more than a few days at a time.
What strengths and weaknesses do you bring to the Team?
Lena: Well, I think I am pretty easy going and positive. I am very mentally and emotionally strong, so I am sure that I won't ever freak out or anything. I sometimes make decisions without thinking them all the way through, which could be a problem. But really I have no clue. Everything changes when you're under pressure or in extreme situations.
Kristy: I am sometimes impatient and need my own space (which I will never get on the Race). I am also critical of myself. I am very competitive, strong, organized, task-oriented, detail-oriented, pragmatic, logical and emotionally controlled, yet I can still appear kind and non-threatening.
What strengths and weaknesses does your teammate bring to the Team?
Lena: Kristy is very organized. She is also very thorough. She is very strong mentally as well as physically. So she motivates me in a way that no one else does.
Kristy: Lena is very social, bubbly, determined, athletic, strong, and will keep our spirits up. She will probably be the social half of the Team. She is good at getting what she wants. Lena's desire to be social sometimes means she isn't thorough. She can be flighty at times, although that is what makes her sweet and fun. She is not very detail-oriented.
What will you miss the most from home (besides your bed)?
Lena: Friends, computer, cell phone, car, credit cards. Wow, now doesn't that sound horrible?
Kristy: My daughter, my laptop, my down comforter from Denmark and my indie music.
What languages do you speak?
Lena: I pretend to speak a few languages: Japanese, German, Spanish and Danish. Basically I know enough to get by.
Kristy: I can speak a little Danish. I also speak British and Australian. Only joking!
> The team used the Yield < Recipient of the Yield
Notes: 1: Lena & Kristy failed to complete the Roadblock in Leg 3. After more than two hours passed since the last team checked in at the Pit Stop and over eight hours of searching, host Phil Keoghan came out to the Roadblock location and eliminated them.
Post-Race[]
On April 21, 2007, Kristy served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of Hayden & Aaron.[3]
Kristy is now married to Michael Coleman and has children.
Trivia[]
Franchise[]
Lena & Kristy are the first team to be eliminated in Sweden.
First all-female team to be eliminated outside the Pit Stop.
Second team (after Marshall & Lance) to be eliminated on the race course because they were unable to complete a task.
External links[]
Interviews[]
Vince Horiuchi at The Salt Lake Tribune (11/12/2004): "Amazing Utahns will race around the globe"
FansOfRealityTV (12/01/2004): "Our Interview with Lena and Kristy"
Ethan Alter at TV Guide Online (12/03/2004): "Amazing Sister Act Defended"
AP (12/09/2004): "Amazing Race sisters miss clue in haystack"
Colleen Harris at Reality Reel Media (02/10/2005): "Interview with Kristy"
Lena's Facebook: /lena.jensen2
