Meet the Teams - Series 6

Race Across the World returns to our screens for series 6, and as such our fun prediction game is back on - before the start of each show predict who you think will get to the checkpoint first and get points if they do! Because that's usually harder than it sounds, you also get a point for second place.

As each episode airs you can also put a token on the team you think most likely to win the whole race - in the final episode you'll get 2 points for every token you have on the winning team! Will you spread the tokens across all teams, or go for points and stack it all on your favourite? Token predictions are secret so no-one will know till the final race!

Predictions are open now for the (usually low scoring 😆) pre-show predictions! Using the information below who do you think will be the first team to sign the Race Across the World guestbook? You only have until the episode starts to get your guess in, so think fast!

Jo & Kush

Jo & Kush are both 19 and students from Liverpool. They joined the race because they were at a "standstill" regarding their future plans after finishing sixth form - so why not travel the world?! The youngest duo in the competition, they view the race as a chance to gain independence before starting university and a way to discover their identities and potential career paths, although it does mean they're not starting with a lot of experience.

Their primary strategy involves a "divide and conquer" approach to social interactions: Jo will get the attention of locals, while Kush follows up to gather information. They plan to use their youth to their advantage, hoping other teams will underestimate their experience so they can "secretly work in silence and take over."

They have prepared a whiteboard with drawings of transport and a map folder, and they believe their ability to endure a lack of comfort, such as skipping showers and eating street food will give them a competitive edge - although skipping too many showers might limit their chances of getting information from the locals!

"I'm a bit of a catastrophizer, and I’ll always think of the worst case until proven otherwise." - Kush

Katie & Harrison

Katie 21 and her brother Harrison 23, are an account manager and finance assistant from Manchester. The siblings joined the race to break away from their "standard life path" of work and university. They admit they can be "brutal" and "mean" to each other, but hope to strengthen their already close bond.

They appear to be quite different personalities, Harrison wants to learn to be more spontaneous, while Katie views it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel, living with a more never say no motto.

"I plan so much - everything about my life is planned out. ... I'm quite risk adverse and just live in the same routine. So I'm trying to put that aside for this." - Harrison

"I'm up for anything. I love anything, especially to do with extreme stuff, heights and things like that." - Katie

Their strategy relies on a division of labor: Harrison is in charge of "money control" and planning, while Katie is in charge of "snack control" and leading social interactions with locals. They do seem quite competitive with a plan to race "properly" for the first three weeks to ensure they aren't eliminated, relax and enjoy the experience in the middle, and then turn "race mode" back on for the final two weeks. With Harrisons background in finance and trusty calculator packed they might do well on budgeting, but trying to plan too much often causes teams to miss unexpected opportunities and team harmony might fall apart if Katie can't get Harrison into the more free-flow aspects of the race.

Molly & Andrew

Junior Doctor Molly 23 is traveling with her dad Andrew 54 - both from Northern Ireland. As a retired Geography teacher Andrew may have some solid navigational skills, although he's never been backpacking before - something his wife would consider an "ultimate nightmare". For Molly, the race is a chance to change their father-daughter dynamic into an equal partnership, proving to her dad that she is more capable than he realizes as she embarks on her medical career. Although she doesn't always give the best impression of her skills:

"I'm happy to walk up to someone and be stupid and go, ‘Where am I? What am I doing?’ - Molly (a doctor!)

Molly and Andrew admit they haven't "overly thought" about a specific strategy, choosing instead to focus on experiencing the culture and going off the beaten track. While they claim winning is second to the experience, they acknowledge a shared competitive nature, with Molly noting that "second place is the first loser."

Their practical preparation included buying a calculator and a water bottle with a built-in compass. Molly plans to utilize her "student lifestyle" experience to live on a budget, while Andrew intends to lead with directness, relying on Molly to "rein him in" and handle the social interactions with strangers.

Puja & Roshni

Another medical expert - Puja 31 is also a Doctor, traveling with her software engineer cousin, Roshni 32. They joined the race after years of prioritizing their careers and putting their "wanderlust on hold" but now want to create some lifelong memories. Roshni views it as a rare opportunity for the childhood best friends to spend quality time together and step outside their comfort zones before "life goes on."

Puja considers herself the calm one, good in a crisis because of her job, but admits that money is not her strong point, and if she gets hungry she may forget there's a budget! As such Roshni will manage the strict daily budget and finances, while Puja handles organization and route planning.

Their primary strategy is maintaining constant momentum, aiming to cover distance every single day to avoid getting stranded. They have implemented a strict "checklist" for every transition—such as leaving a hotel or offboarding a train—to verify they have their passports, money, maps, and the correct local time. It all sounds pretty organised although...

"I panic a lot. If something's not going the way I want it to it is just instant panic..." - Roshni

Mark & Margo

And finally we have retired architect Mark 66 and hypnotherapist Margo 59 - this years oldest team. The duo are actually in-laws, bonding during the care of Marks wife & Margo's sister Julia. It was Julia’s dying wish that the two continue their friendship, and they view this journey as a way to become "true family" and explore who they are outside of their previous caring responsibilities.

"My age doesn’t stop me doing what I want to do... I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors, climbing, cycling, anything that’s got a bit of an edge to it." - Mark

They plan to balance a "rich experience" with the intent to "race like hell" - which seems a pretty good for the shows concept, and they both have experience of interrailing and backpacking which seems ideal. But neither considers themselves competitive, considering enjoyment a key part of the whole experience.

They also intend for a split responsibility dynamic: Mark will handle sensible tasks like budgeting, map reading, and navigation, while Margo will use her warmth and communication skills to ask for help and information - before pointing them at Mark so she won't have to remember any directions!

To save money, they have packed Tupperware to make "overnight oats with water" and have accepted they will be "eating some gruel" to protect their budget.

"I just love impulsive, crazy things and adventure... we’re going to live as dangerously as they'll allow us." - Margo

So which team do you think has the best chance? Get your prediction in before 8pm when the show starts!