Amazing Race experience ‘unlike anything I could have imagined:’ Williams Lake RCMP Const. Taylor Callens

Taylor Callens and his sister Courtney Callens are fourth generation mounties

Williams Lake RCMP colleagues gathered in Williams Lake with Const. Taylor Callens (centre) who is on a team with his RCMP sister Courtney in CTV’s The Amazing Race Canada. RCMP photo.

Williams Lake RCMP colleagues gathered in Williams Lake with Const. Taylor Callens (centre) who is on a team with his RCMP sister Courtney in CTV’s The Amazing Race Canada. RCMP photo.

A Williams Lake RCMP officer and his Langley RCMP officer sister have teamed up to compete on CTV’s The Amazing Race Canada: Heroes Edition.

Fourth-generation mounties, Taylor and Courtney Callens grew up moving around B.C. because of their dad’s job.

“This made them reliant on each other when moving to new towns and entering new schools,” BC RCMP communications noted in a press release.

When the first episode of the show aired on Tuesday, July 3, Taylor gathered with colleagues for a viewing party in Williams Lake and Courtney did the same in Langley.

In the series, the brother and sister will compete against nine other teams from across Canada including advocates, coaches, elite athletes, first responders, mentors, navy sailors, retired air force pilots and volunteers.

“As siblings, we are used to fighting and making up, so we don’t have to worry about any long standing grudges,” said Courtney. “As police officers, I feel like we usually make our decisions when we’re stressed, tired, when we don’t have a lot of information, and when they have to be made in a split second. Staying calm under pressure isn’t usually something we struggle with.”

As for the experience, Taylor said he had no idea what to expect.

“Being a part of this race is unlike anything I could have imagined.”

The next episode will air Tuesday, July 10 when the teams head to Dawson City, Yukon.

Callens was part of the RCMP’s Cops for Cancer Tour de North last September, representing the Williams Lake RCMP, helped judge the Lazy Laker Dog Days Dog Show in October, and participated in the RCMP’s anti-bullying campaign in the schools in February. He also played hockey with youth alongside some of his fellow officers this past winter.

Read more: Cops for Cancer set sights north


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