Race Across the World winners use prize on 'gap decade'

Tony Teasdale, 67, and his wife, Elaine, 67, won season one of Race Across the World in 2019.

The show saw them travel across 21 countries on a shoestring budget of £1,329 for the whole journey and beat eight competitors to be the first to reach the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore, they bagged £20k. 

The former PE teachers surprised themselves by winning the competition as the oldest duo on the show and say it gave them the confidence to travel at their age. 

Race Across the World winners used cash prize to fill 'gap decade'

The 50-day race spanned 12,000 miles from Greenwich, London, to Singapore, and was the couple's first retirement adventure having left their jobs five years before.

While their home is in Beadlam, North Yorkshire, since Race Across the World, they have visited Antarctica, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Patagonia, and New Zealand. 

The pair won the first series back in 2019. (Image: SWNS)

Tony who is currently skiing in Les Arcs, France, with the family said: "We always said we would have a gap decade once we retired, and we’re trying to do that.

"Because we had just nicely retired when we went on Race Across the World we hadn’t really settled into any pattern.

“Since the show, the new places we have visited have been Antarctic, South America, New Zealand, and South Africa.

“If there is any place you want to go on this planet go to Antarctica it was just something else. 

"We were able to go out onto the peninsula, the wildlife and the glaciers were unbelievable. 

“Because of Race Across the World, we rough it, we stay in youth hostels, we don’t do it plush.

They won a cash prize of £20k. (Image: SWNS)

“If we go somewhere, we go for two or three months and indulge ourselves in the culture, which we couldn’t really do when we were racing across the world.

“You can lose confidence the older you get, but because of our experience and realising how wonderful and generous people are, you feel as if you can go anywhere."

Tony and Elaine have been married for 43 years and Tony believes their strong relationship was a huge asset during the race.

“If you’re married, you know each other so well, there’s a lot of telepathy, which is a big plus. You’re on the same wavelength," he said. 

“We both had the same reaction to most of the countries. 

"We had a really bad time in Northern China because the people were very unhappy, it was hard to see how they were treating each other.

“We found China really hard, which is why we were two days behind at one point.

They are now enjoying a gap decade. (Image: SWNS)

“But we loved Uzbekistan because the people were so lovely.

“When we were stranded there was a guy who emptied his entire truck with all his gear in it in the middle of the Red Desert and drove us for 200 miles.

“We sang Beatles songs all the way, and when we couldn’t get on a train, he paid for a taxi to take us to the next city.”

After winning, the couple used some of the prize money to buy themselves electric bikes to drive around the dirt tracks near their home in North Yorkshire. 

“Obviously, winning was great, but what you remember are the people you meet and the journey you went on - that’s everything," Tony said. 

“It’s really hard, and none of us would have done what we did if it hadn’t been for the kindness of strangers.”

While the journey was difficult, both Tony and Elaine would race again in a heartbeat.

Tony said: “We are hoping that once they’ve had five or six races, there will be a shoot-out with all the winners.”