Amazing Race season 3 winner Flo fell for a fellow racer mid-race, then later dated a TV anchor
Florinka "Flo" Pesenti made history on The Amazing Race Season 3 — she became the first woman ever to win the race, crossing the finish line in Seattle alongside college friend Zachary "Zach" Behr in December 2002. But the win wasn't the story viewers remembered. Mid-race, Flo fell for a fellow competitor, spent years with him post-show, and eventually became the long-term partner of a prominent TV anchor.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Florinka "Flo" Pesenti and Zachary "Zach" Behr won Season 3, splitting a $1 million prize and making Flo the first female winner in the show's history.
- During filming, Flo developed feelings for twin-model racer Drew Riker — and the two dated for nearly seven years after the show ended.
- After splitting from Riker in 2009, Flo began a relationship with ABC News anchor Dan Abrams; the couple have two children together.
- Runners-up Teri and Ian Pollack are still married and reportedly living in Jupiter, Florida.
- Season 3 remains one of the most controversial in franchise history, remembered for Flo's on-camera meltdowns and Ian's domineering behaviour toward Teri.
Racers | Relationship | Finish |
Flo Pesenti & Zach Behr | Friends | Winners |
Teri & Ian Pollack | Married parents | 2nd place |
Ken & Gerard Duphiney | Brothers | 3rd place |
Derek & Drew Riker | Twins / Models | 4th place |
The Amazing Race 3 is the third season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race, hosted by Phil Keoghan, featuring twelve teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world. Starting in the Everglades, racers traveled through Mexico, England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, before returning to the United States via Hawaii and finishing in Seattle. The season premiered on CBS on October 2, 2002, and concluded on December 18, 2002.
Flo Pesenti: the controversial winner
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- Full name: Florinka Pesenti
- Hometown: Milan, Italy
- Profession: Public relations executive
- Partner: Dan Abrams (since ~2009/2010)
Flo Pesenti is an American television personality and public relations executive known for winning the third season of The Amazing Race in 2002 alongside teammate Zach Behr, becoming the first woman — and part of the first co-ed team — to claim victory in the show's history. Born on January 17, 1979, in Milan, Italy, Pesenti emigrated to the United States with her family at age five and was raised in New York City.
At the time of her participation in The Amazing Race, she worked as a public relations associate at Glamour magazine. Following her high-profile win, Pesenti pursued a career in luxury fashion public relations, holding director positions at TOD'S and Gucci before advancing to vice president roles at Ralph Lauren. Flo is currently the Vice President of PR at venture capital firm MacAndrews & Forbes.
Her on-screen persona — and its legacy
Flo & Zach are perhaps most remembered for Flo gradually breaking down from the stresses of the race, resorting to taking out her frustrations by yelling at Zach and threatening to quit. Despite this, Zach's patience with his partner and never-give-up attitude carried them even through their lowest points. She even tried to quit the race in the Final 3, when there was no longer any threat of elimination.
Flo later acknowledged her behaviour openly. On The Early Show after the finale, she said, "It's horrifying. It's horrible. It's hard to watch. It's hard for everyone to watch — everyone who knows me. But, you know, it was a rough race. And I'm very sorry and everyone knows I'm sorry." Her humility about her performance in the years since — including showing up at finale parties wearing a "Shut up, Flo" shirt — has helped her reputation.
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The romance that started on the race
Flo & Zach emerged as contenders early on due to their youth, language abilities, and strong social bonds. When their allies were eliminated by the halfway mark, Flo & Zach pivoted to align with former targets Derek & Drew, which saw a budding relationship between Flo and Drew form.
During filming, Flo got attracted to fellow cast member Drew Riker, and the two started dating immediately after the show wrapped up. They remained in a relationship for almost seven years, going their separate ways in 2009.
They were also asked to participate in The Amazing Race: All-Stars (2007) as a new team, but Flo reportedly declined because she felt that the race had brought the worst out of her and Zach was not invited to join her.
Life after Drew — Dan Abrams and family
Dan Abrams and Florinka were introduced to one another in 2009 by their mutual friend John DeLucie; the two have been dating since, and they have a son together named Everett Floyd Abrams, who was born in June 2012. In February 2021, they welcomed their second child, a daughter, Emilia.
Since around 2010, she has been in a long-term relationship with media personality Dan Abrams, known for his role as chief legal analyst at ABC News and as a television host; the couple is not married.
Zachary "Zach" Behr: the real hero of Season 3
- Full name: Zachary Golden Behr
- Hometown: New York City, New York
- Profession: Television producer
- Spouse: Elyse Steinberg (married October 2008)
Florinka "Flo" Pesenti and Zachary Golden "Zach" Behr are the official winners of The Amazing Race 3. While Flo attracted controversy, it was widely acknowledged that Zach's composure carried the team. Season three winner Zach Behr went on to become a supervising producer on MTV's Made, explaining what you do when you win half a million dollars and reflecting on the importance of experiencing local culture.
Zach is now a three-time Emmy-awarded television producer who married his longtime girlfriend Elyse Steinberg in October 2008 and welcomed a child in 2012. He began his production career at NBC Sports in 2004 and joined The History Channel in 2011, getting promoted to Senior Executive Producer and then to Vice President of Programming in July 2018.
Teri and Ian Pollack: runners-up who nearly pulled it off
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- Full names: Teri Pollack and Ian Pollack
- Current location: Jupiter, Florida
- Season 3 finish: 2nd place
- Relationship status: Married
Married parents Teri and Ian Pollack finished in second place in Season 3. Ian carried a domineering attitude and was grumpy with his wife for almost the entire season — much of that due to going through withdrawal from cigarettes. The two were severely underestimated after escaping elimination through a few lucky breaks early on, but hit their stride after winning the Fast Forward in Marrakesh.
Their impressive performance made them fan favourites, leading to appearances in The Amazing Race: All-Stars. In delightful news, the parents of two remain happily married and reportedly reside in Jupiter, Florida. Ian has transitioned from his previous role as a Commander of Police Special Operations to become the CEO of Iris, Inc., his private investigative agency specialising in medical malpractice and nursing home abuse.
Ken & Gerard Duphiney: fan favourite brothers
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- Full names: Ken Duphiney and Gerard Duphiney
- Hometown: New York / New Jersey
- Season 3 finish: 3rd place
Ken and Gerard Duphiney competed as brothers on The Amazing Race 3, quickly establishing themselves as one of the season's strongest teams. They won three legs and finished outside the top five only once before reaching the final three. Ken and Gerard were also known for their humor and contrasting personalities, with the brothers describing themselves as very different despite sharing a close relationship.
The brothers' strengths complemented each other throughout the race. Ken was particularly comfortable building relationships with the other teams, while Gerard was an accomplished navigator who frequently demonstrated a strong ability to read maps. They finished the season in third place behind the two finalists.
Gerard has built a long career in financial services since appearing on the show. He has also remained involved in community and charitable work. After traveling to Uganda with his son in 2017, he founded Mission Madera, a nonprofit supporting three Catholic schools serving about 1,200 students. The organization has funded building improvements, equipment, computers, vocational training and other projects for the schools.
Ken, meanwhile, worked as a freelance casting director in New York before and around the time of The Amazing Race. His screen-industry credits include casting work on the 1992 film Surviving Desire and the 2002 documentary series The Hamptons.
Derek and Drew Riker: the twins who changed Flo's life
Source: Getty Images
- Full names: Derek Riker and Drew Riker
- Hometown: Los Angeles, California
- Season 3 finish: 4th place
Derek Riker and Drew Riker are a team of twins and models on The Amazing Race 3. Derek & Drew got off to a rough start, barely escaping elimination in the first leg, and proved to be hapless with navigation, frequently getting into arguments due to their inability to read a map. When their alliance with the brothers fell apart, Derek & Drew found new allies in Flo & Zach, with Drew forming a budding romance with Flo.
Drew Riker continues to work as a celebrity and fashion photographer as one half of the Riker Brothers — the creative partnership he maintains with his twin brother Derek. Their joint portfolio includes photographs of celebrities such as Halle Berry, reflecting their active status in the industry as of 2025.
The biggest controversies of Season 3
Season 3 generated significant viewer debate on multiple fronts.
Flo's quit threats were the season's defining storyline. Flo was dreadfully unprepared for what the show would expect from her. She even tried to quit the race in the Final 3, when there was no longer any threat of elimination. The spectacle of a winning racer repeatedly threatening to stop polarised audiences and sparked lasting debate about what the show's format should allow.
Ian's treatment of Teri was the other major flashpoint. Ian carried a domineering attitude and was grumpy with his wife for almost the entire season, much of that due to going through withdrawal from cigarettes. Many viewers found his on-screen behaviour difficult to watch, even as the couple showed remarkable race strategy.
Alliance politics also attracted scrutiny. The sole alpha-male team was ostracised and feared from the outset, with an alliance forming around making sure they didn't win, while many so-called "weaker" teams were overlooked, and the two oldest teams surprised everyone by winning three legs apiece and making the finale.
Despite the criticism, the season endured. The season got off to a somewhat weak beginning and ended with one of the most hated winners in the series, yet it also has some of the strongest characters and best storylines in the series, and is now considered one of the series' top entries.
FAQ
Did Flo and Zach get married?
No. Flo and Zach are only friends from college days. During her participation in The Amazing Race Season 3, Flo developed a mutual romantic attraction with her teammate Zach Behr, though the two never acted on these feelings during or immediately after the competition, and they did not date. Zach went on to marry documentary producer Elyse Steinberg in 2008.
Who did Flo from The Amazing Race date after the show?
Flo dated fellow racer Drew Riker after the race, but the two broke up after seven years, in 2009. She eventually started dating Dan Abrams, the ABC News Chief Legal Correspondent, in 2010, and shares a son, Everett Floyd Abrams, with him. The couple also welcomed a daughter, Emilia, in 2021.
Where are Teri and Ian from The Amazing Race Season 3 living now?
The parents of two remain happily married and reportedly reside in Jupiter, Florida. Ian has transitioned from his previous role as a Commander of Police Special Operations to become the CEO of Iris, Inc., his private investigative agency specialising in medical malpractice and nursing home abuse.
Was Flo asked back for The Amazing Race: All-Stars?
Flo was asked back for All-Stars with Drew, but Zach was not — possibly due to his career as a camera operator and later TV producer post-race — and as such she did not return. She also reportedly felt that the race had brought out the worst in her and had no desire to relive the experience.
What is Zach Behr doing now?
Zach is currently Vice President of Programming at the History Channel. He is also a three-time Daytime Emmy winner. Zach got married to Elyse Steinberg on October 11, 2008, and they now have a child together.
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