They did it! Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss, who met whereas competing on Large Brother in the summertime of 2021, simply gained $1 million after competing collectively on The Wonderful Race.
The previous start-up founder 25, and AI engineer 26, spoke solely with Us Weekly forward of the Wednesday, December 7, finale airing – and earlier than they even had an opportunity to observe the episode – to interrupt down the finale, their expertise and what it was like crossing the end line first.
“It’s surreal,” Claire tells Us of successful the $1 million prize. “It’s simply unbelievable. It’s so superb. What a implausible alternative.”
“The Solely Leg That Issues” – Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss CBS Broadcasting
“I keep in mind me and Claire had been within the last leg. We completed the entire challenges, and now we’re simply working to the pit cease. We run into the room after which we see everybody, all of our forged, Phil [Keoghan, host], all of the digicam guys standing within the auditorium, like, clapping, cheering our identify,” Derek explains. “I turned to Claire and I used to be like, ‘I nonetheless can’t consider this.’ I used to be anticipating us to run as much as the mat and Phil was gonna say, ‘Sadly, now we have to offer you a two-hour time penalty as a result of you’re a Large Brother crew.’ Like, one thing loopy. I didn’t consider it. I in all probability nonetheless gained’t consider it till I watch the episode.”
Whereas the duo had no idea of time in the course of the race, they estimate, “Molly and Emily had been in all probability 15 to twenty minutes behind us. After which Luis and Michelle had been in all probability 15 to twenty minutes behind them.”
The couple had been courting solely about 9 months after they went to compete on the long-running CBS collection however felt assured. (Us Weekly solely broke the information of their relationship in October 2021 after they linked within the Large Brother jury home.)
“The Solely Leg That Issues” CBS Broadcasting
“We went into the race and I used to be like, ‘Me and Claire are going to win this,’” Derek tells Us. “I used to be like, ‘I can’t think about us preventing over something. I can’t think about a stronger relationship.’ Day one. I used to be like, we’re gonna break up. We’re gonna break up. That is so arduous That is unimaginable. Like, oh, my God. After which I believe after that, it’s simply been a climb again up, and I believe we’re positively stronger than even after we began.”
He continues, “I believe on the very starting, I had delusions of grandeur round how good our relationship was as a result of we hadn’t been examined, so I didn’t know. However then we truly received examined, and now I believe our relationship truly is the place I assumed it was.”
“The Solely Leg That Issues” – Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss CBS Broadcasting
Claire echoes his sentiments about how working the race assessments relationships. “I do perceive why individuals are like, ‘You go on the race and also you’re gonna break up otherwise you’re gonna make it work,’” Claire tells Us. “We simply had been actually required to speak about like, how will we talk, how will we wanna clear up issues? And be very trustworthy and be very actual with one another in a means that I believe quite a lot of {couples} don’t should be, essentially, and nonetheless be glad. In order that simply made it a lot stronger and it’s like made it a lot extra like, relevant after we get into like fights or no matter outdoors of the race too. I do assume it was actually a take a look at – which I believe may be very cliche that folks say – however I believe that it did make us rather a lot, lot stronger.”
Watch our full unique interview with Derek and Claire above!
