Calgarians Filipe Masetti and Clara Daval, a husband-wife duo, competed in Season 12 of The Amazing Race Canada, which premieres July 7. The couple says the experience strengthened their relationship, despite the intense secrecy required before the show aired.
From mid-April to mid-May 2026, Masetti and Daval seemed to vanish from social media, telling friends and family they were spending a month off-grid at a cabin in the mountains. In reality, they were criss-crossing Canada for the reality competition.
Keeping the Secret Was the Hardest Part
“It’s harder than the race itself,” Masetti said with a laugh. “When you get on The Race, you can’t tell anyone. I’m pretty active on social media. I’m a motivational speaker. I travel the world for these events. What are you going to tell people? You have no internet. You’re not going to be online for a whole month. How are you going to let them know without letting them know what’s going on? Because if you don’t respond to someone in three days now, they think you’re dead.”
Daval added that the cover story was believable because they often go to remote mountain areas with limited internet access. “Pretty much everybody believed it,” she said. “We’re used to going to the mountains where there is not so much internet. So people were like ‘Oh yes.’”
Masetti’s Adventurous Background
Masetti is no stranger to epic journeys. In 2012, he set off on horseback from Calgary during the Stampede and eventually became the youngest person to cross the Americas on horseback, covering 27,000 kilometres over eight years. He traveled from Canada to Brazil, through South America to Argentina, and finally from Alaska back to Calgary, arriving during the 2020 Calgary Stampede. He was named honorary parade marshal even though the Stampede was cancelled due to COVID-19.
He is also a filmmaker, author, and commentator for Sportsnet and the Cowboy Channel during the Stampede, covering tie-down roping and breakaway roping, and hosting a segment called “Fun with Filipe.”
A Love Story Born in Patagonia
The couple met in Patagonia in 2017 while Masetti was mid-trek. Daval, originally from Argentina, joined him for a month-long journey through Southern Argentina. Their love-at-first-sight romance is one of the most charming backstories in the show’s history.
“It was good prep for participating in The Amazing Race Canada,” Masetti said, noting that their shared experience of adventure travel helped them work as a team.
Competition and Camaraderie
Season 12 features 10 teams, including pioneering hip-hop artists Maestro Fresh Wes and Duane (D.O.) Gibson. The first episode begins atop Whistler Mountain in British Columbia, kicking off a cross-Canada trip with various physical and mental challenges. Due to the show’s confidentiality rules, Masetti and Daval cannot reveal specific details about their performance or experiences during the month-long shoot.
Masetti said the race tested their relationship but ultimately brought them closer. “Experiencing the challenges on the reality TV show actually strengthened our bond,” he said. Daval agreed, noting that teamwork and communication were key to overcoming obstacles.
