ST. GEORGE — This adventurous Hurricane resident seized the opportunity of a lifetime by joining forces with his father-in-law to race across the country on a thrilling USA Network television show.
“It was really hard physically, mentally,” 21-year-old Bronsen Iverson said.”Just always something challenging. but that’s what we kind of liked to put ourselves through, I guess. It’s kind of our element out there just surviving and working hard.”
“Race to Survive: New Zealand” is an action-packed reality game show that consists of nine teams of two athletes and survivalists. Each pair navigates 150 miles of New Zealand’s harshest terrain for the chance to win $500,000. Iverson’s father-in-law Ryan Stewart, a resident of Lehi, said the race includes obstacles and outdoor endurance activities such as rock climbing, repelling, sea kayaking and white water rafting, just to name a few.
“Holy cow, everything,” Stewart said. “We’re doing that as well as racing and running to get food caches and trying to survive off the land.”
Years ago, Stewart turned down a solo invitation to the show to join his wife on her elk-hunting adventure. But when a new race format came up that allowed for a partner, his wife jumped at the chance and applied for him, volunteering their soon-to-be son-in-law Bronsen Iverson as his teammate.
Things quickly escalated as producers conducted numerous interviews and production tests with the duo, eventually selecting them for the show. When the pair signed up, they had no idea where the adventure would take them, discovering only weeks before departure that they were headed to New Zealand. By the time they set off for the competition, Iverson and Stewart’s daughter had only been married for three months.
Iverson was thrilled at the chance to compete and potentially win the prize money. While his experience had its ups and downs, it was a memorable adventure he wouldn’t trade for anything.
”I thought it was a blast,” Stewart added. “I’ve always watched shows like that and they look fun to me. Obviously, you don’t know what goes on behind the scenes, but to get paid to go to New Zealand, first of all, is kind of a dream, and then to be able to go race through such amazing places.”
Stewart recounted their journey crossing lakes and seas, navigating whitewater rafting in stunning rivers and surviving in national forests and cave systems. The experience pushed their limits in ways they’d never imagined, both mentally and physically.
“At the time it seems really miserable, but afterward, you just want to go back and do it again,” Stewart said.
The duo found it a significant bonding experience as they solidified their new family ties. They recalled moments during the competition when they huddled under a small tarp, enduring relentless rain and swarms of sand flies while talking about home and their favorite foods. There were also days of severe food shortages and other equally challenging ordeals. While they often questioned their presence in such challenging conditions, neither of them entertained the idea of quitting the race.
“When you’re out there, we had no cell phones,” Stewart said. “We had no communication whatsoever. We had no idea what was going on. There was no noise, no sound pollution. It was so nice to see how simple life could be.”
Upon returning home from the competition, he found it challenging to readjust to “normal life,” which involved managing bills, being around crowds of people and navigating everyday responsibilities once again.
Stewart, a former member of the 1457th Combat Engineer battalion, supplemented his college years with work at a maximum security prison in the Uintas. Additionally, he’s well-versed as a hunting guide. His diverse experiences have ingrained fitness into his daily routine, involving rigorous workouts, woodland hikes and trail running — all of which primed him for the TV show competition.
Two additional Utah teams joined the New Zealand TV adventure: Creighton Baird and Paulina Pena, a divorced couple from Salt Lake City, and Kaysville resident Rhandi Orme alongside Ashley Paulson from St. George — both seasoned endurance athletes and mothers.
Spanning 40 days on New Zealand’s South Island, this race unfolds across 10 episodes, currently airing its eighth installment on Monday, July 8. For more information and to stream episodes, visit their website.
Photo Gallery
A cave obstacle is shown during episode 205, “Deep, Dark, Holes,” location and date not specified, Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Networka
L-R: Bronsen Iverson and Ryan Stewart compete on episode 203, "Grit Trumps Calories" on Race to Survive: New Zealand, location and date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Tyrie Mann Merrill, Bronsen Iverson, Creighton Baird and Ryan Stewart compete on episode 207 of Race to Survive: New Zealand, Kahuranghi Coast, New Zealand, date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Bronsen Iverson and Ryan Stewart compete on episode 203, "Grit Trumps Calories" on Race to Survive: New Zealand, location and date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Bronsen Iverson and Ryan Stewart compete on episode 205 of Race to Survive: New Zealand, Kahuranghi Coast, New Zealand, date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Bronsen Iverson and Ryan Stewart compete on episode 205 of Race to Survive: New Zealand, Kahuranghi Coast, New Zealand, date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Creighton Baird and Paulina Pena compete on Race to Survive: New Zealand episode 207, Kahuranghi Coast, New Zealand, date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Ethan Greenberg, Tyrie Mann Merrill, Creighton Baird, Paulina Pena, Bronsen Iverson and Ryan Stewart compete on episode 207 of Race to Survive: New Zealand, Kahuranghi Coast, New Zealand, date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
L-R: Oliver Dev, Ryan Stewart, Tyrie Mann Merrill, Spencer "Corry" Jones, Creighton Baird and Ethan Greenberg compete on episode 207 of Race to Survive: New Zealand, Kahuranghi Coast, New Zealand, date not specified | Photo by Brian Finestone courtesy of USA Network
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