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'UNRELENTING'
The Challenge’s Averey Tressler reveals ‘intense’ competition show’s ‘harsh conditions’ while filming in Vietnam
Plus, how Averey overcame the challenges after previously taking an eight-year hiatus from TV
THE CHALLENGE star Averey Tressler has opened up about the brutal conditions she endured while filming Season 40 of the MTV show in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun.
Averey, 33, is one of 40 contestants competing in the milestone new season of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, which premieres on Wednesday.
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While Averey is a veteran of the long-running competition series, having starred in Battle of the Exes II, Rivals III, and All Stars 4, she admitted nothing could've prepared her for the latest bout of filming.
"This year, we went to Vietnam, and it was probably one of the hardest conditions that I've ever competed in," the TV star told The U.S. Sun.
"Really, very, very humid, very hot, unreal, like, unrelenting," Averey said of the experience. "It was just probably the toughest one, especially since I was competing against 39 other people - the biggest cast we've ever had to compete with."
Fans of the Real World/Road Rules spinoff are familiar with the unique changes in its themes and format each season, and Season 40 was no different.
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The season features 40 competitors divided into four groups, or "Eras," ranging from seasoned show vets to newer challengers from various reality series.
GETTING BACK IN THE GAME
Averey — an Era 3 competitor — confessed she struggled with competing against others who've regularly appeared on the show, given that she had recently returned from a nearly decade-long hiatus from reality TV.
"I think this one for me, the reason why this season was most challenging for myself is there was such a big amount of people, and I have been out of the reality TV scene for about eight years," Averey explained.
"There's a lot of people that have been doing this for 10 seasons."
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She also recognized that physicality wasn't the only necessary component for the competitors, as forming relationships and alliances is half the battle.
"[My veteran castmates are] very close, even if they don't like each other, they have, like, that unspoken bond [and shared experiences that I don't have with them]," Averey acknowledged, noting that it was difficult for her to form the same type of bonds.
The Challenge players scream and break down in tears in explosive season 40 trailer as host TJ Lavin teases major twist
"So it was really hard for me to try to find alliances, or people that actually trusted me, to work with me."
However, the Arizona native revealed she devised a strategy that helped her in that department.
"They're like, 'At least you know what you get from me. You don't know her.' And I'm like, 'That's correct, but I also use that to my advantage, to like, you don't know me like, let me show you,'" Averey reasoned.
"I am like, 'I've never burned you. I've never done anything negative to you, which these people have.'"
The Challenge Winners
MTV has aired 29 seasons of The Challenge, doling out millions of dollars in prize money. Here's a look at all the winners through the years.
- Season One - Road Rules: All Stars: Cynthia Roberts, Eric Nies, Jon Brennan, Rachel Campos, Sean Duffy
- Season Two - Real World vs. Road Rules: Anne Wharton, Kalle Dedolph, Kefla Hare, Mark Long, Noah Rickun, Roni Martin
- Season Three - Challenge 2000: Carlos 'Los' Jackson, Dan Setzler, Holly Shand, Piggy Thomas, Veronica Portillo, Sean Duffy
- Season Four - Extreme Challenge: Dan Renzi, Jamie Murray, Julie Stoffer, Kameelah Phillips, Rebecca Lord, Syrus Yarbough
- Season Five - Battle of the Seasons: Danny Roberts, Kelley Limp, Mike Mizanin, Coral Smith, Sean Duffy, Elka Walker
- Season Six - Battle of the Sexes: Colin Mortensen, Jamie Murray, Mark Long
- Season Seven - The Gauntlet: Adam Larson, Cara Zavaleta, Darrell Taylor, Dave Diuntoli, Rachel Robinson, Roni Martin, Sarah Geyson, Theo Vonkurnatowski, Veronica Portillo
- Season Eight - The Inferno: Abram Boise, Christena Pyle, Darrell Taylor, Holly Shand, Katie Doyle, Kendal Sheppard, Timmy Beggy, Veronica Portillo
- Season Nine - Battle of the Sexes 2: Dan Setzler, Eric Nies, Theo Vonkurnatowski
- Season 10 - The Inferno II: Darrell Taylor, Jamie Chung, Landon Luek, Mike Mizanin
- Season 11 - The Gauntlet II: Alton Williams, Ibis Nieves, Jamie Murray, Jodi Weatherton, Kina Dean, Landon Lueck, MJ Garrett, Randy Barry, Susie Meiste
- Season 12 - Fresh Meat: Darrell Taylor, Aviv Melmed
- Season 13 - The Duel: Wes Bergmann, Jodi Weatherton
- Season 14 - The Inferno 3: Abram Boise, Derrick Kosinski, Evelyn Smith, Janelle Casanave, Kenny Santucci, Tonya Cooley
- Season 15 - The Gauntlet III: Frank Roessler, Jillian Zoboroski, Johanna Botta, Nehemiah Clark, Rachel Moyal, Tori Hall
- Season 16 - The Island: Derrick Kosinki, Evelyn Smith, Johnny Devenanzio, Kenny Santucci
- Season 17 - The Duel II: Evan Starkman, Rachel Robinson
- Season 18 - The Ruins: Derrick Kosinski, Evan Starkman, Johnny Devenanzio, Kenny Santucci, Susie Meister
- Season 19 - Fresh Meat II: Landon Luek, Carley Johnson
- Season 20 - Cutthroat: Brad Fiorenza, Dunbar Merrill, Tori Hall, Tyler Duckworth
- Season 21 - Rivals: Johnny Devenenzio, Tyler Duckworth, Evelyn Smith, Paula Meronek
- Season 22 - Battle of the Exes: Johnny Devenanzio, Camila Nakagawa
- Season 23 - Battle of the Seasons: Ashley Kelsey, Frank Sweeney, Sam McGinn, Zach Nichols
- Season 24 - Rivals II: CT Tamburello, Wes Bergmann, Emily Schromm, Paula Meronek
- Season 25 - Free Agents: Johnny Devenanzio, Laurel Stucky
- Season 26 - Battle of the Exes II: Jordan Wiseley, Sarah Rice
- Season 27 - Battle of the Bloodlines: Cara Maria Sorbello, Jamie Banks
- Season 28 - Rivals III: Johnny Devenanzio, Sarah Rice
- Season 29 - Invasion of the Champions: CT Tamburello, Ashley Mitchell
- Season 30 - XXX: Dirty 30: Jordan Wiseley, Camila Nakagawa
- Season 31 - Vendettas: Cara Maria Sorbello
- Season 32 - Final Reckoning: Ashley Mitchell, Hunter Barfield
- Season 33 - War of the Worlds: Turabi 'Turbo' Camkiran
- Season 34 - War of the Worlds 2: CT Tamburello, Dee Nguyen, Jordan Wiseley, Rogan O'Connor
- Season 35 - Total Madness: Jennifer West, Johnny Devenanzio
- Season 36 - Double Agents: Amber Borzotra, CT Tamburello
- Season 37 - Spies, Lies, & Allies: Ct Tamburello, Kaycee Clark
- Season 38 - Ride or Dies: Devin Walker-Molaghan, Tori Deal
- Season 39 - Battle for a New Champion: Emanuel Neagu
Averey teased that she eventually found her pack after leaning on some of her more experienced pals for support.
"I did come into a season with some really good friends. My two closest friends would be Derek [Chavez] and Ryan [Kehoe], and luckily, they're both on Era 2 and they have a lot of connections throughout the whole Eras. The people I did know did help me a lot," the TV personality added.
Averey started her reality TV career starring on The Real World: Portland in 2013.
She returned to the small screen for numerous seasons of The Challenge thereafter, taking a break after Rivals III aired in 2016 and returning for All Stars 4 last year.
Read More on The US Sun
Averey has since been focusing on her gig as a Hooters Girl and is gearing up to compete in the Miss Hooters International Pageant 2024 on August 22.
The Challenge: Battle of the Eras premieres on Wednesday at 8 pm Eastern on MTV and will stream the next day on Paramount Plus.
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