'Amazing Race' Contestants Christina Hsu and Azaria Azene Wed

"I can't explain it – the gift of true love," Hsu says. "I feel very lucky"

Photo: CBS/Landov (2)

When Ron Hsu, 61, and his daughter Christina, 29, first competed on The Amazing Race, they came in second place despite major communication issues. While they didn’t make it to the final Pit Stop on Unfinished Business, the father-daughter team approached their “second-in-a-lifetime opportunity” with an emphasis on the journey rather than the finish line. After their elimination on Sunday’s episode, Ron and Christina spoke with PEOPLE about the detour that did them in, enjoying the local cuisine, and what it was like for Ron to walk Christina down the aisle to her most important Pit Stop yet – the wedding altar! – where she married her fellow season 12 competitor Azaria Azene this spring.

You just couldn’t find those ‘holy men!’
Ron: I was going for the gusto! I thought holy men should be near the holy river of Ganges and that was my downfall. I walked from one end of the river to the other. I should have gone back to the starting point.
Christina: The Roadblocks are the most difficult on The Race because you are separated from your partner and you can’t help each other out. It was really nerve-wracking when the Cowboys showed up.

You two really seemed to enjoy yourselves this time around.
Christina: We made a point to keep things in perspective. We decided to do the second-chance Race because we wanted to spend more time together. It’s about the experience and taking quality time out. That really helped contribute to our game – just relaxing and taking in the experience.
Ron: We tried to savor the moments. Like instead of going to the airport and waiting six hours for a flight, we would go in to town and see the sights if possible.

Speaking of savoring, Ron, you enjoyed a lot of local cuisine on The Race.
Ron: I like to be adventurous and see what unique flavors that they have. And on the super-legs, we were much more famished because you were expecting food at the Pit Stop but then Phil gives you a clue and tells you to keep going. So I tried to take advantage of the most economical options to save money – city street food.

And congratulations are in order, Christina, on your March wedding. How did your relationship with Azaria blossom after season 12?
Christina: After filming we would talk on the phone as friends and now we’ve been together for over three years. I can’t explain it – the gift of true love. I feel very lucky. We have a lot of common goals and values and we both love traveling, exploring, and growing. We had a great foundation.
Ron: We were so grateful that Christina got to meet her prince on season 12. That’s not a venue where you usually find your soulmate but we just adore Azaria.

What was it like to walk her down the aisle, Ron?
Ron: It was a plethora of emotion that overwhelmed me. I just had to make sure that I didn’t cry. She radiated happiness that was so infectious.
Christina: I was so proud to be escorted down the aisle by my parents. We just had a ball. We’re happy. Married life is good. We are so grateful for the Race bringing us together.