The most recent season of The Amazing Race — “Unfinished Business” — was down in the ratings so it wasn’t a big surprise that, at the end of March, CBS renewed the reality competition for just one cycle instead of two. The network ran just one edition during the 2007-08 season so perhaps 2011-12 would have just one as well.

Nope. Don’t unpack yet Phil Keoghan. The Tiffany network has now ordered season 20 of Amazing Race. Number 19 will run this fall on Sunday nights and number 20 will debut sometime in Spring 2012.

Here’s the official press release from CBS:

THIS JUST IN…

…from CBS Entertainment

“THE AMAZING RACE” TO MAKE ITS 20TH TREK AROUND THE GLOBE

Season 19 of the Multi-Emmy Winning Series Will Premiere this Fall on CBS; Season 20 Will Air in Spring 2012

CBS has ordered the 20th installment of the seven-time Emmy Award-winning reality series, THE AMAZING RACE, hosted by Phil Keoghan, for broadcast during the 2011-2012 season.

THE AMAZING RACE concluded its 18th installment, “Unfinished Business,” on May 8, 2011, which featured former fan favorites returning for a second shot at the one million dollar prize. During the season finale, sisters LaKisha Hoffman and Jennifer Hoffman narrowly ousted Herb Lang and Nate Lofton (the Harlem Globetrotters) to win the Race.

Last season’s two editions of THE AMAZING RACE averaged 11.19 million viewers, 3.4/09 in adults 18-49 and 4.4/10 in adults 25-54.

The 19th installment of THE AMAZING RACE will air this fall, Sundays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Season 20 is scheduled for broadcast in spring 2012.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, Elise Doganieri and Mark Vertullo are the executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with ABC Studios and Amazing Race Productions. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

What do you think? Are you glad to hear there will be two editions of The Amazing Race next season? How does this series compare to other reality competitions?

Image courtesy CBS.