Bachelor Brad Finds Love This Time Around

The Bachelor 15, with Brad Womack’s second stint in the lead role, begins January 3. Now that the ending to The Bachelor is posted online weeks before the show even begins airing, watching is more about the “why” than the “who” — the journey rather than the result. And the locations, which this season will include Costa Rica , St. Martin and Anguilla, and South Africa.

SPOILER ALERT: If you don’t want to know, click away now, because the ending is revealed below:

According to Reality Steve, Brad picks “the slapper”, Chantal O’Brien. In second place: Emily Maynard, who Steve says will be the next Bachelorette.

Chantal’s ex-husband is Jason Vena, of the band Acceptance.

Chantal’s father is a former NFL player who now owns the largest group of auto dealerships in Washington state:

[T]he O’Brien Auto Group, the largest and most successful auto dealership in Washington state with 10 stores and 14 franchises and nearly 900 employees. Annual sales exceeded $550 million in 2007.

For your scorecards, here’s a list of the 20 left standing after the “Meet and Greet.”

    Alli Travis: 24, buyer for Abercrombie & Fitch, lives in Ohio.

    Ashley Hebert: 25, Madawaska, Maine. Dental student at Univ. of Pennsylvania. Her ex-boyfriend died shortly before the show.

    Ashley Spivey: 25, nanny from NY, gets the first impression rose, who recently lost her father.

    Britt Billmaier: 24 or 25, Seattle, WA. A chef and former gymnast who works for a food magazine.

    Chantal O’Brien: 28, Mercer Island, WA. Daughter of Mike O’Brien, former Seattle Seahawk and owner of the O’Brien Auto Group chain in the Pacific Northwest, where she works as her dad’s assistant. Married to Jason Vena of the band Acceptance from 2005 – 2009.

    Emily Maynard: 24, Charlotte, North Carolina. Mother of a five year old daughter; the father is the late NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, who died in a plane crash in 2004.

    Jackie Gordon: 27 or 28, from Rhode Island. Works with special needs kids in New York.

    Keltie Colleen: Age not known, Alberta, Canada. Dancer/choreographer, lives in LA, once danced for the Rockettes.

    Kim Coon: 25, Charlotte, North Carolina. Marketing, has a Masters degree, is a former Carolina Panthers cheerleader.

    Lindsay Hill: 25, Frisco, Tx. 1st grade teacher who quit her job to do the show.

    Lisa Morrisey: 24, Kansas City. Former track star.

    Madison Garton: Age uncertain, New York. Associated with the New York Underground Vampire Club.

    Marissa May: 26, Florida: Production Assistant for SUN Sports/FOX Sports Florida.

    Meghan Merritt: 30, former marketing manager for Dolce & Gabbana.

    Melissa Schreiber: 31, waitress in Boca Raton, Fla. Oldest woman on the show.

    Michelle Money: 30, Salt Lake City, UT. Salon stylist, some modeling/acting. Divorced with a five year old daughter.

    Raichel Goodyear: Age uncertain, Orange County, CA. Cosmetologist.

    Sarah Powell: Age uncertain. Realtor.

    Shawntel Newton 24, Chico, California. Mortician and embalmer at her family’s funeral home.

    Stacey Queripel, age uncertain: Bartender in Boston, MA. Has a degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering.

I’m looking forward most to seeing Costa Rica, Anguilla and South Africa. According to the terrific sleuthers at FORT, these are some of the places we’ll see:

    Costa Rica:
    The Springs and The Whale’s tail
    Maybe Venado and Lake Arenal

    Anguilla/St. Martin:
    Sandy Isle, Little Bay,
    The Viceroy
    Bankie Banx’s the Dune Preserve in Anguilla
    Rendevous Bay in Anguilla
    Cheri’s on St. Martin
    Cap Juluca resort
    Yacht Casuarina

    South Africa:
    Blyde River Canyon National Preserve
    Mac Mac Pools
    Lisbon Falls

The four home town dates:

    Charlotte NC – Emily
    Seattle WA – Chantal
    Chico, CA – Shawntell
    Madawashka ME – Ashley H

The final three who go on to South Africa: Chantal, Emily and Ashley H.