The Amazing Race 14

The Amazing Race 14 is the fourteenth installment of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. This season featured 11 teams of two, with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the world.

The Amazing Race 14
The Amazing Race logo from Seasons 14–22
Presented byPhil Keoghan
No. of teams11
WinnersTamara Tien-Jan "Tammy" & Victor Jih
No. of legs11
Distance traveled40,000 mi (64,000 km)
No. of episodes12[1]
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseFebruary 15 
May 10, 2009
Additional information
Filming datesOctober 31, 2008[2] – November 21, 2008
Season chronology

The season premiered on Sunday, February 15, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and aired on Sunday nights[3] with the season finale on May 10, 2009. The show was again hosted by Phil Keoghan.

Siblings Tamara Tien-Jan "Tammy" and Victor Jih were the winners of the Race and were the first Asian American contestants to win the competition.

The complete season was released on DVD on May 21, 2014.

Production

Development and filming

Teams were brought to the Race's Starting Line at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base in California by Seahawks.

The Amazing Race 14 lasted for 22 days and traveled over 40,000 miles (64,000 km). The teams raced in nine countries, including Romania and the Russian region of Siberia for the first time, as well as Switzerland, Germany, Austria, India, China, and Thailand, with the Finish Line in Maui, Hawaii. In an interview, executive producer Bertram van Munster revealed that the teams took a 13-hour train ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway and got into a Siberian snowstorm with below-zero temperatures.[1][4] He also revealed that the teams suffered extreme climates, intense Roadblocks, and less time in airports, which added up to an exhausting course for the racers. In addition, CBS revealed the Race included the world's second tallest bungee jump, suffocating heat in India, and an Olympic-themed challenge that left the teams "gasping for air."[5]

The show's route map was updated via Google Earth, and according to Bertram van Munster prior to the show's debut, the season included new graphics, a new opening sequence (consequently, the team videos preceding a team's close up are updated throughout the season to reflect tasks that have already been completed), and a tuneup in the musical score (still keeping the key in B flat minor),[4] as well as the use of a split screen to show several scenes at the same time. This season also changed its main team names and route info font from Microgramma to Bank Gothic.

Season 14 introduced a new twist to the U-Turn: the U-Turn in Leg 4 was a Blind U-Turn, in which the team electing to use it did so anonymously; other U-Turns (and the Yields that were replaced) required teams utilizing them to acknowledge their use to subsequent teams. The U-Turn in the second half of Leg 10 was a normal U-Turn.

Leg 10 was a double-length leg, a surprise feature of every Race from Season 6 to Season 10 but has not been seen since; however, this double-length leg was the first where it was revealed to the teams at a location that was explicitly called a Pit Stop but teams were not warned of an elimination in the clue. In previous seasons, teams were either given some implicit reference to a Pit Stop, such as "go and meet Phil Keoghan at the mat" and were handed their next clue by Keoghan or were given a clue to continue racing at a clue box where a clue directing teams to the Pit Stop would have been expected. This time however, after checking in, teams were told "this leg of the Race is not over" and were given a clue to continue racing.

Mel & Mike confirmed in a post-show interview that there was an unaired, unused, Fast Forward in Leg 7 that involved purchasing items for an orphanage using the team's own money.[6] This was the first season ever where no team took the Fast Forward option throughout the Race.

The Maui Finish Line was the southernmost finish location in the American version of the Race.

Cast

Applications were due on May 28, 2008. Semi-finalist interviews were held sometime in June 2008, and the final casting interviews were held in Los Angeles around late June or early July 2008. Scouting for locations was performed during August. Filming took place during November 2008.

One member of the cast, Luke Adams, was the first deaf contestant in the American series and relied on his mother Margie Adams to communicate in the Race.[7] (The Amazing Race Asia 2 winner Adrian Yap was the only other deaf Amazing Race contestant.)[8] Margie & Luke had originally applied to be on The Amazing Race 8 (along with two other family members), but ended up being one of the last families cut.[9] Mike White had originally been chosen to participate on The Amazing Race 13 with director Jon Kasdan, but the latter dropped out before filming. The show's casting director wanted White for Season 14 and he was ultimately paired with his father for the Race.[10]

As of 2013, Amanda & Kris were married, and Jen is married and has a daughter. In 2015, Jaime married MLB player Evan Longoria and has two children.[11] Cara was married and then divorced, and has since remarried and had a daughter too.

Future appearances

Amanda & Kris, Mel & Mike, Kisha & Jen, Margie & Luke, and Jaime & Cara raced again in The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business among a cast made up of returning teams from seasons 12–17. Margie & Luke also competed in the second All-Star edition.

Outside of The Amazing Race, Victoria Hunt appeared on the TLC reality show Extreme Cheapskates in 2012.[12] Mike White later competed in his third reality TV appearance on the thirty-seventh season of Survivor, entitled David vs. Goliath, and finished as the first runner-up.[13]

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Team Relationship Position (by leg) Roadblocks
performed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7ƒ 8 9 104 11
Tammy & Victor Siblings/Lawyers 2nd 1st 8th 3rd 2nd 1st 1st 3rd 2nd 3rd 1st 1st Tammy 5, Victor 6
Jaime & Cara Former NFL Cheerleaders 7th 6th 7th 5th 3rd 5th 2nd 2nd 4th 1st 3rd 2nd Jaime 6, Cara 5
Margie & Luke Mother/Son 1st 4th 4th 4th 1st 4th 4th 1st 3rd 2nd 2nd 3rd Margie 5, Luke 6
Kisha & Jen Sisters 8th 7th 3rd 2nd 6th 3rd 5th 4th2 1st 4th 4th Kisha 5, Jen 5
Mark & Michael Brothers/Stuntmen 3rd 8th 5th 7th 5th 6th 3rd1 5th3 5th Mark 5, Michael 3
Mel & Mike Father/Son 4th 2nd 1st 6th 4th 2nd 6th Mel 3, Mike 3
Christie & Jodi Flight Attendants 10th 9th 6th 1st 7th 7th Christie 3, Jodi 3
Amanda & Kris Dating 5th 3rd 2nd 8th Amanda 1, Kris 3
Brad & Victoria Married 6th 5th 9th Brad 0, Victoria 3
Steve & Linda Married 9th 10th Steve 1, Linda 1
Preston & Jennifer Dating 11th Preston 1, Jennifer 0
  • A red team placement indicates that the team was eliminated.
  • A green ƒ indicates that the team won a Fast Forward clue. If placed next to a leg number, this indicates that the Fast Forward was available for that leg but not used.
  • An underlined blue team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg and had to perform a Speed Bump task in the following leg.
  • Italicized results indicate the position of the team at the midpoint of a two-episode leg.
  • A brown ⊃ means the team chose to use a U-Turn; indicates the team who received it.
  1. ^ Mark & Michael initially arrived 1st, but were issued two 30-minute penalties totalling 1-hour (one for intentionally tampering with the bike pumps and hiding them at the 2 Miles Detour, and another for hiring a taxi to guide them through the task, which was explicitly prohibited in the clue). With approximately 4 minutes left of their penalty time, Tammy & Victor and Jaime & Cara checked in during their penalty time, dropping Mark & Michael to 3rd.
  2. ^ Kisha & Jen initially arrived 3rd, but were not allowed to check in because they had left their travel documents and money at the location of the Roadblock; they were instructed to retrieve them before they could check in again. Tammy & Victor checked in while Kisha & Jen went back, dropping them to 4th; Mark & Michael also arrived during this time, but were unable to check in due to penalties accumulated during the Leg (see note 3).
  3. ^ Mark & Michael initially arrived 4th, but were issued two 2-hour penalties, both for "using personal belongings to settle a bill" (they had bartered personal items to pay two taxi fares). With approximately 3 hours 10 minutes remaining of the penalty time, Kisha & Jen checked-in during their penalty time, dropping Mark & Michael to last place; however, they were notified the Leg was non-elimination, and the remaining penalty would be assessed at the start of the next Leg.
  4. ^ Leg 10 is a double-length leg. It featured a Virtual Pit Stop, and had two Detours and two Roadblocks shown over two episodes.

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.

  1. "Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me" – Mel
  2. "Your Target is Your Partner's Face" – Instructions for the "Austrian Folly" Detour option
  3. "I'm Not Wearing That Girl's Leotard!" – Luke
  4. "It Was Like a Caravan of Idiots" – Mike
  5. "She's a Little Scared of Stick, But I Think She'll Be OK!" – Victor
  6. "Alright Guys We're at War!" – Mark
  7. "Gorilla? Gorilla?? Gorilla???" – Victor
  8. "Rooting Around in People's Mouths Could Be Unpleasant" – Phil Keoghan
  9. "Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death" – Victor in Mandarin Chinese
  10. "Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This" – Cara
  11. "No More Mr. Nice Guy" – Victor[14]
  12. "This is How You Lose a Million Dollars" – Jaime

Prizes

The prize for each Leg is awarded to the first place team for that Leg. All trips are sponsored by Travelocity.

^5 Jaime revealed in a post-show interview that she and Cara were awarded jet skis for coming in first at the midpoint of Leg 10.[15]

Elimination Station

After elimination, the first six teams eliminated were sequestered at a villa in Ko Samui, Thailand to await the finale. CBS posted short videos on its website after each episode aired in the Pacific time zone to show the eliminated teams interacting at the villa.

  • After Leg 1, Preston & Jennifer were the first team eliminated and were sent to the villa. They expressed their disappointment at being eliminated first and believed that Steve & Linda would be eliminated next. They also discussed who they believe are strong teams and got into an argument over the factors that led to their elimination.
  • After Leg 2, Steve & Linda were the second team eliminated and were sent to the villa. Steve openly complained about Preston & Jennifer refusing to form an alliance with him and Linda during the first leg, which irritated Preston. Later in the day, the two eliminated teams decided to take a trip to a local snake farm, and then went out to eat. They then predicted that either Christie & Jodi or Jaime & Cara would be the next team eliminated.
  • After Leg 3, Brad & Victoria were the third team eliminated and were sent to the villa. Their arrival surprised the other two eliminated teams. While recounting the events leading to her and Brad's elimination, Victoria broke down into tears. Tensions developed between Steve & Linda and Preston & Jennifer during the conversation, as Jennifer was perceived as an incessant talker, even interrupting Linda at one point. The next morning, the three eliminated teams visited a Buddhist temple, receiving a blessing of good luck from a monk.
  • After Leg 4, Amanda & Kris were the fourth team eliminated and were sent to the villa. They talked about what happened during the Leg, erroneously deducing that it was either Christie & Jodi or Kisha & Jen who had U-Turned them. Afterward, the four eliminated teams went to the beach to celebrate Loy Krathong.
  • Leg 5 was a non-elimination leg, hence no new teams were sent to the villa. The eliminated teams received Thai massages and went ziplining.
  • After Leg 6, Christie & Jodi were the fifth team eliminated and were sent to the villa. They first told Amanda & Kris that it was Margie & Luke who U-Turned them, which came as a shock to everyone. Tension developed between Steve and the rest of the group, especially Preston & Jennifer. Steve accused the group of shunning him and Linda, leading to an argument.
  • After Leg 7, Mel & Mike were the sixth team eliminated and were sent to the villa. They noted how the remaining teams on the Race are becoming more competitive. Afterward, everyone went shopping at a nearby marketplace. Tension continued to grow between Preston & Jennifer when Preston became irritated with her over her buying another purse.
  • Leg 8 was a non-elimination leg, so no new teams were eliminated. Due to their constant arguing, Preston & Jennifer chose to spend some time away from each other. The eliminated teams spent the day snorkeling and kayaking at an island.
  • After Leg 9, Mark & Michael were the seventh team eliminated. Before receiving a phone call from the latest team that was eliminated, the eliminated teams at the villa went on a safari, most notably riding an elephant. Afterward, Mark & Michael called the villa to inform the other teams of their elimination and told them of the time penalties that led to their elimination. All teams agreed that they wanted to see Jaime & Cara eliminated next.
  • Leg 10 was a double-length leg, shown over two episodes. A new episode of Elimination Station was posted after each half aired:
    • The first half ended with a Virtual Pit Stop (no elimination). Elimination Station showed the sequestered teams on their last day at the Elimination Station, where the teams discussed their time together and who they wanted to see win the Race. As the eliminated teams packed for their trip to the End City, each of the teams further reminisced about their stay at the Elimination Station.
    • After the second half of the leg, Kisha & Jen were the eighth and final team eliminated. Elimination Station showed the six eliminated teams arriving at the End City in Maui, Hawaii. After arriving in Maui, the teams checked into a hotel. Once they checked in, they swam and snorkeled at the beach, then returned to the hotel to await a phone call from the eighth team eliminated. The six eliminated teams at the hotel were shocked and disappointed to hear about Kisha & Jen's elimination, especially Preston & Jennifer who wanted them to win. Kisha & Jen told them about what went wrong during the second half of Leg 10 and on the part where they were U-Turned by Tammy & Victor. Kisha & Jen said they wanted to see either Jaime & Cara or Tammy & Victor win, despite having been U-Turned by the latter. Kisha and Jen then told the other eliminated teams that they would meet again at the Finish Line before hanging up. The eliminated teams then shared their thoughts about the upcoming final leg of the Race, many of them expressing their shock over the fact that Jaime & Cara were one of the final three teams.
  • Leg 11 was the final leg of The Amazing Race 14. Mark & Michael and Kisha & Jen reunited with the other eliminated teams at the Finish Line at King Kamehameha Golf Club. Many teams believed that Tammy & Victor would win the Race, while Kisha & Jen noted that Margie & Luke had gotten more tense with each other. Teams expressed their opinions about the final three teams at the Finish Line along with their joys and disappointments.

Race summary

The Route of the Race
Destinations Air travel    Rail travel    Water travel    Bus travel
Helicopter travel    Bicycle travel    Gondola travel
Route Markers Detour    Roadblock    Fast Forward    U-Turn    Speed Bump    Pit Stop

Leg 1 (United States → Switzerland)

While in Switzerland, teams traveled to Verzasca Dam near Locarno to perform the second-highest commercial bungee jump in the world.

Airdate: February 15, 2009

The first Roadblock of the Race required one team member to bungee jump off the Verzasca Dam, the second highest commercial bungee in the world, at a height of 70 stories in order to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At the Church of Sant'Antonio, teams signed up for one of three departure times for the following morning. When they departed in the next morning, teams would be given a picture from a priest and were left to figure out the next clue was located at Verzasca Dam.
  • At Kleine Rugen Wiese in Interlaken, teams had to transport four 50-pound (23 kg) wheels of cheese from a shed to the bottom of a hill using traditional Swiss cheese carriers. Once the cheese was stacked, they would get their next clue. This task would be featured again in Season 22 as a Switchback.
  • Once in Stechelberg, teams had to listen to a group of yodelers, who would lead them to the Pit Stop mat.
Additional note
  • After the Race began, teams made their way to Los Angeles International Airport to reserve one of two flights. The first flight, which had room for six teams, would travel to Zürich, while the second flight traveled to Milan, Italy 25 minutes later. After arriving in either city, teams had to take a train to Locarno.

Leg 2 (Switzerland → Germany → Austria)

While in Germany, teams visited the lake town of Schönau am Königsee deep in the Bavarian Alps.

Airdate: February 22, 2009

For this Roadblock, one team member had to choose an instructor and tandem paraglide off a mountain 6,000 feet (1,800 m) below to a landing area, where their partner was waiting with their next clue. In the event of unfavorable winds, they had a choice between waiting an undetermined amount of time for optimal conditions or taking a 60-minute hike down the mountain.

The first Detour of the Race was a choice between Balancing Dolly or Austrian Folly. In Balancing Dolly, each team member had to navigate a Segways over a 2-mile (3.2 km) road obstacle course to get their next clue. In Austrian Folly, teams had to enter a party tent and throw Bavarian pies at a target, unaware that their target would be their partner's face. They had to take turns smacking each other in the face until they found a pie with cherry filling to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • Upon arrival in Munich, teams had to drive to the village of Ruhpolding and ride a cable car to Rauschberg for their next clue.
  • After completing the Detour, teams made their way to Holzsäger, a woodcutting workshop. Teams had to wait for the Tyrolean woodcutters to cut a piece of wood. Once teams had their piece of wood, it would be stamped with their next destination.

Leg 3 (Austria → Romania)

Teams ended the leg in Romania in the shadow of Bran Castle in Transylvania, the fabled home of Dracula.

Airdate: March 1, 2009

The Roadblock for this leg was in honor of notable gymnast Nadia Comăneci. For this task, one team member had to go through a series of moves for three gymnastics disciplines: the balance beam, the parallel bars, and floor exercises before receiving their next clue.

The Detour was a choice between Gypsy Moves or Vampire Remains. In Gypsy Moves, teams made their way to a gypsy encampment and had to help a family of gypsies move from one camp to another by loading their belongings on a traditional horse-drawn cart and unloading them at another location to receive their next clue from the head of the family. In Vampire Remains, teams had to drag a chained coffin to a field of stakes in the shadow of Bran Castle. There, they had to undo the coffin's chains to find several antique frames which they then had to impale them by smashing the stakes, referencing Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula, until they found one containing a Race flag that they could trade them for their next clue.

Leg 4 (Romania → Russia)

After arriving in the city of Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, teams were only given a 10 ruble bill and were told to head to the location featured on the banknote: the Krasnoyarsk Dam.

Airdate: March 8, 2009

The Detour for the leg was a choice between Stack or Construct. In Stack, teams had to stack wood into a large wall formation in front of an existing stack. If their wall collapsed into the existing one, they would have to rebuild both. Once the wood was properly stacked, a lumberjack would give them their next clue. In Construct, teams had to travel to a workshop and assemble a local-style window frame, then they have to look for a house marked with a "Repairs Needed" sign and install the window. Once the window was installed, a carpenter would give the teams their next clue.

The Roadblock required one team member to complete a lap on a bobsled roller coaster in under four minutes while looking for seven letters scattered around the track. They then had to arrange the letters correctly (CHEKHOV) in order to receive their next clue.

Additional task

Leg 5 (Russia)

The Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre in the city of Novosibirsk was the fifth Pit Stop of the Race.

Airdate: March 15, 2009

The Detour in this leg was a choice between Russian Bride or Russian Snowplow. For both Detours, teams will have to pick up a Lada car. In Russian Bride, teams drove themselves to the Soviet-era apartment building 4 on Komsomolskaya Street to fetch a Russian bride and bring her to the Voznesensky Cathedral, where her groom was waiting. Once the team had a picture taken with the couple, the groom would give teams their next clue. In Russian Snowplow, teams headed to Stadium Spartak, where each team member took turns driving a snowplow through a marked course while being directed by their partner. When both team members completed the course, they would receive their next clue.

For this Roadblock, one team member had to choose two Russian marathon runners who would help them warm up, before they were stripped down to their underwear and run a 1.4-mile (2.3 km) course to the Pit Stop at Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, where their partner, who was transported there separately, would join them.

Leg 6 (Russia → India)

One of the Detour choices in the 'Pink City' of Jaipur had teams transporting hay alongside its famous city wall, including Zorawar Singh Gate.

Airdate: March 22, 2009

The Roadblock for this leg had to choose group of herding camels belonging to a Maharaja and use traditional tools to load and carry enough hay to the camels so that it could reach a designated marking line, as well as fill a trough with water until it spills out to receive their next clue.

For their Speed Bump, Christie & Jodi had to make their way to Kala Hanuman Temple, where they had to decorate an elephant's face with various paints to the satisfaction of the mahout before they could continue racing.

The Detour was a choice between Movers or Shakers. In Movers, teams headed to the Sanganeri Gate, and have to choose two rickshaws that loaded with barrels of hay. They will then have to transport the hay 1.5 miles (2.4 km) along the City wall of Jaipur. When they reached the Zorawar Singh Gate, they had to search through the hay for a small metal elephant charm which they could then trade it for their next clue. In Shakers, teams make their way to a junction (called Badi Chopar, intersection of Johari Bazar, Tripoli Bazar, Ramganz Bazar and Sireh Deori Bazar Roads). They would be dressed in traditional costumes and joined a local dance troupe to collect 100 (around US$2) worth of tips. They then gave the money they had earned to the band leader for their next clue.

Additional task
  • At the Sacred Tree in Dhula Village, teams had to pick up one of two telephones and calling one of the four telephone numbers provided. The person on the line will then tell the teams the location of their next clue was at Amber Fort.

Leg 7 (India → Thailand)

At the Phuket Zoo, teams had to participate in an elephant show.

Airdate: March 29, 2009

There was an unaired Fast Forward which involved going to a market and buying items for a local orphanage using the team's own cash resources. Once a team bought enough items, they would win the Fast Forward award.[6]

The Detour was a choice between 100 Barrels or 2 Miles. In 100 Barrels, teams had to travel to Pae Yod to prepare a fishing boat for ten days out at sea by filling 47 barrels with water and loading the other 53 barrels on the upper deck. Once the fishing boat was prepared, teams would receive their next clue. In 2 Miles, one team member had to pull a rickshaw, with their partner sitting in it, 2 miles (3.2 km) from Wat Phutta Mongkhon Nimit to King Rama IX Park to find their next clue. Bike pumps were provided with the rickshaws in the event of a flat tire, and teams couldn't hire anyone to guide them.

Additional task
  • Upon arrival in Phuket, teams had to find their next clue using only a photograph of gorilla statue leaving them to figure out that it was located at Phuket Zoo. There, teams would find their clue and were instructed to take a picture with zoo's main mascot, Esso the tiger, then participate in an elephant show, which involved being lightly stepped and squatted on by elephants. When the elephant show concluded, teams had to return to the tiger handler, who would hand them their picture with their next clue.
  • At Nguan Choon Tong Herbs Shop in Old Phuket, teams had to direct by a shopkeeper to open one of 99 boxes of herbs at a time until they found a box that contained their next clue.

Leg 8 (Thailand)

Thailand's traditional long-tail boats were featured in this leg, as teams traveled along Bangkok's series of canal.

Airdate: April 12, 2009

For this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to attach a propeller on a traditional Thai long-tail boat properly in order to receive the next clue.

The leg's Detour was a choice of Broken Teeth or Broken Record. In Broken Teeth, teams make their way to the "Street of Happy Smiles", where they had to match five patients with the correct set of dentures to receive their next clue. In Broken Record, teams had to travel to Wat Samphanthawong and choose a group of kathoeys and a "party taxi". Then, teams had to sing karaoke with the other travelers while the taxi driver drove them 5 miles (8.0 km) through the traffic of Bangkok's Chinatown until they returned to the temple to receive their next clue.

Additional task
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to navigate the waterways of Bangkok in their long-tail boat using a provided map to find the Peninsula Pier for the next clue.

Leg 9 (Thailand → China)

The Roadblock in Guilin required teams to get involved in traditional Chinese method of cormorant fishing in Li River.

Airdate: April 19, 2009

For their Speed Bump, Mark & Michael had to wash and dry the hair of two waiting women outside the Qing Xiu Lu Hair Salon before they could continue racing.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to direct a cormorant to retrieve fish they had thrown in the Li River. Once the cormorant retrieved 10 fishes, teams would receive their next clue.

The Detour was a choice of Choreography or Calligraphy. In Choreography, teams had to perform a traditional dance routine. If their dance was to the satisfaction of two judges, teams would receive their next clue. In Calligraphy, teams had to copy Chinese characters written by a calligrapher at four stations. Once the calligrapher was satisfied with the teams' calligraphy, he stamped their paper, and they proceeded to find the next station, which was named in the characters they had just copied. Once teams acquired all four stamps, they were given their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • An unaired task at the Folded Brocade Mountains required teams to climb to the Peak of the Luminous Moon and strike the "Drums of Life" before receiving their next clue.
  • After completing the Detour, teams had to travel by foot to the Sun and Moon Pagodas in Banyan Lake (provided from the picture in the clue) to find the Pit Stop.

Leg 10 (China)

Both Detour choices in this leg paid tribute to the 2008 Summer Olympics, which was hosted by the city of Beijing, including the usage of swimsuit that worn by Michael Phelps.

Airdate: April 26, 2009

For the first Roadblock, one team member had to drink a cup of Chinese medicinal tea, then endure a traditional therapeutic foot massage for ten minutes. After the massage and another cup of tea, they received their next clue. In the event the racer was unable to bear the painful part of the massage, they would tap one side of their chair and say "uncle" to signal the masseuse to stop; however, the consequence of doing so would result in restarting the massage from the beginning.

The first Detour was a choice between Sync or Swim. In Sync, teams jumped off three-meter springboards and attempt to touch the water in unison. Teams had to score a five from the judges to receive their next clue. In Swim, teams donned a pair of Speedo LZR Racer suits, the same type of suit worn by Michael Phelps (pictured) in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, and then teams had to swim eight lengths of the pool (400 meters) with each team member alternating after two lengths (100 meters). When they swam the whole eight lengths, they received their next clue (Phelps' world record time of 4:03.84 at the 400m individual medley from the 2008 Summer Olympics was shown for comparison, but teams were not required to beat it).

Teams finished this double-length leg in Beijing at Beijing National Stadium, known locally as the 'Bird's Nest', the main venue of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Airdate: May 3, 2009

The second Detour required teams to travel to Huguang Guild Hall before performing either Detours: Beijing Opera or Chinese Waiter. In Beijing Opera, teams made their way to the Huguang Huiguan Opera House. There, they had to apply make-up on each other exactly like the two models next to them. When teams' makeup was approved, they had to go to the stage and bow to the master, who handed them their next clue. After completing the task, teams were required to stay in costume for the duration of the leg. In Chinese Waiter, teams had to travel to Huguang Huiguan restaurant. Once there, they had to record five customer orders, spoken in Mandarin. Then, teams had to take their pad to a chef and pronounce the Mandarin orders correctly to have the chef prepare them. When teams served the plates to the customers, they received their next clue.

The second Roadblock required one team member to eat a plate of four fried Chinese delicacies, a grasshopper, beetle larvae, a scorpion, and a starfish, to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At Beihai Street Mall, teams had to search several stores for a Travelocity Roaming Gnome, which had their next clue written on the bottom of its base. Teams had to keep the gnome with them for the duration of the leg.
  • At the northwest corner of the Forbidden City, teams had to locate the electric bicycles, then navigate themselves past the Forbidden City and across Tiananmen Square to Dongdan Station, where they would find their next clue.

Leg 11 (China → United States)

While in Maui, teams prepared puaʻa kālua, a pig roasted in the traditional kalua method.

Airdate: May 10, 2009

In the one aired choice for the final Detour, they had to season a 145-pound (66 kg) pig with island flavoring, then carry it suspended on a bamboo pole 200 yards (180 m) along the beach to a Hawaiian luau. At the luau, they had to properly cover the pig for traditional kalua cooking to receive their next clue.

The final Roadblock of the Race required one team member to search through a pile of more than three hundred surfboards for eleven that displayed a picture depicting a task, location, or person related to the ten previous legs of the raceone from each of the first nine legs, and two for the tenth leg (the remaining surfboards had pictures depicting unrelated objects, some of which were pictures showing tasks from previous seasons). Then, they must arrange the surfboards along a fence in chronological order of their appearance during the Race:

LegPictureTask/Source
1 Saint ChristopherClue at Church of Sant'Antonio
2 Ruhpolding GondolaGondola Ride to Rauschberg
3 GymnastRomanian Gymnastics Roadblock Task
4 10 Ruble billClue at Krasnoyarsk Dam
5 Lada AutomobileNovosibirsk Lada used at the Detour
6 Nose FlutistPit Stop Greeter at Jaipur
7 Esso the TigerClue at Phuket Zoo
8 Long-Tail BoatBoat Riding in Bangkok
9 CormorantGuilin Cormorant Roadblock Task
10 Reflexology Foot ChartBeijing Foot Massage Roadblock Task
Skewered ScorpionsBeijing Delicacies Roadblock Task

When all eleven surfboards were displayed in the correct order, teams would receive their final clue.

Additional tasks
  • At McGregor Point, teams had to get on a personal water craft and ride 1 mile (1.6 km) along a marked path in search of a field of one hundred buoys, where they had to search the buoys for one of four that had their next clue attached.
  • There was an unaired task before the Finish Line that required teams to search for a statue.[17]

Ratings

U.S. Nielsen ratings

# Episode Rating Share Rating/Share
(18-49)
Viewers
(millions)
Rank
(Overall)
1 "Don't Let A Cheese Hit Me" 5.4 9 2.6/7[18] 9.20 #27
2 "Your Target Is Your Partner's Face" 4.4 7[19] 2.6/6[19] 7.81[19] #34
3 "I'm Not Wearing That Girl's Leotard" 6.6 11 3.0/8[20] 10.60 #18
4 "It Was Like a Caravan of Idiots" 6.1 10 3.1/8 10.13 #28
5 "She's a Little Scared of Stick, But I Think She’ll Be OK!" 5.9 10 3.1/8 10.33 #26
6 "Alright Guys, We're at War!" 7.2 11 3.6/9 12.42[21] #15
7 "Gorilla? Gorilla?? Gorilla???" 7.1 11 3.7/9 11.99 #12
8 "Rooting Around in People's Mouths Could Be Unpleasant" 6.2 10 3.1/8[22] 10.57 #18
9 "Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death" 6.1 10 3.0/8 10.30 #20
10 "Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This" 6.0 10 3.2/9 10.27 #17
11 "No More Mr. Nice Guy"[14] 6.8 9 3.2/9 10.84 #20
12 "This is How You Lose a Million Dollars" 7.6 10 3.1/9 12.49 #19

Canadian ratings

# Episode Viewers
(millions)
Rank
(Overall)
1 "Don't Let A Cheese Hit Me" 1.959[23] #5[23]
2 "Your Target Is Your Partner's Face" 1.446[24] #15[24]
3 "I'm Not Wearing That Girl's Leotard" 2.000 #4
4 "It Was Like a Caravan of Idiots" 2.013 #4
5 "She's a Little Scared of Stick, But I Think She’ll Be OK!" 1.868 #8
6 "Alright Guys, We're at War!" 1.943 #5
7 "Gorilla? Gorilla?? Gorilla???" 1.876 #5
8 "Rooting Around in People's Mouths Could Be Unpleasant" 1.559 #10
9 "Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death" 2.070 #6
10 "Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This" 2.178 #2
11 "No More Mr. Nice Guy"[14] 1.986 #5
12 "This is How You Lose a Million Dollars" 2.165 #4
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References

  1. J. Lang, Derrik (2009-01-26). "Meet the new teams on 'The Amazing Race'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  2. "E.S. Anchors To Embark On "Amazing" Trip". CBS. 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  3. "CBS Announced Mid-season Programming Plans". the Futon Critic. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  4. Levin, Gary (2009-02-12). "'The Amazing Race' is back with more scenery, fewer days". USATODAY.com. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
  5. Bracchitta, John (2009-01-26). "CBS reveals 'The Amazing Race's fourteenth season cast identities". Reality TV World.
  6. "Mel & Mike interview". fancast.com. 2009-03-31. Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  7. "Deaf student among 'Amazing Race' hopefuls". Today. January 27, 2009. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  8. "Amazing Race 25: RHAP-Up with Three-Time Racer Luke Adams!". Rob Has a Podcast. November 13, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  9. "TARCON 14 Recap". Television Without Pity. 2009-05-13. Archived from the original on 2009-05-17. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  10. Hartinger, Brent (2009-04-16). "Just Because Mel White of The Amazing Race is Paranoid Doesn't Mean People Don't Want to Kill Him". AfterElton. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  11. "Evan Longoria's wife, former Playmate, files suit over Tampa strip club's use of her image". Tampa Bay Times. February 7, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  12. New, Catherine (October 2, 2012). "Victoria Hunt, 'Extreme Cheapskates' Star, Urinates In Bottle And Eats From Dumpster To Save Money". HuffPost. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  13. Ross, Dalton (December 20, 2018). "Mike White from Survivor says he 'wussed out' at final Tribal Council". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  14. "TAR14 episode list recap page". CBS. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  15. "Jaime and Cara Allege Other Teams Were Fakers". Fancast. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  16. Bracchitta, John (2009-04-20). "Mark and Michael Munoz get eliminated from 'The Amazing Race'". Reality TV World. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  17. Seattlepi.com - Amazing Race's Jaime & Cara - May 11, 2009
  18. Seidman, Robert (2009-02-16). "Sunday Ratings: Desperate Housewives leads a slow Sunday". Tvbythenumbers. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  19. Gorman, Bill (2009-02-23). "Sunday Ratings: Academy Awards Up From Last Year's Record Low". tvbythenumbers. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  20. Ratings, Spotted (2011-12-09). "SpotVault - The Amazing Race Ratings". SpotVault. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  21. "American Idol, Dancing With the Stars and 60 Minutes lead overall viewing - Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  22. "Press Express | Not Available". Cbspressexpress.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  23. "Top Programs – Total Canada (English), February 9–15, 2009" (PDF). BBM Nielsen. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
  24. "Top Programs – Total Canada (English), February 16–22, 2009" (PDF). BBM Nielsen. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
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