After 72,000 miles around the globe, married parents Chip & Kim landed in Dallas, Texas to win THE AMAZING RACE. Starting in the Philippines, Teams struggled in a grueling climb up a sheer limestone cliff that resulted in the elimination of intrepid bowling moms Linda & Karen. The final three Teams, led by dating couple Colin & Christie, made their way to frigid Canada, where they took a thrilling luge ride before heading to Dallas. A fog bank brought good fortune for Chip & Kim, who snagged the earliest flight to Texas by themselves and went on to win THE AMAZING RACE.
RACE TO EL NIDO
Departing the Pit Stop in first place at 3:46 am, Chip & Kim opened their clue instructing them to make their way to Luneta Park and find the next Route Marker at the statue of Philippine hero and philosopher Jose Rizal. Leaving the Coconut Palace ten minutes later, Linda & Karen had difficulty finding a taxi and surrendered their second-place standing to dating Christians Brandon & Nicole, who found one easily when they departed the Pit Stop one minute later. Only five minutes behind, last-place Colin & Christie, with revenge on their mind, left the Coconut Palace carrying plenty of cash, having acquired it from the kindness of strangers during the Pit Stop.
Arriving at the statue of Jose Rizal in first place, Chip & Kim opened their next clue, discovering they needed to take one of two charter flights to the island village of El Nido. The first charter flight with room for two Teams was scheduled to leave at 10:45 am, while the second charter with the remaining two Teams would depart 45 minutes later. Once in El Nido, Teams had to travel to the boat dock and choose a marked boat to take them to a buoy where their next clue waited.
With the other Teams arriving at the statue in close succession, the race for the airport became critical as everyone vied for a spot on the first charter. Signing up first, Chip & Kim celebrated their lead and Brandon & Nicole soon joined the festivities by taking the other spot on the first charter. Disappointed bowling moms Linda & Karen were relegated to the second charter along with Colin & Christie, who arrived last at the airport.
WHATEVER IT TAKES
Landing in the lush island village of El Nido, Chip & Kim and Brandon & Nicole hired a jeepney to take them to the harbor. Marveling at the beautiful mountains surrounded by crystal blue water, the two Teams arrived at the harbor and boarded separate boats to take them to the buoy. Reaching it first, Brandon & Nicole opened their clue and learned that they were to use binoculars provided in their boats to search the shore of three islands for three separate flags. The cluebox on the island next to the Philippine national flag contained their next clue, while the clues on the other two islands told them to try again. Choosing the correct island was important, as the distance by boat between each island is 20 minutes.
Instead of making a choice of their own, Brandon & Nicole followed Chip & Kim to the first island, when the married parents decided which flag represented the Philippines. After discovering they had chosen incorrectly, Chip & Kim didn't enjoy the tagalong Christians as both Teams headed to a second island. Landing on the shore, Chip opened the envelope to find the next clue instructing them to find a flag along the shoreline of the island. Once there, they needed to put on snorkel gear to search the South China Sea for one of four giant clams containing their next clue. Instead of telling the dating Christians that this was the correct island, Chip lied, but Brandon & Nicole, appalled at Chip's behavior, soon realized this when the married parents took off searching the shoreline.
While Colin & Christie and Linda & Karen landed in El Nido and raced neck and neck to the buoy, Chip & Kim and Brandon & Nicole donned their snorkel gear and began to scour the ocean floor. When Nicole found a giant clam, she struggled to tread water, prompting Chip to swim to her for help. After Chip's earlier subterfuge, Brandon & Nicole both thought he was trying to steal their clue and told him to back off. Swimming ashore, the dating Christians opened their clue to find a Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one Team member had to use a device called an ascender to pull themselves 150 feet up the side of a limestone cliff, Lagen Wall. Upon completing the ascent, they would receive their next clue and rappel 150 feet back down to their partner. With Brandon and Chip opting to perform the Roadblock, both Teams headed in their boats to Lagen Wall.
In a battle against elimination, Linda & Karen, having followed Colin & Christie to one of the wrong islands, made a bold move and broke away from the dating couple as both Teams went to opposite islands for their next choice. Playing the odds, Linda said, "What the hell. We'll either lose or we'll win." The gamble paid off as the bowling moms found their clue, putting Colin & Christie squarely in last place. Linda & Karen took advantage of their lead by quickly finding their clue in the giant clam just as Colin & Christie pulled ashore.
HITTING THE WALL
Arriving at Lagen Wall at the same time, Chip and Brandon began the grueling battle to ascend the limestone wall. Brandon's athleticism paid off handsomely as he took a lead over Chip, who struggled to lift his weight up the rope. As Linda & Karen arrived at the Roadblock with a worried Karen set to climb, Brandon reached the top and rappelled back down. Opening their clue, the dating Christians received instructions to take a two-person kayak and paddle themselves to the other side of Lagen Wall to the beach at Lagen Island, the Pit Stop for this leg of the Race.
As Karen struggled and her teammate Linda offered shouts of encouragement, Chip finally reached the top of Lagen Wall. As Chip began his descent, Kim, on the lookout from the beginning, finally saw Colin & Christie's boat on the horizon. As the married parents got into their kayak, Colin & Christie reached Lagen Wall with a strong competitive fire. As Colin put on the protective gear, a tearful Christie gushed, "There's no one else I'd rather be here with right now."
Paddling to the shore of Lagen Beach, Brandon & Nicole stepped onto the mat in first place. Phil informed the dating Christians that, for their efforts, they had won a vacation to the sunny Caribbean, compliments of American Airlines' website, AA.com, along with a chance at one million dollars in the final leg. Ecstatic second-place Chip & Kim joined the dating Christians in the finals.
At Lagen Wall, the fight to avoid elimination reached its peak as Karen desperately fought off fatigue. The more athletic Colin, fueled by his strong competitive fire, methodically climbed the rope, closing the gap between him and Karen. As Colin passed her, Karen put up one last fight to climb higher, but in the end, it wasn't enough. As dating couple Colin & Christie kayaked to a third-place finish, a tearful Karen shouted, "I'm sorry, Linda!" Still encouraging her partner, Linda yelled, "Your kids are going to be so proud of you!"
Stepping onto the mat in last place on the beach of Lagen Island, bowling moms Linda & Karen became the eighth and final Team eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE. On her incredible partner, Linda remarked, "Karen is an awesome friend. She put up with me like my husband does, and that takes a hell of a big person, and I love her." Through her tears, Karen said, "I'm glad that I got to spend this truly amazing adventure with my friend Linda. I love Linda, and I'll love her forever."
BEGINNING OF THE END
Leaving Lagen Island in first place at 3:16 am, dating Christians Brandon & Nicole opened their clue, which instructed them to fly nearly 8,000 miles to Calgary, Canada, take a taxi 80 miles to Lookout Mountain, and put on snowshoes to hike 1,000 feet to the top of the Continental Divide for their next clue. The dating Christians watched their lead disappear as both married parents Chip & Kim and dating couple Colin & Christie joined them on the same flight to Calgary.
Landing in snowy Calgary, Colin & Christie took an early lead in a dash for the taxis, while Chip & Kim brought up the rear. Setting the pace, Colin & Christie arrived at Lookout Mountain in first place--with Brandon & Nicole close behind--put on their snowshoes, and began an ascent made more difficult by thin air and frosty conditions. Christie struggled and wanted to rest, which prompted Colin to yell at her, but the pair made it to the top of the Continental Divide ahead of Brandon & Nicole.
Opening their clue, the dating couple learned they had to travel 80 miles to Canada Olympic Park and find the Olympic Cauldron for the next Route Marker. As the young, athletic Teams breezed down the mountain, Chip & Kim, solidly in last place, began their climb. With a resilient Kim in the lead, the pair fought through fatigue to reach the top of Lookout Mountain. However, the married parents watched their deficit increase as they waited for a cab at the base of the mountain.
OLYMPIC DETOUR
Arriving at Canada Olympic Park in first place, Colin & Christie discovered their final Detour. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between "Slide" and "Ride." Teams choosing Slide must perform a terrifying two-man luge down the Olympic Track at speeds up to 40 miles per hour, needing to complete the course in 34 seconds, the accepted competitive time for amateurs. If they failed, they had to keep trying until they hit the target time. Teams choosing Ride took mountain bikes on a slalom course down the Olympic ski slope in under three minutes. If they failed to finish in the required time, they must keep trying. While not as scary as luge, this task required bike riding skills and speed to finish in three minutes.
As Colin & Christie headed to the luge track, Brandon & Nicole made their way to the slalom course. Colin & Christie took a wild ride down the icy track and completed the luge course in 30.26 seconds to earn their next clue, which instructed them to fly 3,000 miles to Dallas, Texas and find the Fort Worth Stockyards. Meanwhile, on the slalom course, Nicole struggled to keep control of her bike. After failing to finish in the required three minutes, the dating Christians tried again. Nicole's terror of biking down the mountain took over as she began crying and threw down her bike, shouting, "I can't do this!" Trying to calm his hysterical girlfriend, Brandon offered to do the luge, to which she tearfully agreed. On their first try down the track, Brandon & Nicole finished in 30.41 seconds, prompting Nicole to ask, "Why did we ever do the bikes?"
As Chip & Kim finally arrived at Canada Olympic Park, Colin & Christie entered the Calgary Airport in hopes of extending their lead. Because all counters were closed, the dating couple called different airlines and determined that the fastest route to Dallas was on American Airlines Flight 848, which they booked. Arriving soon after, Brandon & Nicole snagged tickets on the same flight, and both Teams went to a hotel for the night as fog rolled in. At the hotel, the always-sharp Colin began calling to arrange a car to meet him and Christie when they landed in Dallas. The two Teams also decided to box some extra belongings to check in at the airport to lighten the loads they in their packs.
A HUGE BREAK
On the luge track, Chip & Kim found the task far more difficult than the previous two Teams. Finally, after two crashes that sent the couple skidding down the track, Chip & Kim completed the course in 32.99 seconds and hurried off to the airport with hopes of catching up. On the phone with American Airlines, Kim received news that Flight 848 would be delayed two hours because of the heavy fog. This made a United flight connecting through Denver the best option, landing in Dallas at 1:06 pm, which the married parents promptly booked. At the hotel, Chip & Kim, realizing that the other Teams didn't know of the delay, said nothing, letting the Teams assume everyone was on the same flight.
Sneaking out of the hotel early, Chip & Kim checked in for their United Flight. When Brandon & Nicole and Colin & Christie arrived at the airport to find their American flight delayed, they discovered the United flight was completely booked. An excited Chip exclaimed, "This could be the break of the Race!" Chip's happiness turned to distress when enough space opened for both Teams to join the married parents on the flight to Denver. A disappointed Chip said, "Ain't that a bitch?" From Denver to Dallas, Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole booked an American Airlines flight that would land 18 minutes later than Chip & Kim, but hoped to get on their United flight during the layover in Denver. However, in Denver, Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole received a nasty shock when they found out the bags they checked in on their American flight from Calgary meant that they couldn't switch to United in Denver. When offering to ditch the bags, they learned that they could not do that according to FAA rules.
THE WINNERS
Landing in Dallas, Texas with an 18-minute lead, Chip & Kim made their way to the Fort Worth Stockyards. When they arrived, the married parents discovered an elaborate maze that held the final clue of THE AMAZING RACE in a locked box. The key to unlock the box was hidden within the complex labyrinth. As Chip & Kim struggled to orient themselves within the maze, Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole landed in Dallas. The two Teams made up time as Chip & Kim continued to wind through the maze, unable to find the key. As Colin & Christie neared the stockyards, Chip & Kim unlocked the box and opened their last clue instructing them to return to Dallas, find Trammell Crow Park, and run across the finish line.
As Chip & Kim became stuck in gridlock traffic, methodical Colin & Christie breezed through the maze and found their key. Urging their driver to "get creative," Colin & Christie tried to overtake Chip & Kim in the race to the finish line. By weaving through traffic and driving on the shoulder of the freeway, Colin & Christie gave it their best shot, but in the end, it wasn't enough. Arriving at Trammell Crow Park in first place, married parents Chip & Kim ran through the park amid the cheers of previously eliminated Teams. As Chip & Kim stepped onto the mat, Phil informed the tearful couple that, after six continents, 11 countries and 72,000 miles, they had won THE AMAZING RACE.
Finishing in second place were dating couple Colin & Christie. On the mat, a choked up Colin, referring to Christie, remarked, "I love her so much, and that's all that's important to me: Christie." About her partner, a tearful Christie said, "I just want Colin to know there's no one I'd rather spend my life with."
Arriving in third place, dating Christians Brandon & Nicole reflected on their relationship. Nicole commented, "I want Brandon to know that I've really fallen more in love with him over the course of this Race." Brandon added, "I'm so proud of Nicki. We're blessed, and I think the best is yet to come."
On their incredible win, Chip remarked, "Running THE AMAZING RACE taught me that no matter what, you can't quit." Kim added, "It was our dream and our destiny and we made it." About her partner, Kim said, "I love him even more. I didn't think I could love him as much as I love him now." As a final thought, Chip added, "She cried tears of joy. That's my happiest time when she does that. It makes us even stronger to know that nothing is impossible."
