Author Topic: Racing report, China Rush 2010, leg 1  (Read 4065 times)

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Offline maf

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Racing report, China Rush 2010, leg 1
« on: September 17, 2010, 01:04:09 AM »
I found myself missing the racing reports which mswoods makes for the American version. And then I though "How hard can it be":duno: (famous last words). Anyway here is my first attempt. Please let me know in the comments if there is any interest in this so I know if I should continue with the other episodes. So without further ado...


Racing report
Amazing Race China Rush
Season 1, Episode 1

Disclaimer: I do not speak any Asian language, and furthermore is English not my first language so I am sure I will make mistakes.

I have tried to estimate distances and driving times every now and then. This data, from Google, is an approximation at best and the driving times assumes no traffic.

The race starts at the China Pavilion at the 2010 world expo in Shanghai. Here 10 teams will embark on a race across the country for the chance to win a trip around the world. That is their price is something which the contestants of the American version gets for free just by participating.

Teams arrive by boat and are:
  • Charlie & Rachel, Flirtatious friends from Australia and USA
  • Deepak & Naresh, Best friends from India
  • Janis & Aleksandra, Reality TV stars from Latvia
  • Sarah & Molly, Ultramarathon runners from UK and USA
  • Paul & Francis, Massai warriors from Kenya
  • Sean & Amy, newly dating from the USA
  • Miguel & Hector, Best friends from Mexico
  • Bonnie & Mel, Expat housewives from USA
  • Rick & Josh, Best friends from Australia
  • Lisa & Karen, Working moms (Momshells) from USA and Canada

The first task is to take the subway to the Shanghai south train station. On the way the teams learn that the banknotes they have been given are too big to be accepted in the ticket vending machines.

Once at the station teams should find the lady with an orange umbrella which will hand out tickets to one of two trains to Ningbo, which is 172km away.

The first trains departs 17:58 and arrives at 21:05 and carries:
   1. Charlie & Rachel
   2. Lisa & Karen
   3. Miguel & Hector
   4. Deepak & Naresh
   5. Paul & Francis

The second train departs at 18:35 and arrives at 21:24 and contains:
   6. Sean & Amy
   7. Sarah & Molly
   8. Rick & Josh
   9. Janis & Aleksandra
  10. Bonnie & Mel

Once in Ningbo the teams travel by taxis to the Zhenbao Fang Restaurant (4.2km 9min) where they will find the road block. Teams arrive at the road block in the following order:

   1. Deepak & Naresh
   2. Charlie & Rachel
   3. Lisa & Karen
   4. Paul & Francis
   5. Sarah & Molly
   6. Miguel & Hector
   7. Bonnie & Mel
   8. Rick & Josh
   9. Janis & Aleksandra
  10. Sean & Amy

The roadblock clue read "Who is ready to come out of their shell". One team member must eat almost all of a small turtle. Teams complete the roadblock in the following order (the star indicates who performs the roadblock).

   1. Deepak & Naresh*
   2. Charlie* & Rachel
   3. Paul & Francis*
   4. Lisa* & Karen
   5. Sarah & Molly*
   6. Janis* & Aleksandra, who used rock-paper-scissors to determine who should do the roadblock.
   7. Rick* & Josh, who went for a walk outside the restaurant to look for the roadblock.
   8. Bonnie & Mel*
   9. Miguel & Hector*
  10. Sean & Amy*

Choice quotes:
 "We are Indians, we eat like this", Deepak
 "It's just a weird chicken burger in China", Sarah
 "I thought the roadblocks had more info than that", Rick & Josh wandering away
 "It's not bad", Mel

The next clue box is 300 meter away at the waterfront. In it teams will find shuttle tickets for a shuttle departing in the morning.

The first shuttle departs at 8:15 and carries:
  1. Charlie & Rachel
  2. Deepak & Naresh
  3. Lisa & Karen

The second shuttle leaves at 8:30 and carries:
  4. Sarah & Molly
  ?. Janis & Aleksandra
  ?. Miguel & Hector

The third shuttle departs at 8:45 and carries:
  7. Paul & Francis
  8. Rick & Josh
  9. Sean & Amy
 10. Bonnie & Mel

The shuttles takes the teams to Tengtou, which is an environmental village approximately 60 minutes outside Ningbo (28km 39min). Once there the clue says they must pick 5 kg of strawberries with their bare hands. Teams complete this challenge in the following order:

  1. Deepak & Naresh
  2. Charlie & Rachel
  3. Lisa & Karen
  4. Sarah & Molly
  5. Janis & Aleksandra
  6. Miguel & Hector
  7. Rick & Josh
  8. Sean & Amy
  9. Paul & Francis
 10. Bonnie & Mel

Teams must now travel by shuttle to Dongqian Lake (38km 1:07) where they will take a golf cart to their next location. The shuttles will depart Tengtou every 20 minutes.

The first shuttle carries:
 1. Deepak & Naresh
 2. Charlie & Rachel
 3. Lisa & Karen

The second shuttle contains:
 4. Sarah & Molly
 5. Janis & Aleksandra
 6. Miguel & Hector

Rick & Josh, Sean & Amy and Paul & Francis are now shown getting on any shuttle so they probably just teleported.

The last shuttle carries:
 10. Bonnie & Mel

At the lake the teams find a paint ball arena staffed by professional players. One team member gets a paint ball gun and the other must rush around and collect ten flags placed at various points in the area. All while under fire from the professionals who are entrenched in fixed positions. There is no penalty for being hit, it just hurts a bit.

Teams complete this in the following order:

  1. Deepak & Naresh
  2. Charlie & Rachel
  3. Lisa & Karen, Karen forgot her bag at the paint ball range so they had to go back and fetch it.
  4. Janis & Aleksandra
  5. Sarah & Molly
  6. Miguel & Hector
  7. Paul & Francis
  8. Sean & Amy
  9. Rick & Josh
 10. Bonnie & Mel

Choice quote:
  "Forget cover, just grab it", Karen to Lisa

Teams must now travel by taxi to Tianyi Ge Pavilion (30km 54min) where they will find the next clue. Teams find the clue in the following order:

  1. Charlie & Rachel
  2. Deepak & Naresh
  3. Rick & Josh
  4. Sean & Amy
  5. Lisa & Karen  (45)
  6. Janis & Aleksandra
  7. Sarah & Molly
  8. Paul & Francis, who after having trouble communicating with the locals copied the name of the courtyard they were looking for to a piece of paper to overcome the language barrier. Good thinking.
  9. Bonnie & Mel
 10. Miguel & Hector

choice quote:
  "Francis, we don't actually know how to stop a taxi", Paul

The clue reads "Travel by taxi to the waterside park next to Ningbo grand theater" (3km 8min). Once there they will find a puzzle which they have to complete. The puzzle consists of 100 square pieces and forms a picture of the performance hall of the theatre. The puzzle seems quite hard.

Teams reach the puzzle in the following order:

 1. Charlie & Rachel
 2. Deepak & Naresh
 3. Rick & Josh
 4. Sean & Amy
 5. Lisa & Karen
 6. Bonnie & Mel
 ?. Miguel & Hector
 ?. Sarah & Molly
 ?. Janis & Aleksandra
 ?. Paul & Francis

Teams complete the puzzle in the following order:

  1. Charlie & Rachel
  2. Sean & Amy
  3. Rick & Josh
  4. Sarah & Molly
  5. Lisa & Karen
  6. Janis & Aleksandra
  7. Bonnie & Mel
  8. Miguel & Hector
  9. Deepak & Naresh
 10. Paul & Francis

The clue reads "Travel on foot to the main feature building of the theatre and check in at the pitstop". Teams reach the pitstop in this order:

  1. Charlie & Rachel, win a trip to Hangzhou.
  2. Sean & Amy
  3. Rick & Josh
  4. Sarah & Molly
  5. Lisa & Karen
  6. Janis & Aleksandra
  7. Bonnie & Mel
  8. Miguel & Hector
  9. Deepak & Naresh
 10. Paul & Francis, are saved by a non-elimination, but get a speed bump.

According to the behind the scenes documentary Charlie & Rachel were faster than anticipated and arrived at the pitstop before it was ready. They had to wait a bit before everything was set up so they could film their arrival.

Next week there will be canals, archery and climbing of rope ladders.

Edited to correct roadblock performer
« Last Edit: October 15, 2010, 09:37:30 AM by maf »

Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Racing report, China Rush 2010, leg 1
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2010, 01:34:54 PM »
Love it!! :hearts:

Feel free to add in any of my screencaps for illustration if you want!!
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Offline DrRox

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Re: Racing report, China Rush 2010, leg 1
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2010, 02:53:58 PM »
Terrific report, maf!!!!
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