Kris & Jon In First ^:)^
All's Well That Ends Well
Kendra discusses her difficulties with the bow and arrow...
A Real Chicken
Kristy was less than thrilled to climb the...
Damaged Goods
Besides the obvious reasons, formerly dating couple...
The Scandinavian tour continued as Teams made their way to Oslo, Norway, where long-distance dating couple Kris & Jon excelled at a Detour of traditional Viking games to earn a first-place finish. Tension arose from a familiar source, married entrepreneurs Jonathan & Victoria, as well as from formerly dating couple Adam & Rebecca, who fought over lost sunglasses. In the end, best friends Meredith & Maria couldn't overcome navigational and driving difficulties, becoming the second Team eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE.
IT'S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE
Departing the Pit Stop at the Blue Lagoon in first place at 4:57 am, dating actors Hayden & Aaron, ripping open their clue, discovered they must fly over 1,000 miles to Oslo, Norway. Once there, they had to drive 35 miles to Holmenkollen Ski Jump to find their next clue. As the sun rose over Iceland, the dating actors' early lead quickly evaporated when all 10 Teams managed to book tickets on the same flight to Oslo, Norway via Copenhagen.
Landing in Oslo, engaged models Freddy & Kendra took an early lead driving out of the airport to the ski jump, while Meredith & Maria struggled because of Maria's difficulties with a stick shift vehicle. However, Freddy & Kendra soon relinquished the lead when they took a wrong exit, but Jonathan & Victoria, grandparents Don & Mary Jean, and father and daughter Gus & Hera couldn't capitalize on the engaged models' mistake, as they became lost as well.
Teams' navigational inadequacies allowed sisters Lena & Kristy, who befriended a local in the airport to guide them, and Kris & Jon to arrive at Holmenkollen Ski Jump battling for first place. Opening their clue, the two Teams discovered their first Roadblock, a task that only one team member can perform. In previous races, Teams chose without restriction which member would complete the Roadblock. Now, no person can perform more than six Roadblocks on the entire race.
Broken Record
Victoria explains the one thing she doesn't...
Along for the Ride
Grandparents Don & Mary Jean weigh in...
Not So Fresh
Lena laments not being able to shower...
In this Roadblock, one team member had to climb to the top of the highest ski jump in Scandinavia and then ride a zipline 1,000 feet to the bottom to receive their next clue. Electing to take the plunge for their Teams, Jon and Kristy jogged up the steps of the imposing ski jump. At the top, a worried Kristy exclaimed, "I'm deathly afraid of heights. I don't do things like this." While Kristy fretted, Jon soared through the air on the zipline to the ground below, where Kris cheered. Opening their clue, the long-distance dating couple learned they must drive over 50 miles to the village of Brandbu and find a traditional Viking village for their next Route Marker. With sister Lena screaming support, a petrified Kristy overcame her fear and completed the task soon after Jon.
ROW YOUR BOAT
As Kris & Jon and Lena & Kristy made their way to the Viking village, the once lost Teams began to appear at the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. Pro wrestler Bolo cruised down the zipline, while a very hesitant Adam shouted, "I love my mom" before jumping off the platform. Soon all the Teams completed the task save Hayden & Aaron, the last leg's victors, who succumbed to bickering when they became lost, and Meredith & Maria, continuing to be hampered by the stick shift and a lack of direction.
Arriving at the Viking Village in first place, Lena & Kristy opened their clue informing them of their overnight stay in the traditional village. In the morning, the 10 Teams would split into two larger Teams of five of their own choice. The two large Teams would then race Viking ships across a fjord to a marked dock, where the next clue awaited. Before settling down for a night's rest, the sisters were treated to another display of Jonathan & Victoria's incessant bickering. Kristy commented, "We actually like Victoria, but Jon is pretty mean to her, so we don't really like him. He's just really aggressive and harsh." Eventually, all 10 Teams arrived at the village, including Meredith & Maria, who remarked, "That was exciting to know that we weren't so far behind."
The following morning, the Teams divided for the race across the fjord. The first Viking boat contained Lori & Bolo, Adam & Rebecca, Hayden & Aaron, Kris & Jon and Lena & Kristy. The second boat held Gus & Hera, Jonathan & Victoria, Meredith & Maria, Freddy & Kendra and Don & Mary Jean. On the arrangement, Bolo commented, "All the strong, in-shape people are going to be on the first boat…so that's going to cause some hell." Indeed, as soon as the Viking sounded his horn to begin the race, the people on this first boat worked in unison, gliding across the water effortlessly.
Meanwhile, Don described the second boat as "the worst rowing crew in the history of rowing." Their lack of teamwork, inflamed by Jonathan yelling at an emotional Meredith, caused the second boat to fall behind. At the other side of the fjord, Teams on the first boat reached the dock and opened their clue instructing them to travel by train nearly 200 miles to the town of Voss. Once there, they had to drive five miles to a marked bridge, where they would find their next clue. Lagging behind, the second boat finally pulled into the dock with Meredith and Freddy both irritated by Jonathan's loud, controlling demeanor. Getting into their marked vehicle, Freddy & Kendra panicked for a moment when they lost their clue, but after searching in vain, they opted to grab a duplicate one from the cluebox.
The drive to the train station proved disastrous for Adam & Rebecca. After Rebecca insisted that Adam take off his sunglasses in the boat, he accidentally left them there. A now-furious Adam shouted, "If you ever tell me to take glasses off again, I'm never going to talk to you the rest of my life," causing Rebecca to cry in silence. At the train station, their fight continued as Rebecca said, "I'm losing my feel for you. It makes me not want to be with you." A remorseful Adam responded, "Rebecca, I don't want you not to love me."
VIKING GAMES
Arriving in Voss, all 10 Teams got off the train and drove to the marked bridge. While Lena & Kristy led the way, Maria struggled once again with the stick shift, putting her and Meredith in last place. Running to the bridge in first place, Lena & Kristy opened their clue to discover a Detour. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between Endurance and Accuracy. Teams choosing Endurance must roller ski through a one and three-quarter mile course to receive their next clue. Teams opting for Accuracy must successfully complete three games traditionally played by the Vikings. In Kubb, teammates had to work together throwing sticks to knock over a circle of eight logs called Kubbs before finally knocking over the king in the center. Then, one Team member must throw an axe into a tree trunk target. Once the axe stuck, the other Team member had to shoot an arrow into a target 30 feet away to earn the next clue.
Initially, most Teams, save for Jonathan & Victoria and Gus & Hera, opted for Endurance. However, while staring at the roller skis and protective pads, they must don, Kris & Jon and Freddy & Kendra thought twice and ran to the grassy field to play Viking games. A stumbling Aaron and a flailing Lori gladly would have switched to Accuracy, but their partners, Hayden and Bolo respectively, glided ahead, encouraging them to continue. Bolo joked about Lori, "I was trying hard not to laugh, but it was hilarious watching her bounce across the pavement a few times." Seeing Aaron struggle and fall down prompted Adam & Rebecca to switch to Accuracy.
In the grassy field, Teams didn't fare much better at the Viking games. The Kubb caused problems for Jonathan & Victoria and Meredith & Maria as both Teams knocked over the king in the center before knocking down the surrounding logs, forcing them to start over. Adam & Rebecca became frustrated enough to change course yet again, returning to the roller skis. Gus & Hera finished the Kubb and wisely chose for Hera to throw the axe, letting Gus, with better aim, to shoot the arrow into the target. Freddy & Kendra, Don & Mary Jean and Jonathan & Victoria did not consider this, forcing Kendra, Mary Jean and Victoria to struggle with the bow and arrow. After Gus shot a bull's eye, he and Hera opened their next clue instructing them to drive 15 miles to Nesheimstunet Village, a 1,000-year old traditional Norwegian farm and Pit Stop for this leg of the race.
As Gus & Hera drove off in first place, Kris & Jon completed the Accuracy Detour, as did Jonathan & Victoria. Lena & Kristy, fourth overall, became the first Team to finish the roller skiing, but made a critical error by taking a wrong turn onto the main road to the Pit Stop.
WRONG TURN, LOST CLUE, STOLEN CAR
Kris & Jon, benefiting from Gus & Hera's having to stop for directions, drove into the Norwegian farm and stepped onto the mat in first place. Phil informed the couple that they had won a seven-night cruise in Alaska, courtesy of Royal Caribbean International, for their efforts. In a sprint to the mat, Jonathan & Victoria edged out Gus & Hera for second place.
As Hayden & Aaron and Lori & Bolo arrived at the Pit Stop in fourth and fifth place respectively, three Teams received nasty surprises. Adam & Rebecca, fresh off their roller skiing adventure, discovered their car was missing because Don & Mary Jean inadvertently drove off with it. Realizing their mistake, the grandparents turned around and headed back to the Detour to return the "stolen" vehicle. At the same time, Freddy & Kendra became the sixth Team to step on the mat. However, Phil informed the pair they would have to endure a thirty-minute penalty for taking a second clue at the Viking ship Route Marker before he could check in the couple. This error caused Freddy & Kendra to tumble down to eighth place as Adam & Rebecca and Don & Mary Jean arrived in sixth and seventh place respectively.
ELIMINATION
After a slow start at the Viking games, Meredith & Maria battled against the lost Lena & Kristy in a race to avoid elimination. In the end, the sisters found their way to the Pit Stop to finish in ninth place. When Meredith & Maria stepped onto the mat last, Phil informed the best friends they had been eliminated from the Race. On the experience, Maria commented, "I think being on THE AMAZING RACE just brought our friendship to a new level. It's even stronger." On her partner, Meredith remarked, "Maria is like a family member to me and we just love each other one hundred percent. Maria is my very best friend."
