Team Reports
Tyler & James: They ran a a fairly strong leg with two minor problems that we will get to. But they remain a strong functional well working team. One that is very motivating and gives very little blame for mistakes. One of my earlier complaints about this fit team is that they didn't hustle. This should be the Eric & Jeremy of this season. That team was always hustling (okay get your mind out of ht gutter, bad enough with theses two teams, or good depending on your view
), but this leg they did hustle at every step of the leg. They navigating fine getting from the train station to the mine. But had a little problem finding the correct building (though only Lyn & Karlyn found that easier). They also had no apparent trouble navigating back in Helsinki finding the Stadium. They did have a bit of trouble finding the route marker for the entrance to the stadium but thanks to an hour lead over 3 teams, and strong roadblock performance and good navigation had a good lead over the next team Dustin & Kandice.
I make no apologies. I really like this team. They are still having fun and horsing around (smack that butt James which I guess is another thing they have in common with Eric & Jeremy), they still have keep a working alliance with Rob & Kimberly. And they haven't raced dirty. And no Dustin & Kandice the boys weren't "lame, pretty boys" for changing before getting in the cab. They were considerable more dirty after the detour then you were.
Dustin & Kandice. Another team that is funny a rather strong leg, though they have made a few mistakes this leg. This has been the team that has been hustling. And they continue here. adding 1st and 2cd with Tyler & James through most of the day. They had a little more trouble finding the right building to the mine then Tyler & James. They took a little longer at the Detour then Tyler & James, though made up some with a faster cab that passed Tyler & James to the train station. They did fine at the roadblock. They did have trouble finding the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki and enlisted the aid of a Fern who drove in front of them guiding them to the right location.
I have to give credit, I don't always like how this team plays, but they have a strong drive. They push and push, and really hustle which is a quality I do like. As for pure racing skills I don't care how they seem to get local help in navigation in (not just directions) from locals. The have a map, just get directions and race. But if navigating is a skill you have trouble with, getting locals is a way to bypass that weakness.
Lyn & Karlyn: I don't care for this team hypocrisy, and negative attitude to some events and situations and teams on the race. But I liked how they performed in this leg. Kudos's ladies. They have weaknesses though, chief among them is that they don't have a lot of hustle. This probably cost them that early train ride to Lojha. But they navigated very well, and quickly found the right building. And since they were leading the Cho's it helped them as well. And while Karlyn had a hard time with the physicality of the roadblock, Lyn was very supportive of her. What needs to improve is their people skills and ability to actually be nice to people. With two major points. At the taxi stand, they jump the line, they don't try and get permission they just take it, even blocking the man who was next in line from getting to the door of the cab. Not only is this terrible rude to the local, but rude to the other 8 - 10 people ahead of them at the line. Including their alliance partners Erwin & Godwin. The other is their behavior to Rob & Kimberly both on the train and during the wait for the teams doing the Roadblock. This will be handled more in Erwin & Godwin's and Rob & Kimberly's section.
Rob & Kimberly-Well that run an uneven leg. I do like this teams hustle. When dealing with the taxi stand situation this team came up with the nicest way of making the most of the situation. By pleading with the locals (and not just the first one in line), and with Rob literally begging on his knees they got the okay to get the next cab. Way to treat the locals. But of course, they get the one cab who does take them to the wrong school, putting them last to get to the school, just moments behind Erwin & Godwin. But here they show their hustle betting Erwin & Godwin to the Route Marker, and in informing the same Detour option. They also were just moments from getting on the hour earlier train. It is here that a conflict between two teams (and one who doesn't have any business in it) gets going. Rob & Kim are told that the 1511 train is on platform 5, when they came back and get the tickets for the later train (the 1611) they assume its the same platform. And they share this info with the Cho brothers who are last getting to the train station. Well unfortunately the later train actually boards at platform 2. But Rob & Kim honestly think its 5 and thats where they go to wait for it. It takes a local to correct them. Now Erwin & Godwin think Rob & Kim deliberately lied to them to misdirect them to the wrong train. But they never go to platform 5, because when they see Lyn & Karlyn they go over there and find out that its platform 2. So they stay at two and board the train. When Rob & Kim get to the right train and board the teams are cold to them with Lyn even announcing to the rest of the passengers in that car that those two aren't their friends and aren't part of the party train. Rob & Kim go to the next car. After getting morelsot then any team findig the right place for the mine (in fact Kimberly directs the car and Rob starts to actually drive into a mine
. But they do finally get to the correct site and Rob makes up considerable time, actually passing Karlyn and just being behind Godwin. But while waiting Erwin confronts Kimberly demanding an explanation. She tells her side, but he doesn't believe her because why didn;t they see them and how come they didn't come and tell them that they got the wrong platform before boarding. Well as someone who is supposed to be a part of the smartest team. Erwin is being rather dumb. the reason you never saw them is because you never went to platform #5 you saw Lyn & Karlyn and went to Platform #2 immediately. Kim says they didn't see them when they found out the correct platform and that again makes logical since if you are already at the correct platform and most likely were able to board before the straggling team. Erwin states how mad his brother is at them. Lyn certainly helps as she says that she thinks Kim is lying and thats just how they play the game. Because they always use misdirection. Which is false. Even he example's are inaccurate. She says that Rob & Kim when asked for information will say they don't know. Well that might be a lie, but it isn't misdirection. And they haven't run a dirty race. As for navigation besides having trouble getting right to the mine, they do fine. But in two sections of this leg, they do show that physically they are a faster team then Lyn & Karlyn and Erwin & Godwin. If they could just limit small navigation errors and learn to not fight as much they could be very strong competition.
Erwin & Godwin-Two legs ago, I couldn't get over how this team keep cribling itself by waiting for th two other back pack teams. I had hoped that with Mary & David eliminated this might awaken the fiery passion of honest competition in the boys. We'll I was completely wrong. Lyn & Karlyn at least acknowledge that while they will share info that each team has to race its own race. But time and time again we see examples of Erwin & Godwin desperately trying to hold their alliance together. Even with seeing Lyn & Karlyn just driving away each time teams drove. They still didn't get the message. When Lyn & Karlyn cut in front of you and several others at the taxi stand you still didn't get the message. You performed worse then Rob & Kimberly in the Detour, Godwin did well at the roadblock. But letting anger over how you perceive other teams racing against you and not doing anything about your now in shambles alliance with Lyn & Karlyn has really neutered this team to a degree that shocks me. As much as I like the personality of this team, they especially when having to face their fears at the repel, its too late this team needs to be eliminated, in fact they are practically begging for it.
Race damnit.
