Where is airing: HBO
For what age: 19+
How many episodes in 3 season: 11 episodes
The 3rd series of The Amazing Race begins. This time around, twelve teams of two will begin a race of a lifetime starting on a tiny island called the Everglades in Florida, USA. Phil explains that there are 13 legs and 9 of them are elimination points. He continues, outlining the basic rules, Then the race begins. Teams open their first clue instructing them to fly to Mexico city for the first leg. Immediately, tension rises with the teams as they fight for positions on the fastest flights. When all teams arrived in Mexico, they began fighting for a first place finish and there was also a Fast Forward on this leg, Which is where the first team to find it and complete it can skip all tasks and head directly the pit stop. Two teams opted to go for it, but one team completed it and arrived at the pit stop first. Meanwhile, the other eleven teams must complete a Detour, involving either parachuting out of a plane from a very high distance or riding a donkey down a seven mile course. After the Detour, teams had to drive themselves to the pit stop, located at the Hacienda St. Gabriel Last Palmas. In the end, the race to the finish is close, but one team couldn't catch up in time and checked in last place. Phil informs them that they're the first team to be eliminated from the race.
The remaining eleven teams take off from the Pit Stop at the Hacienda san Gabriel de Las Palmas and receive a clue instructing them to travel 133 miles to the Pyramid of the Sun in Tehutecan. Once there, they receive another clue instructing them to travel to the San Marino Marina in Cancun, over 1,000 miles away. Some teams face busing difficulties, but all eventually arrive and face a Detour task that allows them to search for a clue in the water by choosing from two different modes of transportation. One team uses the Fast Forward to skyrocket into the lead. Another arrives last at the Pit Stop and receives the unfortunate news that they are eliminated.
The ten remaining teams take off from the Pit Stop in Cancun and are now instructed to fly to London, England. At the airport, teams find it very stressful trying to book flights. Many teams end up on separate flights than everyone else giving the lead teams an advantage. Some teams fall behind due to different flight connections. In England, teams head to Cambridge and find a Detour that requires them to boat only one mile or pedal a six-mile bicycle course. Teams must then catch one of three buses to Aberdeen, Scotland. The first bus carries the first six teams, while the second carries one team who barely make it. The last bus carries two more teams. The last team, who is now very far behind, chooses to go for the Fast Forward which involves driving a tank through a course in a short time period. While the team is completing the Fast Forward, the other nine teams reach the Roadblock in which the chosen person must participate in three traditional Scottish events of the Highland games to receive their next clue. Teams eventually complete the Roadblock allowing them to check in to the next Pit Stop, located at a nearby castle. In the end, one team is too late to check in and is eliminated, despite using the Fast Forward.
The nine remaining teams began the leg in Scotland and raced through to Lisbon, Portugal to face a Detour 'Old School' or 'New School'. In Old School teams had to deliver a ninety-pound barrel of port wine to a nearby restaurant in the town of Porto. In New School teams had to load crates of Port wine bottles and from there they must take it into the city where they had to deliver it. The first choice was less physically demanding but both choices were seemingly tricky. The Roadblock for this leg required team members to enter a soccer game and block one penalty kick from another soccer player in order to receive their next clue. Once the Roadblock was completed the nine teams had to walk 1.5 miles to the Torre De Belem. This 460-year-old fortress was the pit stop for this leg of the race. Some teams found it difficult to locate the place while others found it easier. In one of the mosts serious and surprising endings ever for this show, one team made a critical error when it came to following the instructions on the clue in regards to the method of transit to the Pit Stop. As such, they arrived in first place, but were eliminated from the race.
The eight remaining teams continue racing in Portugal to Europe's most western point. There, teams open their next clue and discover a Detour which requires them to either rappel down to a shoreline or walk. Teams complete the task and learn that they must drive 250 miles to the port city Algeciras, Spain. Once there, teams must travel by ferry to Tangier, Morocco. While driving, some teams fall behind due to filling up their car with unleaded gasoline instead of diesel. When teams realize their mistake it puts them into shock and denial. Once teams reach Morocco, they must make their way to a travel agency and sign up for one of four charter buses departing one hour apart to the city of Fez. Each bus could only carry three teams. In Fez, teams encounter a Roadblock which involves searching through vats of smelling dye. Once completed, teams must then drive themselves to the next Pit Stop at the Borj Nord, a 425-year-old fortress that was designed to protect the city of Fez. In the end, one team's mistake earlier on caused them to fall into last place. They do not manage to catch up with the other teams and check in to the Pit Stop last and are eliminated from the race.
The seven remaining teams depart from the Pit Stop in Fez and have to make their way into Casablanca to find the Hussan II mosque. As teams depart, some of them embark on their achievements during the first five legs as well as trying to stay focused through the upcoming legs. While driving, one team's radiator explodes leaving them stranded in the desert for a period of time. Once teams arrive at the mosque they read their next clue instructing them to travel by train to Marrakesh and once there, travel to the Palmerie. There, teams discover a Fast Forward which involves searching through piles of carpet for one with the Fast Forward emblem woven on it. One team completes it, allowing them to go to the next Pit Stop. The other teams find a Detour in which one task has to do with riding horses and then digging for clues while the other requires teams to ride sand bikes to the next Route Marker and then translate their next clue into English. Once completed, teams must then head to Cafe Glacier. There they have to wait until 4.45pm, where they discover a Roadblock in which they must sell five bowls of escargot. Next, teams must go to the next Pit Stop where one team is taken to the wrong place while another is unable to catch up to the other teams and arrives last, resulting in their elimination.
The six teams depart from the Pit Stop in Marrakesh and learn that they need to fly to Munich, Germany, 1,500 miles away. Once there they must make their way to a statue called Friedensengel and locate Kasperle, a famous German and Austrian children's puppet to find their next clue. Teams scramble for flight connections while others get standby tickets. Once there, teams are told to travel 50 miles by train to Innsbruck, Austria where teams discover a Fast Forward, involving a surfer. For one lucky team, this break allows them to travel directly to the Pit Stop. The other five teams encounter a Detour involving either going bobsledding or completing a relay race. Upon completing the task, teams next arrive at the Roadblock location where one team member must descend 230 feet on rescue cable to receive their next clue. All teams excel on this task. Near the end, teams find themselves in a foot race against other teams to avoid last place and a possible elimination, but one team stumbles, costing them the race.
The five remaining teams continue on to Switzerland for the eighth leg. A romantic bond develops between two different team members causing an alliance. When teams arrive in Switzerland they are given a Detour which involved money. Both tasks seem to be quite frustrating for all teams. One team falls behind due to making a costly mistake. Later on, the teams face a Roadblock involving Archery. Most teams are able to complete the task without too many problems. The race to the Pit Stop is a close foot-race for two teams but one could not make in time resulting in their last place finish. However, they receive some great news when they learn that this is the first of three pre-determined Non-Elimination legs.
The five remaining teams continue racing in Switzerland for the ninth leg. Emotions run high when teams are allowed to make a phone call to their loved ones back home. An argument over working with others brings one team to the breaking point amid accusations and threats. One team member taunts another terrified team when they learn they will face a 620-foot bungee jump, the longest in Europe. In the end, one team is too late to check-in to the next pit stop, but is greeted with a big surpriseOn the next leg, teams fly to Malaysia, then on to Singapore for a very tough leg. All five teams try to avoid elimination, as tension heats up between the team members. The race to the finish is close, but for one team this Pit Stop is their last.
The four remaining teams take off from Singapore and are instructed to fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and once there, they must search for the Ho Chi Minh Statue at the Rex Square. All teams catch the same flight into Ho Chi Minh City. Teams eventually make it to Rex Square and read their next clue, instructing them to cross the Mekong Delta. Teams then face a Detour which involves easy buying or hard selling. Once completed, they must then return to Ho Chi Minh city and find their next clue near the Saigon. There, teams discover a Roadblock, requiring the chosen person to transport their team member on a cyclo across the river and then check into the next Pit Stop. In the end, with the possibility of someone getting eliminated, all four teams dash through the Roadblock in order to stay in the game. But unfortunately it's too late for one team and they step onto the mat in last place. They have indeed been eliminated, leaving the final three.
The globe-trotting reality series concludes its third edition as the final three teams dash to the finish line and attempted to claim the million first-place prize. "We've been extremely lucky now for the third time to create a great finish," says host Phil Keoghan of this leg of the race. "You're going to see teams at the highest highs and the lowest lows." The final leg of the 41,000-mile race begins in Vietnam. The teams then make their way to Hawaii and finally to Seattle, Washington.
