Amazing Race Tidbits -- Thoughts and Outlook

Amazing Race Tidbits

CBS' The Amazing Race 11 -- All Stars Edition

Thoughts on Episode 9 and Outlook for Episode 10

Thoughts on Episode Nine--Hong Kong, China

Episode Nine was a non-elimination leg. Airport woes continued as teams had trouble booking last-minute flights in a holiday season. True to form, aggressive teams Danny and Oswald and Charla and Mirna benefited from roaming the hallways of the airport instead of camping out near the ticket counters. They got on standby with both airlines, China Air, and Malaysian Air, with early flights before the ticket counters opened for business. Oswald and Danny won the ticket sweepstakes with the only tickets on the China Air flight departing at 8 AM. Dustin and Kandice were pushy at the Malaysian ticket counter, trying to fend off the cousins, but wound up on the same direct flight as Charla and Mirna leaving at 9:15 AM. Will the beauty queens' abrasiveness and the resulting backlash hurt them in the upcoming episode? Eric and Danielle sealed their fate by running off to change money instead of getting in line at the Malaysian Air ticket counter. As a result, they had to settle for a later flight on Malaysian Air through Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, in Vietnam.

Fast Forward

Danny and Oswald did the stunt car run, strapped into back seat like test car dummies, while the pro drove car over stunt course at old airport. In the most spectacular stunt, the car vaulted over a ramp into the air, rolled onto its side, then came back upright to slide to a halt that concluded the run. They grabbed the clue and the Travelocity Roaming Gnome and proceeded directly to the Pit Stop.

Detour

From the Website:

Kung Fu Fighting: Teams had to travel five miles to Tonkin Street and find a nearby building. Once there, they had to climb up an 11-story bamboo scaffold while avoiding an ongoing battle between stunt kung fu experts to reach the top and retrieve their next clue.

Dustin and Kandice saw the Kung Fu option as a once in a lifetime opportunity, while Eric saw it as a way to possibly catch up, and his team did make up time.. Charla proved once again that she could do the seemingly impossible.

From the Website:

Lost in Translation: Teams needed to make their way four miles to Kowloon City and find Nga Tsin Wai Road. Once there, they had to search among hundreds of similar-looking Chinese signs for the specific sign shown in a photo in their clue. When they matched the photo with the correct store sign, the owner would hand them their next clue.

No team chose this Detour option, although Charla and Mirna considered doing it when they thought Charla could not climb the bamboo latticework ladder.

Episode Nine Detour
Members	Option	Result
Danny and Oswald	--	Completed Fast Forward
Eric and Danielle	Kung Fu Fighting	Moved rapidly up the scaffolding to gain time--best of the three teams to climb the wall.
Dustin and Kandice	Kung Fu Fighting	Gained time on the indecisive Charla and Mirna as they climbed quickly up the wall.
Charla and Mirna	Kung Fu Fighting	They briefly considered doing the other Detour option before settling on the climb. Charla exceeded all expectations, perhaps even her own, to reach the top.

Roadblock

Who's ready to kick?

From the website:

One teammate had to kick down doors in the old police headquarters building and search the rooms until they found the next clue..

Episode Nine Roadblock
Members	Team Member	Result
Danny and Oswald	--	Completed Fast Forward
Eric and Danielle	Eric	Eric could not duck this one, and it was a physical challenge. He did well at kicking down doors, but took a lot of time finding a room with a clue, as he was the last to begin.
Dustin and Kandice	Kandice	Solid effort--Kandice usually does the physical challenges. Her background as a dancer certainly helped her to make a strong effort..
Charla and Mirna	Charla	Having climbed the wall, Charla was emboldened to say that her legs were strong, and proved it by kicking down the doors easily. But her time wasted in the rooms caused concern in Mirna, watching their more than two hour lead meltiing away even more.

Pit Stop

Teams had to find the infield entrance to the Hong Kong Jockey Club in the Happy Valley section of the sprawling metropolis. The first two teams had little or no trouble finding it, but the trailing two teams found the place harder to find in the dark, especially Eric and Danielle, who ended up last and marked for elimination.

Outlook for Episode Ten

Early on, current first place team Danny and Oswald had chosen to communicate effectively, but got on each other's nerves more as the Race progresses. Danny has struggled with tasks in the heat and becoming dehydrated. Currently in second, Dustin and Kandice are doing very well for the most part, though they have dug a bit of a hole by using the Yield on Eric and Danielle and by constantly being pushy and abrasive.

WIll Charla's weaknesses catch up with her and cause third standing Charla and Mirna to be eliminated, or will Mirna be able to keep the surprise team afloat into the finals? Last place Eric and Danielle have been on each other's nerves. Now they have the pressure of the potential 30 minute penalty, as they are Marked for Elimination. Will Eric and Danielle's poor sense of direction seal their fate, or will the alliance with Cha-Cha and Charla and Mirna bail them out?

Comparison of Teams in AMAZING RACE 11
Members	Strengths	Weaknesses
Charla and Mirna	Communication, determination, and excellent at research. Mirna has worked miracles keeping the team afloat in spite of mini-disasters. Mirna is very intelligent and surprisingly athletic. Charla has exceeded expectations.	Short in stature, slow at tasks, Charla is not as strong, slow in footraces, and falls easily. Mirna forced to overcome Charla's shortcomings.
Dustin and Kandice	Competitive, college educated, athletic. Dustin has emerged as good leader, and has a music background. Kandice, with a dance background, is strong and effective at whatever she does. They do well at artistic challenges.	Not paying attention to details of clues--or even preservation of clues, try to push ahead of others, not fastest in foot races, emotional. Dustin is bossy and domineering.
Danny and Oswald	Athletic, fast enough in footraces, good at tasks, with navigation, and in airports. Both are highly motivated and determined. Oswald has taken over leadership.	They have had friction between them, and can be a bit hot tempered. Danny easily becomes dehydrated.
Eric and Danielle	Eric is highly athletic, both are intelligent enough. Both are highly motivated and determined.	Danielle had trouble getting lost and losing things. can be emotional. Both can be geographically and directionally challenged, poor navigation at times. Eric can be stubborn and insensitive.

What will the next episode reveal about the racers as the action moves to Macao Island, China? It may well be an elimination leg, along with a Yield. Will the episode end with the dread of viewers, "To Be Continued...", or with the phrase feared by the Racers, "I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the Race." Watch the exciting tenth episode of Amazing Race All Stars Sunday, April 22 at 8 PM Eastern/Pacific, right before the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, "Crossroads".