In last week’s Season 7 debut, returning competitors Jet and Dave showed that even veteran Racers can make a rooke mistake on The Amazing Race Canada, when neglecting to grab a map led to their elimination.
This time around—and in a special timeslot—the remaining teams began Leg 2 in British Columbia, and headed to Revelstoke. Dave and Irina—who finished first last week, claimed two Express Passes and talked a surprising amount of trash about their competitors—were the first to depart for the two-hour-plus drive through the mountains. Along the way, teams were instructed to keep an eye out for a clue signifying the last spike. Athletes Sarah and Sam were the next to drive out of town, followed by sisters Meaghan and Marie, sisters Lauren and Joanne, friends Trish and Amy, married couple Anthony and James, couple Aarthy and Thinesh, Nikki and Aisha and Gilles and Sean.
It was at the site of the last spike that Racers learned the Leg’s Road Block: someone would be driving a motorbike course. Marie, Dave, Joanne, Sam, James and Trish all hit the course around the same time, with different levels of success. The best part? When those not doing the Road Block realized Jet and Dave weren’t around. But back to the bikes, where Marie took a major header over her handlebars. She was OK, but the replay of the crash showed how violent it was. Marie and Dave were a little slow the first time around, but were under the two-minute mark on their second try and completed the task. Nicki and Aisha were caught, literally, on the other side of the mountain and had to backtrack. Sean, who was oh-so-confident he would breeze through (he rides a bike to work every day, he confided to Sam), fell over two feet into the course.
In the Detour, teams had to choose between Plant (planting 40 tree seedlings at the correct depth and distance) or Paddle (take to the water in tethered kayaks and collect flags). Those choosing to plant included Dave and Irina, Anthony and James, Trish and Amy, Nicki and Aisha, and Lauren and Joanne. Those opting to paddle were Meaghan and Marie (who just happen to be expert, competitive paddlers), Gilles and Sean, Sarah and Sam, and Aarthy and Thinesh.
Dave and Irina were just two trees away from completing their task when they realized they hadn’t used the included rope to measure off the planting distances. They would have to do it all again. Meaghan and Marie had no issues and left the Detour in top spot.
Next up was the Revelstoke Railway Museum, where duos worked together to create a model train laid out in a specific way. This was a detail-oriented task, and Meaghan was distracted by other teams’ arriving. Teams like Aarthy and Thinesh who came, saw and whipped off the challenge in their first try. Dave and Irina were next, followed by Gilles and Sean, Sarah and Sam, Meaghan and Marie and Anthony and James. Lauren and Joanne, meanwhile, were still planting trees and arguing.
The Leg’s Pit Stop was located at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort, where teams took a gondola ride to the top to search for Jon. It was, shockingly, Aarthy and Thinesh who turned a seventh-place start into a first-place finish and a trip to Madrid and an Express Pass. Dave and Irina were next (and Irina showed poor gamesmanship, in my opinion), followed by Gilles and Sean, Sarah and Sam, Meaghan and Marie, and Anthony and James. Aisha and Nicki headed in the wrong direction leaving an opportunity for Lauren and Joanne to make up ground.
And, in the end, that’s exactly what happened as the sisters beat out out the best friends to the mat; Aisha and Nicki were eliminated from the Race. What did you think of this Leg? Were you expecting it to be a non-elimination? Let me know in the comments below.
Here’s how the teams finished this Leg of the Race:
- Aarthy and Thinesh
- Dave and Irina
- Gilles and Sean
- Sarah and Sam
- Meaghan and Marie
- Anthony and James
- Trish and Amy
- Lauren and Joanne
- Aisha and Nicki (eliminated)
The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.
Images courtesy of Bell Media.
Your opinion about Irina is right on. Also her comment about the other teams not being so bright. Comment made by Dave about being the hated couple is also right on. I do hope they go home soon.
Liked the self driving shifts and that the grandfather came in 3rd.
Another Express Pass, so that’s the standard 3.
Interesting Nicki and Aisha seemed to have lost due to bad directions from a local.
What is a Double One Way supposed to be?
Caught the premiere as well, quite a shock Jet & Dave were first out especially when compared to how veteran teams just did on TAR 31 in the US. Wonder if that’s why they aren’t promoting the “Second Chance” angle after looking for it in casting as opposed to how much they over-hyped “Heroes Edition”.
Ben a while since we had a “villain” team on any of the seasons though Irina yelling at the clue lady to hurry up was funny. She’s self-aware with the “most hated couple in Canada: bit so I don’t think she really cares how it will play for TV; and they actually reside in the UAE which makes them more international then the actual show.