After thousands of kilometres travelled, and millions of steps taken, Tuesday’s final Leg of The Amazing Race Canada crowned its winning team. Would it be dating couple Sam and Paul, who have been so dominant all summer long? Could Team Giver, best buds Kenneth and Ryan, take the title? Or would friends Ivana and Korey pull off the biggest upset of the season and snatch a win from one of the other pairs?

In the end, dating couple Sam and Paul continued the momentum they’d built during later stages of the Race and were this season’s winners, capturing cars, a trip for two around the world, $250,000 and the title. Best friends Kenneth and Ryan placed second with friends Ivana and Korey in third.

“It’s the most amazing thing,” Sam said moments after celebrating. “We met so many amazing people and the fact that I got to do it with Paul and everyone here has been the most amazing experience of our lives.”

“This Race really has changed my life,” Paul said. “Even six months ago I didn’t want to tell people I was gay. Just being in front of all these people and being comfortable with that and being able to talk to everyone and show that this is my boyfriend that I’m in love with. I feel like a different person. I feel like I’m liberated. It’s the best feeling.”

But Sam and Paul’s triumph was anything but easy, thanks to some super-tough tests and a wayward cab ride.

The Leg began with the final pairs all on the same flight to Quebec City, once again negating any chance of a team snagging a lead on the others. (I’m guessing the fact there aren’t as many flight options—or sponsors—is the reason for this.) The trios immediately, upon arrival, were presented with the clue box and the first Road Block of the Leg: one team member had to climb down a cargo net above the raging water of Montmorency Falls to grab their next clue. Paul, Korey and Ryan all opted for the test. To be honest, it seemed like climbing around just above a waterfall was easier than having cockroaches crawling all over your face. Paul made it look easy, steadily picking his way down and then back up the cargo net while calmly explaining his plan. Kudos to Race producers for some truly stunning camera shots of the cataract. I assume it took the other two teams awhile to get into the base building and then back out again because Sam and Paul departed the challenge before the others arrived. Ryan and Korey went head-to-head, with the former outlasting the latter and getting to the top first. Korey’s foot got tangled in the net, further slowing him down.

A quick cab ride to the old city of Quebec produced an interesting challenge, as teams were tasked with navigating the narrow, streets astride bike rickshaws to pick up and drop off customers. Communication and patience was key, which Sam and Paul found out fast. With one partner planted in the park and the other on the rickshaw, the walkie talkie was a lifeline. Language played a huge part in the test too, something Ryan quickly found out as he butchered the French street names. This challenge levelled the playing field, erasing the lead Sam and Paul had and allowing the others to catch up. Frustration also set in thanks mostly to poor radio reception. Paul did complete the task first, but Kenneth was right behind.

The fact The Amazing Race Canada was being done in the summer didn’t stop Quebec City from injecting Bonhomme Carnaval into the mix: teams had to find their next clue amid hundreds of stuffed Bonhomme toys stored in a warehouse. Once they’d found the clue—an empty box of chocolates—it was off to a chocolate shop to cash in the box for a huge hollow egg with the Road Block clue inside it. (Funniest moment of the episode? A man in a Bonhomme costume scaring the bejesus out of Team Giver.)

At the Road Block, the team member who skipped the cargo net had to climb the outside of the tallest building in Quebec City—a 30-plus storey adventure—and look for the flag revealing their next location. Sam was halfway up the wall by the time Kenneth was strapped in, but it was a dead heat as both men were searching for the Race colours. They saw it at the same time, leading to the second funniest moment in the episode: the silent elevator ride to the ground. Ivana made the top of the building quickly but then clearly misunderstood the clue and began looking all over the roof of the building for the marker rather than at the city. Even more shocking than Ivana’s miscue was Kenneth’s: he picked out the flag on top of the university and not the Race flag. Team Giver was forced to return to the building for another peek. Meanwhile, Ivana came to her senses and began scanning the city for the flag and quickly located it.

Meanwhile, Sam’s eyes had picked out the right clue and the couple arrived at the Morrin Centre to complete a puzzle recalling six tests during the season’s Legs and celebrating Canada 150. They were just starting to put things together when Ivana and Korey arrived in second place. Kenneth fixed his mistake and Team Giver was back in it: all three teams were working on their puzzles. It was a truly nail-biting test and the tension in the library was palpable. Kenneth and Ryan’s decision to, um, build the puzzle on the actual puzzle board rather than the floor paid off and they only had to place the six Canada 150-themed challenge tokens in the correct spots before departing to find host Jon Montgomery. Team Giver got it wrong and as they regrouped Sam and Paul got their six tokens correct and departed for ÃŽle d’Orléan’s and the final Pit Stop.

The only thing standing in the way of Sam and Paul’s victory was their lost cab driver. Thankfully, he steered them right and the pair were the winners of this season of The Amazing Race Canada.

Here’s how the teams finished The Amazing Race Canada:

1. Sam and Paul
2. Kenneth and Ryan
3. Korey and Ivana

Are you happy with the final results? What did you think of this season of The Amazing Race Canada? Let me know in the comments below.