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The Amazing Race 7

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Template:Infobox Television Amazing Race

The Amazing Race 7 is the seventh installment of the reality television show The Amazing Race. The Amazing Race 7 features 11 teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the world. This installment ran from March 1, 2005 to May 10, 2005.

Married couple Uchenna and Joyce Agu were the winners of this Race.

Production

Development and filming

The Amazing Race 7 lasted 29 days and traveled nearly 40,000 miles (64,000 km). Filming began on November 20, 2004 and finished on December 19, 2004. The teams raced in ten countries, five of them were previously unvisited. The new countries were Peru, Chile, Botswana, Turkey and Jamaica. Puerto Rico, an American territory in the Caribbean, also appeared for the first time.

This was the first edition to not strictly circumnavigate the world (by crossing the International Date Line exactly once); once teams traveled as far east as India, they returned to the United States traveling westward through Europe and the Caribbean. However, the route does approach that of a great circle on the globe.

In this edition of the race, a change was made to the non-elimination leg penalty. In addition to being stripped of all their money and receiving no allowance for the next leg of the race, teams were forced to surrender all of their possessions, except for their passports and the clothes they were wearing, for the remainder of the race. (This penalty came to be referred to as "mugging" by fans.) They were also no longer allowed to beg for money prior to the start of the next leg (after the next leg started, they can beg for money). The racers could also receive or buy clothing or toiletries from other teams.

Leg 3 of this race featured a difficult Roadblock in which players had to eat four pounds of meat and organs. Four players actually quit the food eating task: Rob, Meredith, Deana, and Patrick; the most anyone has ever quit a task in a single leg. Although it was not aired on television or in the DVD, Patrick quit the Roadblock but later decided to complete it. The aired portion had Patrick eating and finishing the meat and never did take the four hour penalty.

Host Phil Keoghan greeted teams at the check in mat midway through Leg 8 to hand them their next clue, marking the first time in the history of The Amazing Race that teams have stepped on the check in mat to be handed their next clue and to have their next clue handed to them by Keoghan.

Controversy surrounded the final leg of the race: when Rob & Amber and Uchenna & Joyce arrived at the airport in San Juan, they were both sold tickets for a flight leaving later than one whose gate was about to close. While Rob & Amber managed to get on this earlier departing flight, Uchenna & Joyce were shown through the gate as the boarding corridor between the gate exitway and airplane began to shut. After a commercial break, the boarding corridor reopened to the gate to pick up Uchenna and Joyce. No explanation was given as to why the gate reopened, which has led to widespread speculation about intervention by the production staff.[1][2] In the "Revisiting the Race" special feature on the Season 7 DVD, Uchenna, Rob, and Host Phil Keoghan deny the accusations of intervention by the production crew. Uchenna describes his experience with finding the same airline agent at the gate who had previously informed him that there was no earlier available flight. Rob describes Uchenna running around frantically trying to get onto the flight, which the final edited version of the show does not portray. Phil cites the fact that the decision to reopen the door rested solely with the pilot, and that intervention by the production crew would have resulted in someone leaking such information out.

Cast

See also: List of The Amazing Race (U.S. TV series) contestants

Applications for The Amazing Race 7 were closed on August 11, 2004. Semi-finalist interviews were held sometime in September 2004 and final casting interviews were held in Los Angeles between September and October 2004. Filming took place between November to December 2004.

Uchenna & Joyce were originally slated to be contestants on The Amazing Race 6. They were sequestered in Santa Monica, California but were cut at the last minute before the race began in Chicago.

Joyce Agu previously appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Ensign Gates (credited as Joyce Robinson), a background character who piloted the USS Enterprise. Amber Brkich originally appeared on Survivor: The Australian Outback and Rob Mariano appeared on Survivor: Marquesas they were both then called back to compete on Survivor: All-Stars where Rob finished second and Amber went on to win. Rob was later called back for a third time to compete on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains and a fourth time to compete on Survivor: Redemption Island which Rob went on to win. Rob & Amber's marriage were show at CBS.

Rob & Amber and Uchenna & Joyce were selected to race in The Amazing Race All-Stars among a cast of returning teams from seasons 1-10.

The Amazing Race 20 revisited the infamous shaving head Fast Forward of Leg 8 in The Amazing Race Switchback.

Awards

In September 2005, Season 7 won the Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program", the third consecutive award for the television series. Although Seasons 5 and 6 were also eligible, producers chose Season 7 since it was the most recent installment of the show.

Marketing

Travelocity replaced previous show regular sponsors American Airlines Vacations and Royal Caribbean International. Besides trips, the company also provided a special prize of US$20,000 in vacation money, won by Ron & Kelly (in a new random-prizing system) on Leg 9 after matching the marking on the bottom of a gnome.

The DVD for Season 7 was released on December 20, 2005. Lynn & Alex, Brian & Greg, Rob & Amber and Uchenna & Joyce did commentary throughout the DVD, which is an optional feature.

Results

The following teams participated in the race, with their relationships at the time of filming. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television due to inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Team Relationship Position (by leg) Roadblocks performed
1 2 <3> 4 5 6 7 <8>4 9 10 11 12
Uchenna & Joyce Married 8th 4th 2nd 3rd 6th 3rd 3rd2 3rd 1stƒ 1st 3rd 3rd 1st Uchenna 6, Joyce 5
Rob & Amber Engaged 3rd 1st 5th1 1st 5th 2nd 1st 1st 3rd 3rd 1st> 2nd 2nd Rob 6, Amber 6
Ron & Kelly Former POW/Pageant Queen 10th 2nd 4th 4th 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 4th 2nd< 1st 3rd Ron 6, Kelly 6
Meredith & Gretchen Married/Retired 6th 7th 7th1 7th 7th 5th 5th3 5th 4th 2nd 4th Meredith 6, Gretchen 4
Lynn & Alex Boyfriends 5th 5th 1st 5th 4th 4th 4th 4th 5th Lynn 4, Alex 4
Brian & Greg Brothers 4th 9th 3rd 2nd 3rd 6th 6th Brian 3, Greg 3
Ray & Deana Dating On and Off 7th 3rd 6th1 6th 1stƒ 7th Ray 2, Deana 2
Susan & Patrick Mother/Son 2nd 8th 8th 8th Susan 1, Patrick 2
Debbie & Bianca Lifelong Friends 1st 6th 9th Debbie 2, Bianca 0
Megan & Heidi Roommates 9th 10th Megan 1, Heidi 0
Ryan & Chuck Best Friends 11th Ryan 0, Chuck 0
  • A red team placement indicates that the team was eliminated.
  • An underlined blue team placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a pit stop in a non-elimination leg of the race. The teams were forced to relinquish all of their money and belongings (except for passports and the clothes on their back) for the remainder of the race. In addition, they were not allotted money for the next leg.
  • A green ƒ indicates that the team won a Fast Forward clue.
  • A yellow > indicates that the team chose to use the Yield; < indicates the team who received it; <> around a leg number indicates a leg where the Yield was available but not used.
  • Italicized results indicate the position of the team at the mid-point of a two-episode leg.
  1. ^a b c Rob, Meredith and Deana were unable to complete the roadblock task at leg 3; their teams were all issued 4-hour penalties at the Roadblock site.
  2. ^ Uchenna & Joyce initially arrived 3rd, but they didn't complete the Roadblock correctly and were forced to finish it. This did not affect their placement.
  3. ^ Meredith & Gretchen initially arrived 4th, but they missed their final clue at the end of the Roadblock, Lynn & Alex checked in during that time period, dropping them to 5th.
  4. ^ Leg 8 was double-length with two Detours and two Roadblocks shown over two episodes. The placements listed in the first column reflect the order teams arrived at the leg's halfway point. The leg's Fast Forward was offered after the halfway point, and thus permitted Uchenna & Joyce to skip only the second set of challenges. The Yield appeared before the first Roadblock.

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.

  1. "Courteous? This is a Race!" – Megan
  2. "The Whole Country Hates Me" – Lynn
  3. "Do You Need Some Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation?" – Gretchen
  4. "What A Gaucho You Are!" – Gretchen
  5. "I've Been Wanting A Face-Lift for A Long Time" – Gretchen
  6. "Houston, We Have An Elephant" – Uchenna
  7. "They Saved The Eyeball" (recap) – Gretchen
  8. "Mow 'Em Down, Like Grass" – Ron
  9. "We Have A Bad Elephant" – Gretchen
  10. "We Got a Gnome! We Got a Gnome!" – Joyce
  11. "The Devil Made Me Do It" – Kelly
  12. "Five Continents, 25 Cities, And More Than 40,000 Miles" – Phil Keoghan

Prizes

Individual prizes were awarded to the first team to complete a leg unless otherwise noted.

  • Leg 1 - $10,000 cash for each racer.
  • Leg 2 - A trip to Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas, staying at the Royal Towers, courtesy of Travelocity.
  • Leg 4 - A trip to London, staying five nights in the Landmark hotel, courtesy of Travelocity.
  • Leg 5 - Two Toyota RAV4 vehicles.
  • Leg 7 - A trip to Monaco courtesy of Travelocity.
  • Leg 9 - $20,000 shopping spree on Travelocity.com and a four-star hotel room stay for the Pit Stop. Awarded to Ron & Kelly, who won a special gnome searching challenge. The prize was awarded to the team that had an airplane on the bottom of their gnome, regardless of them placing first or not. Ironically, Ron & Kelly who received the prize, came last and were stripped of all their cash and their belongings.
  • Leg 10 - A JVC home entertainment system for each racer.
  • Leg 12 - $1,000,000

Race summary

Route map
Destinations Air travel    Rail travel    Water travel    Bus travel
Helicopter travel    Bicycle travel    Gondola travel
Route Markers Detour    Roadblock    Fast Forward    Yield    Pit Stop

Leg 1 (United States → Peru)

The Convento de La Merced in Cuzco was the first Pit Stop of The Amazing Race 7.

For the first Detour of the race, teams choose between Rope a Llama or Rope a Basket. In Rope a Llama, teams had to lead llamas to a pen not far off; once they had two llamas in their pen, the herder would give them their next clue. In Rope a Basket, teams had to put on hats and capes, tie and carry a basket of alfalfa weighing 35 pounds (16 kg)* to a store called Tienda Victoria Valdivia 2⁄3-mile (1.1 km) away; once there teams would receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At the Playa Hermosa in Ancon, teams had to search through sand piles for one of three LAN tickets to their next destination, Cuzco, all of which left the next morning.[Note 1]
  • At the Gorge in Huambutio, teams had to take a zip line across the gorge, and then take another zip line to the bottom.

Leg 2 (Peru → Chile)

Cerro Santa Lucía was the second pit stop of The Amazing Race 7.

In this Roadblock, that team member had to shine five pairs of shoes on the street for a payment of S/.1 per pair, when five were collected, they would return back to the Shop to receive their next clue in exchange for the five sol's. In this Detour, teams choose between Shop or Schlep. In Shop, teams went to Mercado Central (and nearby Mercado Vega Chica) and find the Donde Augusto restaurant where the chef gave them a shopping list. Teams had to buy the five ingredients on the shopping list for the chef. When they have gotten the proper amount of each item for the chef, the chef would hand them their next clue. In Schlep, teams went to Libreria Chilena, received a cart and had to deliver 180 books to Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional Template:Es icon from a bookstore. When all 180 books have been delivered and placed on a shelf, teams would be handed their next clue.

Leg 3 (Chile → Argentina)

The Andes near Mendoza Province in Argentina were visited on this Leg.

In this Detour, teams choose between Pedal or Paddle. In Paddle, teams had to white water raft 7 miles (11 km) down the river. When completed, teams would find their next clue. In Pedal, teams had to pedal a bike 7 miles (11 km) down a railroad track, once they reached the end, teams would find their next clue. In this Roadblock, one team member had to eat four pounds of a traditional Argentinian feast containing cow rib, pork sausage, blood sausage, cow intestine, cow udder, cow kidney and part of a cow's salivary gland. When they finished eating, teams would receive their next clue.

Leg 4 (Argentina)

The English Clock Tower in Buenos Aires was visited by the teams on this Leg.

In this Roadblock, that team member had to go through a traditional gaucho challenge. The team member must ride a horse consisting of barrel racing and then using a stick, spearing a ring at the end of the course in less than 40 seconds. Once successful, teams would receive their next clue. In this Detour, teams choose between Shipwreck or Island. In Shipwreck, teams had to find within a seven square mile area an abandoned ship with only a 30 year old picture as a reference to receive their next clue. In Island, teams had to use a map to travel 4 miles (6.4 km)* to San Antonio River and find an island to find their next clue.

Leg 5 (Argentina → South Africa)

In the Fast Forward on this leg, teams went to the Orlando Power Station in Soweto to walk across a suspension bridge between the power station's towers.

In this Fast Forward, teams went to the Cooling Station of the Orlando Power Station and then walked across a suspension bridge 30 feet (9.1 m)* above the ground, once crossed, that team would win the Fast Forward. In this Detour, teams choose between Tunnels or Tribes. In Tribes, teams went to Lesedi Cultural Village where the tribes (Basotho, Ndebele, Pedi, Xhosa and Zulu) were represented. Once there, teams had to deliver five items to their respective tribes. Only five of which was the correct item to the corresponding tribe, it was exchanged for a necklace. When they got all five necklaces, they exchanged them for their next clue. In Tunnels, teams went to Wild Caves where teams took to the underground, rappeling down into a cave 45 feet (14 m)* below and traveled through the dark cave where they had to search for their next clue. In this Roadblock, one team member had to search a marketplace and find the vendors for five items that were later to be delivered to a local children's orphanage to earn their next clue.

Leg 6 (South Africa → Botswana)

Before heading for Botswana, teams fed a lion at the Rhino & Lion Game Reserve in Krugersdorp, South Africa.

In this Roadblock, that team member had to do a traditional bushmen hunting activity (throwing a spear into a swinging bag) 20 feet (6.1 m)* to hit a moving target, once the target has been hit, teams would receive their next clue. In this Detour, teams choose between Food or Water. In Food, teams used a device called Kika to pound corn until it was mashed, then transferred to a basket, once it reached the specified line, the woman supervising them would hand them their next clue. In Water, teams had to fill 12 ostrich eggs with water from an underground spring using a reed straw, once completed, they had to bury them to the ground before receiving their next clue.

Additional task
  • At the Rhino and Lion Game Reserve, teams must signed one of two departure times for the opening of Game Reserve. Then, teams must feed their lions with their meaty breakfast. When completed teams would receive their next clue.

Leg 7 (Botswana)

Teams encountered many African animals, such as elephants during their drive through Botswana.

In this Detour, teams choose between Carry It or Milk It. In Carry It, teams had to transport 3 items 75 yards (69 m) away on their heads, when teams finished, they would be handed their next clue. In Milk It, teams had to milk goats, enough to fill a 10 ounce cup to a marked line. In this Roadblock, the team member must drive across a crocodile infested river to marked paths, then they must remove the post and remove two logs in their path that has been knocked down by elephants, at the end of their path, teams would find their next clue.

Leg 8 (Botswana → India)

Upon arriving in Lucknow, teams found their next clues at the Bara Imambara.
The Jaswant Thada was the Pit Stop on this double-length Leg.

In the first Roadblock, that team member had to search among 600 metal boxes in order to find their next clue. In the first Detour, teams choose between Solid or Liquid. In Solid, teams traveled to a coal depot and had to chop up to 175 pounds (79 kg)* of coal, load it into the flatbed tricycles and then delivering it to K.K. Jaiswal Charcoal Merchants, once delivered, teams would receive their next clue. In Liquid, teams traveled to the Sharma Tea Corner, got a tea cart and searched a 3-story office building for five pre-designated people which were on a list the teams had and had to give them a cup of tea and got a business card in exchange. When they received all five, teams returned the carts to the tea shop, and delivered the cards to the owner who would give them their next clue.

In the second part of the leg, there was a Fast Forward. For this Fast Forward, one team participated in a traditional Hindu ritual at Kailashoham Gaure Shwar Mahadev Mandir, Kaylana Lake: shave their heads bald. Once all of the two team members' hair had been removed, the team would be awarded the Fast Forward. In the second Detour, teams choose between Trunk or Dunk. In Trunk, teams had to travel to Jodhpur's old city and cart a 600 lb (270 kg) elephant (in Khanna Niwas) through the streets of Jodhpur, when they reached the Shri Kunj Bihari Temple, the temple priest will hand them their next clue. In Dunk, teams made their way to a dyeing house (in Panna Niwas) and had to dye 25 sheets of fabric in a basket until they found the one with their next clue on it. In the second Roadblock, that team member had to complete two laps in a cart driven by a camel, once completed, teams would receive their next clue.

Additional task
  • At the start of the leg, teams must sign up one of three charter flights to Francistown Airport.

Leg 9 (India → Turkey)

In Istanbul, teams arrive in Rumeli Hisarı for the leg's Roadblock, one team member to climb the tower to retrieve the key and rappel down to the bottom, the other team member allow to go for the Pit Stop.

In this Detour, teams choose between Columns or Kilos. In Columns, teams traveled to Binbirdirek Cistern, once there, they must enter to find four columns on a grid and then using a map with coordinates, they received numbers found on the columns. Once they find all four, teams used the numbers to unlock a padlocked box which contained their next clue. In Kilos, teams traveled to the Yeni Cami, a square at the Yeni Mosque, located at the old Jewish quarter of Eminönü. Teams must find a man with a box of scales then had to select one. Teams then had to weigh enough people on the street until they reached a total of 2,500 kilos, once reached, teams must return their scale and show their weights to the man who would give them their next clue. In this Roadblock, that team member had to climb a 25 feet (7.6 m)* ladder up the side of Halil Pasa Kulesi. Once at the top, team members then climbed to the top of a tower, retrieve a key then rappelled down the side of Sarlica Pasa Kulesi. Once at the bottom, that team member then used the key to open the book which contained their next clue to the Pit Stop. Once read, the guard opened the gate to allow the other team member to enter the castle.

Additional task
  • At the Kız Kulesi, teams had to find one of four Travelocity Roaming Gnomes at the tower, each one has a marking on the bottom of gnome. They must keep the Gnome until they reached the Pit Stop. Teams do not know that the team carrying the Gnome with a plane marking on the bottom would receive a prize.

Leg 10 (Turkey → England)

On this leg, teams had to ride the London Eye to search the London skyline for a hint as to where their next clue was located.

In this Detour, teams choose between Brains or Brawn. In Brains, teams had to take London Underground and solved a series of three riddles. First, teams had to find the left luggage in Waterloo station for their first item. Second, they had to find the three naked men statue in Hammersmith tube station and find the second item. Third, they had to find and make their way to the Baker Street tube station named for London's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes and find the statue outside to receive the third item. Once finished, teams took the mystery items that would eventually lead the teams to 221B Baker Street, the home of Sherlock Holmes Museum and to find the detective nearby, who would hand them their next clue in exchange for the items. In Brawn, teams had to make their way to Battersea Park where teams had to transport five 160 pounds (73 kg)* boats from a lake to the storage area 500 yards (460 m)* away, when completed, teams would be handed their next clue. In this Roadblock, that team member had to drive a Double Decker bus through a marked course without hitting any cones. If they hit a cone, the bus driver would reset the bus back to the beginning of the course and had to start again. At the end of the course, the team member had to park the bus in the designated parking area to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At Sirkeci Train Station, teams had to walk through a group of whirling dervishes to find their next clue.
  • At the London Eye, teams must scan the city to try to find a Race flag attached to the London Marriott Hotel County Hall where their next clue is located.

Leg 11 (England → Jamaica)

Teams spent the night at Frenchman's Cove in Port Antonio.

In this Roadblock, that team member did the limbo to earn their departure time from Frenchman's Cove; the lower they could do it, the earlier teams would depart the next morning, after eight attempts at the limbo, teams would receive their next clue instructing them to spend the night and then depart at the time they earned doing the limbo. In this Detour, teams choose between Raft It or Build It. In Raft It teams traveled 8 miles (13 km) up the Rio Grande on Bamboo rafts with only a pole to steer, once at the end, teams would find their next clue. In Build It, teams had to build bamboo rafts using the tools provided. When the raft was deemed completed by their supervisor, teams then sailed across the river to find their next clue on top of a hill, then had to sail them back across the river.

Leg 12 (Jamaica → Puerto Rico → United States)

The finish line for the seventh Amazing Race was on the grounds of the historic Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In this Detour, teams choose between Pony Up or Tee It Up. In Pony Up, teams had to ride a horse into the ocean then hang onto its tail as it goes around buoys, when the horse has finished its course, teams would receive their next clue. In Tee It Up, teams had to dress in proper golfing attire, then went out to the driving range and had to hit a golf ball into a 16-foot (4.9 m) area 140 yards (130 m) away. When one of the team members' puts a ball on the green, teams would receive their next clue. In the final Roadblock of the race, one team member had to dive off a 30 ft (9.1 m) bridge then swim 90 yards (82 m) to a buoy, where they would find their next clue. After obtaining the clue, they went to the waiting boats that returned them to shore.

Additional tasks
  • At Cool Breeze House Onion Shack, teams picked up a sack of fifty onions, then traveled to 3 Dives Jerk Shack to chop the 50 onions. When the chef was satisfied, he would hand them their next clue.
  • At Little Havana, teams had to find "The King of the Havanas." They had to figure out their destination by its Spanish name: "El Rey de los Habanos", a cigar shop, to find their final clue.

Ratings

US ratings

# Episode Rating Share Rating/Share
(18-49) 		Viewers
(millions)
1 "Courteous? This Is a Race! " — — 4.9/12 11.76
2 "The Whole Country Hates Me" 7.2 11 4.8/12 11.69
3 "Do You Need Some Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation" — — 5.0/12 12.71
10 "We Got a Gnome! We Got a Gnome!" 8.3 13 5.2/12 13.27
11 "The Devil Made Me Do It" 8.0 12 5.2/13 12.84
12 "Five Continents, 25 Cities, And More Than 40,000 Miles" 9.6 15 6.8/11[3] 16.01

Canadian ratings

Order Episode Viewers (millions) Rank
1 "Courteous? This Is a Race” 2.93 #1[4]
2 "The Whole Country Hates Me” 2.70 #5
3 "Do You Need Some Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation?” 3.04 #1
4 "What a Gaucho You Are” 2.94 #1
5 "I've Been Wanting a Face-Lift for a Long Time” 3.14 #3
6 "Houston, We Have an Elephant” 3.41 #1
7 "Mow 'Em Down, Like Grass” 3.04 #3
8 "We Have a Bad Elephant” 3.36 #2
9 "We Got a Gnome! We Got a Gnome!” 3.33 #1
10 "The Devil Made Me Do It” 3.27 #1
11 "Five Continents, 25 Cities, and More Than 40,000 Miles” 3.84 #1

Notes

  1. ^ The second flight to Cuzco was delayed due to technical difficulties, and the four teams with tickets on that flight re-booked onto the third flight, which was scheduled to depart 40 minutes after the second one.

References

  1. ^ ‘Amazing Race’ finale created lots of questions
  2. ^ Uchenna says that producers didn’t interfere; Rob fuels conspiracy theories.
  3. ^ "CBS's 'The Amazing Race 7' finishes big, sets series ratings records". 05/11/2005. Retrieved April 27, 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Top Programs - Total Canada (English): February 28-March 6, 2005" (PDF).
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