The Amazing Race 1

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The Amazing Race 1
File:Amazing Race Season 1 DVD Region 1.png
Region 1 DVD cover
Presented byPhil Keoghan
No. of teams11
WinnersRob Frisbee & Brennan Swain
No. of legs13
Distance traveled35,000 mi (56,000 km)
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 5 (2001-09-05) –
December 13, 2001 (2001-12-13)
Additional information
Filming datesMarch 8 (2001-03-08)[1] –
April 8, 2001 (2001-04-08)[2]
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of episodes

The Amazing Race 1 (originally broadcast under the name The Amazing Race) is the first season of the American reality television series The Amazing Race. It debuted on September 5, 2001 on CBS and ended its run on December 13, 2001. It featured eleven teams of two as they competed in a race around the world.

Lawyers and best friends Rob Frisbee and Brennan Swain were the winners, while separated parents Frank and Margarita Mesa finished in second place, and life partners Joe Baldassare and Bill Bartek finished third.

Production

The Amazing Race began at Bethesda Fountain in New York City's Central Park.

In December 2000, CBS announced that it was set to produce a new reality show entitled CBS Summer Global Adventure Series, which would feature eight teams of two traveling to eleven international locations to win US$1 million.[3] Location scouting for the race course took place in January 2001.[1] The first season of The Amazing Race traveled 35,000 miles (56,000 km) in 39 days, spanning four continents and nine countries.[a] The season was hit with multiple filming delays, including an airport strike in Rome and a sandstorm in Tunisia, the latter of which forced teams to begin Leg 6 in Gabès rather than the original Saharan desert pit stop. The top of the World Trade Center was considered as the finish location for the season but was changed to Flushing Meadows Park after production was unable to secure needed permits.[1]

Multiple aspects of filming were unique to the first season of the series. Host Phil Keoghan handed out clues at the beginning of some legs and only greeted the last-place team at each pit stop; all other teams were greeted and informed of their placements by local representatives.[1] Each leg's pit stop mat featured a localized design, while subsequent seasons have used a single design.[4] This is also the first and only season where teams left the United States immediately for Africa.

The Amazing Race was designed so that the final three teams would all reach the Finish Line; however, Joe & Bill were so far behind that they could not catch up and did not finish the competition. They were still completing Leg 12 in Alaska while Rob & Brennan and Frank & Margarita were crossing the finish line in New York City.

Notes
  1. ^ This season indeed featured route markers across ten countries. Since no single team, however, opted for a Detour option in Botswana during Leg 2, only nine countries were visited by teams in the whole season. This country count was indicated by Phil Keoghan at the Finish Line.

Cast

Eleven teams participated in the first season of The Amazing Race.[5]

Contestants Age Relationship Hometown Status
Matt Robar 28 Married Simsbury, Connecticut Eliminated 1st
(in Songwe Village, Zambia)
Ana Robar 28
Kim Smith 28 Teachers & Roommates Baytown, Texas Eliminated 2nd
(in Paris, France)
Leslie Kellner 27
Pat Pierce 43 Working Moms Landenberg, Pennsylvania Eliminated 3rd
(in Les Baux-de-Provence, France)
Brenda Mehta 42 Elkton, Maryland
Dave Groark 65 Grandparents Rockwall, Texas Eliminated 4th
(in El Djem, Tunisia)
Margaretta Groark 60
Paul Alessi 32 Engaged Los Angeles, California Eliminated 5th
(in Jebil National Park, Tunisia)
Amie Barsky 27
Lenny Hudson 33 Dating New York City, New York Eliminated 6th
(in Agra, India)
Karyn Jefferson 30
Nancy Hoyt 46 Mother & Daughter Waco, Texas Eliminated 7th
(in Krabi, Thailand)
Emily Hoyt 21
Kevin O'Connor 34 Fraternity Brothers Bayonne, New Jersey Eliminated 8th
(in Beijing, China)
Drew Feinberg 35 Staten Island, New York
Joe Baldassare 50 Life Partners Laguna Niguel, California Third Place
Bill Bartek 47
Frank Mesa 30 Separated Parents Queens, New York Second Place
Margarita Mesa 28
Rob Frisbee 27 Lawyers & Best Friends Minneapolis, Minnesota Winners
Brennan Swain 29 Rochester, New York
Future appearances

Kevin & Drew made an appearance in The Amazing Race: Family Edition, handing out clues from a hot dog stand in New York City.[6] Kevin & Drew and Joe & Bill returned for the first All-Stars season.[7] Frank Mesa made an appearance at the Starting Line of season 25.[8] Rob & Brennan made an appearance at the Starting Line of season 27.[9]

Results

The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. 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.

  • A red placement with a dagger (dagger) indicates that the team was eliminated.
  • An underlined blue placement with a double-dagger (double-dagger) indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a pit stop in a non-elimination leg.
  • A green ƒ indicates that the team won the Fast Forward.
Team placement (by leg)
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Rob & Brennan 1stƒ[a] 3rd 3rd 6th 4th 3rd 3rd 3rd 1st 1st 2nd 1st 1st
Frank & Margarita 3rd 4th 2nd 5th 5th 1st 1stƒ[a] 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd
Joe & Bill 2nd 2nd 4th 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 4th 4thƒ[a] 4thdouble-dagger 3rd 3rddouble-dagger 3rd
Kevin & Drew 9th 5th 1stƒ[a] 2nd 1st 4th 4th 1st 3rd 3rd 4thThis team was eliminated.
Nancy & Emily 10th 7th 8th 3rd 3rd 5th 5th 5thdouble-dagger 5thThis team was eliminated.[b]
Lenny & Karyn 4th 9th 7th 7th 6th 6thdouble-dagger 6thThis team was eliminated.
Paul & Amie 7th 6th 6th 4th[c] 7thThis team was eliminated.
Dave & Margaretta 8th[d] 8th[e] 5th 8thThis team was eliminated.
Pat & Brenda 5th 1stƒ[a] 9thThis team was eliminated.
Kim & Leslie 6th 10thThis team was eliminated.
Matt & Ana 11thThis team was eliminated.
Notes
  1. ^ a b c d e This team won the Fast Forward in this particular leg.
  2. ^ Nancy & Emily initially arrived 4th, but were issued a 24-hour penalty for failing to complete either Detour option after getting lost, and taking a taxi to the Roadblock. Joe & Bill checked in during this penalty time, dropping Nancy & Emily to last.
  3. ^ Paul & Amie checked in 5th at the end of this leg, but departed for the next leg 4th after being awarded a time credit.
  4. ^ Dave & Margaretta initially arrived 7th, but were penalized for not completing the Detour correctly. They departed the pit stop 8th.
  5. ^ Dave & Margaretta initially arrived 6th, but were penalized for not completing the Roadblock correctly. They departed the pit stop 8th.

Race summary

Route map, the green dot represents both the Starting Line and the Finish Line
Destinations Legenda lotnisko.svg Air travel   Legenda kolej.svg Rail travel   BSicon BOOT.svg Water travel   Bus-logo.svg Bus travel
Maki-heliport-15.svg Helicopter travel   Maki-bicycle-15.svg Bicycle travel   Maki-aerialway-15.svg Gondola travel
Route Markers Detour icon.svg Detour   Roadblock icon.svg Roadblock   Fast Forward icon.svg Fast Forward   TAR-pitstop-icon.png Pit Stop

Leg 1 (United States → South Africa → Zambia)

Knife's Edge Bridge in the midst of Victoria Falls' inverted rain was the first ever location visited in the entire series of The Amazing Race.
  • Episode 1: "The Race Begins" (September 5, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Matt & Ana
Locations
Detour
  • The series' very first Detour was a choice between Air or Land. In Air, teams had to take a quick trip along a zip line across Batoka Gorge and then experience a 54-metre (177 ft) gorge swing to reach the bottom to receive their next clue. In Land, teams had to take a long hike down the rim of the gorge to receive their next clue. All teams chose the zip line.
Roadblock
  • Near Songwe Village, there was a Roadblock that required one team member to cook an ostrich egg, which both team members had to eat before checking in at the pit stop. This task was unaired in the episode, but was shown as a bonus feature on the DVD. Drew, Emily, Frank, Joe, Karyn, Kim, Margaretta, Pat,[10] and Paul were shown to have performed this task.
Fast Forward
  • For the series' very first Fast Forward, one team had to hike down a steep canyon to the Boiling Pot on the Zambezi River to retrieve the Fast Forward award. Rob & Brennan won the Fast Forward.
Additional notes
  • Teams' first clue instructed them to fly to Johannesburg on one of three flights: the first was a direct South African Airways flight which would arrive first, the second was a Swissair flight connecting in Zurich which would arrive second, and the third was an Alitalia flight connecting in Milan which would arrive last.
  • At Lanseria Airport, teams had to find Ryan Blake Air to take one of four charter flights to an unknown destination (Livingstone, Zambia).
  • Upon arrival in Livingstone, teams had to find a marked car with their next clue, which instructed them to find "the smoke that thunders", leaving teams to figure out that it was the local name for Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya). Teams could drive themselves or hire a driver (who could not provide directions) to the falls to find their next clue.
  • The Detour at Batoka Gorge was later revisited on season 27 as a Switchback in Zimbabwe.

Leg 2 (Zambia & Botswana → France)

After arriving in the city of Paris, France, teams visited the iconic Eiffel Tower for a Roadblock.
  • Episode 2: "Divide and Conquer" (September 19, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Kim & Leslie
Locations
  • Fast Forward: Whitewater rafting Livingstone (Bundu Adventures)
Detour
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to go by stairs to the second level of the Eiffel Tower and use a telescope to search the city skyline for a famous monument with a Route Marker on top. The monument they had to spot was the Arc de Triomphe.
Fast Forward
  • One team had to whitewater raft down the treacherous rapids of the Zambezi River to retrieve the Fast Forward award. Pat & Brenda won the Fast Forward.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams had to find the Songwe Museum near the village, where they found instant cameras along with their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel to Mukuni Village. Once there, they had to take part in a traditional welcome ceremony for honored guests. After the ceremony, teams gave the village chief the photographs they took during the Detour and received their next clue: a miniature model of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
  • This episode was originally scheduled to air on September 12, 2001, but CBS postponed it due to the September 11 attacks.

Leg 3 (France)

After leaving Paris, teams ended this leg in the ruins of Château des Baux at the Alpilles mountains.
  • Episode 3: "Home for Some" (September 26, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Pat & Brenda
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Tough Climb or Easy Walk. In Tough Climb, teams traveled to Notre-Dame de Paris and climbed the cathedral's 297 steps to ring Quasimodo's bell. In Easy Walk, teams had to locate the statue of a cat sitting next to the Foucault pendulum to find their next clue. However, there were two Foucault pendulums in Paris, but only the one at the Panthéon had the statue of the cat, and the one at the Museum of Arts and Crafts did not.
Roadblock
Fast Forward
  • This leg's Fast Forward required one team to find a tea shop called Mariage Frères in the Rive Gauche and ask for a specific tea to receive the Fast Forward award. Kevin & Drew won the Fast Forward.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams had to find "La Grande Roue" ("The Big Wheel") and figure out that it was the nearby Roue de Paris to find their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to find a man in a blue suit across from the Hôtel de Ville to receive their next clue.
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by train and taxi to Les Baux-de-Provence, and then travel by foot to the Château des Baux.

Leg 4 (France → Tunisia)

Once in Tunisia, teams had to find a man depicted in a photograph near Bab el Bhar.
  • Episode 4: "Colossal Showdown" (October 3, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Dave & Margaretta
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Full Body Brew or Full Body Massage. In Full Body Brew, teams had to find the Café Mnouchi inside the Medina of Tunis using only a picture for reference. Once there, they had to order two coffees to receive their next clue. In Full Body Massage, teams had to search for a massage parlor marked on a provided map. Once there, they had to receive a 20-minute massage before they could receive their next clue.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to light a torch and navigate the arena to find the pit of death. They then had to retrieve a sword dangling above a pit, find their way out of the maze of tunnels, and bring it to the pit stop, where they sheathed the sword to finish the leg.
Fast Forward
  • In the unclaimed Fast Forward, one team had to go fishing aboard the Kinsa in the port of Sidi Bou Said.[11]
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams were told to travel to the Marseille Ferry Port, where they had to travel by boat from Marseille to Tunis. They were instructed to find a smaller version of the Arc de Triomphe in the country represented by a small unidentified flag. Teams had to figure out that they had a Tunisian flag. Once in Tunis, they had to find the man depicted in a provided photograph near Bab el Bhar and say a traditional greeting of As-salām (السلام) to receive their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams received a lighter marked with a picture of the amphitheatre in El Djem with the words "Go Here" on the back.

Leg 5 (Tunisia)

While in Tataouine, teams visited the ksars of Tunisia, one of which was Ksar Hadada, for the Detour tasks.
  • Episode 5: "Desert Storm" (October 10, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Paul & Amie
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Listening or Puzzling. In Listening, teams had to find the Star Wars movie set Ksar Hadada and use a supplied walkie-talkie and their sense of hearing to locate the radio's counterpart hidden somewhere in the labyrinth of caves with their next clue. In Puzzling, teams had to find Ksar Ouled Soltane, a hard-to-find location, and solve a simple Tunisian dice game to receive their next clue. All teams chose the walkie-talkie task.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to ride a camel and use a set of compass directions to reach the flag visible in the distance in the middle of the desert. The non-participating member had to trek alongside on foot. Once they reached the route marker, teams would find a new set of compass directions to the next pit stop: the Ksar Ghilane oasis.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams received a photograph of a globe monument, the Monument to the Memory of the Earth, and instructions to travel to Tataouine for their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had use a map, a compass, and a series of painted yellow stones to find an arrow located approximately one mile (1.6 km) north of Guermessa that would direct them along a path of several arrows across the Sahara to their next clue at Ksar Ghilane.
  • Along with their Detour clue, teams found cars that would serve as their transportation for the rest of the leg and could hire a driver for US$50, but drivers could not provide directions, so all teams had to navigate using a simple provided map.

Leg 6 (Tunisia → Italy)

Upon arrival in Rome, teams found their first clue outside the famous Colosseum.
  • Episode 6: "Whatever It Takes to Win" (October 17, 2001)
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Foot or Hoof. In Foot, teams had to find a large, well-known statue of a foot at Palazzo dei Conservatori, using a provided picture that contained the entire statue, to find their next clue. In Hoof, teams were given a partial picture of another, more obscure statue depicting the hoof of the equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II to find their next clue. However, if teams completed this task, they would find a line of taxis waiting for them.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to drive a Smart car to the town square of Sant'Agata Bolognese, using a map written entirely in Italian. The other team member was driven to the square in a Pagani Zonda traveling at 180 miles per hour (290 km/h).
Fast Forward
  • In the unclaimed Fast Forward, the clue stated "This is a key that you can see the arms of St. Peter". From this information, one team would have had to find a keyhole on a door in Magistral Villa that provides a view of Vatican City in order to win the Fast Forward award.[11]
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams had to travel to the Hôtel Le Palace near Tunis to find their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel by train to Castelfranco Emilia via Bologna and then take a taxi to the Pagani Auto Factory to find their next clue.
  • During the pit stop, a sandstorm in the Sahara forced the teams to move as a safety precaution to Gabès to start the leg.
  • Due to an airport strike in Rome, all flights to Rome were either fully booked or cancelled. As a result, teams faced the option of either flying to Europe and taking a connecting flight or train to Rome or risk waiting in Tunis for when direct evening flights to Rome might become available.
  • This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 7 (Italy → India)

Once in Delhi, India, teams visited Red Fort for a Roadblock clue.
  • Episode 7: "Triumph and Loss" (October 24, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Lenny & Karyn
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Glide or Ride. In Glide, teams traveled to the town of Ferrara, where one team member rode in a glider with a professional glider pilot while their partner rode in the towing plane. Once completed, the team received a free taxi ride to the Ferrara railway station and their next clue. However, the seats on the glider were first-come, first-served. In Ride, teams had to travel to a bicycle shop in Ferrara and ride bikes eight kilometres (5 mi) to the Ferrara railway station following a street map in order to retrieve their next clue.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to hire a cycle rickshaw and find a particular shopkeeper in the congested Chandni Chowk market who would show the team member a blue box containing a replica of the Taj Mahal with their next clue.
Fast Forward
  • This leg's Fast Forward required one team to find Castello Estense in the town of Ferrara and row a boat through the moat around the castle to find the Fast Forward award hidden in the wall. Frank & Margarita won the Fast Forward.
Additional notes
  • After the Detour, teams were instructed to fly to Delhi by catching a train to either Rome or Milan, from which they could fly to Delhi. Once in Delhi, teams had to find their next clue outside the Red Fort.

Leg 8 (India)

Agra's famous Taj Mahal was visited during the leg.
  • Episode 8: "Competition to the Fullest" (October 31, 2001)
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Elephant or Rowboat. In Elephant, teams had to ride on the back of an elephant up a steep path to the Amber Fort and then find a holy man with their next clue. In Rowboat, teams had to reach the Jal Mahal water palace using a rowboat and then find a holy man with their next clue.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to find a canister with their next clue somewhere in the Karni Mata Temple, a temple devoted to the worship of rats, which are sacred to locals and number in the thousands.
Additional notes
  • At the Taj Mahal, teams had to search the expansive grounds for their next clue, which instructed them to travel to the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, which was referred to as the "Palace of the Winds", to find their next clue.
  • This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 9 (India → Thailand)

The final Fast Forward in Bangkok took place at the Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho.
  • Episode 9: "The Unexpected Twist" (November 14, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Nancy & Emily
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Public or Private. For both tasks, teams had to find transportation to the town of Kanchanaburi. In Public, teams had to go to a local bus station and ride a public bus which left every 20 minutes, paying with their own money. In Private, teams had to find a specified private vehicle, using only a license plate number and a crude map of the nearby area, which would give them a free ride to Kanchanaburi.
  • Nancy & Emily became frustrated after spending hours searching fruitlessly for the private vehicle, so they took a taxi to Kanchanaburi, for which they incurred a penalty and were thus eliminated from the race.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to dress like a Buddhist monk and walk through a pit of tigers in order to retrieve their next clue.
Fast Forward
  • This season's final Fast Forward required teams to travel to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and play a traditional Buddhist game that used the 108 urns alongside the giant reclining Buddha. They had to choose a bowl of coins and drop exactly one coin in every urn. If the bowl thatthe teams chose had too few or too many coins, they had to choose another bowl and try again. The first team to find the bowl with exactly 108 coins would win the Fast Forward. Joe & Bill defeated Nancy & Emily and won the Fast Forward.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams had to take either a bus or train back to Delhi and then fly to Bangkok.

Leg 10 (Thailand)

Teams ended this leg at Pai Plong Beach in the province of Krabi in southern Thailand.
  • Episode 10: "To the Physical and Mental Limit" (November 21, 2001)
Locations
  • Ao Phang Nga National Park (Railay Beach – King Climbers)
  • Ao Phang Nga National Park (Thaiwand Wall) Detour: Hike or Climb
  • Boat: Ao Phang Nga National Park (Thaiwand Wall to Railay Beach)
  • Boat: Ao Phang Nga National Park (Railay Beach) to Ao Nang (Ao Nang Beach)
  • Bor Tor, Ao Luk (Sea, Land & Trek) Roadblock: "Upper body strength is the key to success."
  • Boat: Ao Nang (Ao Nang Beach) to Ao Phang Nga National Park (Chicken Island)
  • Boat: Ao Nang (Pai Plong Beach) Pit Stop: Leg 10
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Hike or Climb. In Hike, teams had to travel on a long, winding path up Thaiwand Wall to find their next clue. In Climb, teams had to take an arduous rock climb straight up Thaiwand Wall to find their next clue. All teams chose the rock climb.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to paddle a kayak with their team member and all of their luggage down the river in search of a route marker flag. Once the flag was spotted, they had to climb into a nearby cave, Tham Hua Kalok, to find their next clue along with snorkeling gear.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams were told to find "The King" at Railay Beach, which referred to the King Climbers rock climbing school, where they received rock-climbing equipment and then hiked a half-mile through the tropical jungle to reach Thaiwand Wall and their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to rappel into a boat that would bring them back to Railay Beach and proceed to Sea, Land & Trek rafting company in Bor Tor, Ao Luk to find their next clue.
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to paddle back to Sea, Land & Trek. Teams then had to hire a boat at Ao Nang Beach and find a route marker bobbing in the water four miles (6.4 km) from the mainland near Chicken Island, where they had to use the snorkeling gear they collected at the Roadblock to dive in the water and retrieve their next clue.
  • This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 11 (Thailand → China)

The southern gate of Tiantan Park in Beijing was the 11th Pit Stop and final elimination point of the season.
  • Episode 11: "Fight to the Last Minute" (November 28, 2001)
  • Eliminated: Kevin & Drew
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour was a choice between Volley or Rally. In Volley, teams had to score five points in a game of ping-pong against a local champion at a nearby community center in order to receive their next clue. In Rally, teams had to take three common forms of local transportation. First, teams had to travel by bus to Hu Jia Lou. Next, teams had to ride a motorcycle taxi to Liu Jia Yao. Finally, teams had to a ride a pedicab to Quan Xin Yuan Restaurant, where they found their next clue.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to give the items previously bought at Hongqiao Market to a chef at Donghuamen Night Market for him to cook and then eat all three dishes to receive their next clue.
Additional notes
  • At Hongqiao Market, teams found a shopping list written almost entirely in Mandarin Chinese that they had to use to purchase these items: five beetle larvae, one squid, and two chicken feet, and then make their way the Donghuamen Night Market to find their next clue.
  • Frank & Margarita and Rob & Brennan caught a much earlier flight from Phuket to Beijing than Joe & Bill and Kevin & Drew. As a result, Joe & Bill and Kevin & Drew were almost a full day behind the other teams when they arrived in Beijing. Joe & Bill would remain almost a full day behind the remaining two teams for the rest of the race.

Leg 12 (China → United States)

In Alaska, teams visited Matanuska Glacier for the leg's Roadblock.
  • Episode 12: "Race to the Finish — Part 1" (December 5, 2001)
Locations
Detour
  • This leg's Detour at the Great Wall of China was a choice between Flat or Steep. In Flat, teams had to walk along a long, flat path to a faraway marked pavilion with their next clue. In Steep, teams had to hike up a much shorter, but extremely steep, path to the closer marked pavilion with their next clue. All teams chose the steep hike.
Roadblock
  • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb an ice wall to retrieve their next clue from the top of the glacier.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams had to use a map to find three kite flyers in Tiantan Park with their next clue. Once they obtained a clue from a kite, teams were then instructed to go to the Great Wall of China by public bus to find their next clue.
  • Once in Anchorage, teams picked a marked 4x4 and were driven to North Country Bed and Breakfast in Scotty Lake, where they spent the night. The following morning, one team member had to experience an Alaskan blanket toss known as Nalukataq in order to spot a nearby route marker on the ice.
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to reach highway Mile Marker 131 near Denali State Park, where they left their vehicles and rode snowmobiles to the pit stop at a wilderness cabin.
  • This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 13 (United States)

The Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Park in the New York borough of Queens hosted the Finish Line of the inaugural season of The Amazing Race.
  • Episode 13: "Race to the Finish — Part 2" (December 13, 2001)
  • Winners: Rob & Brennan
  • Second Place: Frank & Margarita
  • Third Place: Joe & Bill
Locations
Detour
  • This season's final Detour was a choice between Dog Power or Horsepower. In Dog Power, teams had to ride dog sleds 11 miles (18 km) to their next clue. In Horsepower, teams had to ride snowmobiles 30 miles (48 km) to their next clue. Both teams chose to ride the dog sleds.
Roadblock
  • In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to strip down, plunge into the freezing waters of Fish Lake with temperatures as low as 40 °F (4 °C), completely submerge their heads, and then retrieve their next clue.
Additional notes
  • At the start of the leg, teams donned snowshoes and followed flags 1/2 mile (800 m) to Takosha Lodge for their next clue.
  • Once in New York City, teams had to travel by taxi to Vincent Daniels Square along 51st and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens for their final clue.
  • At Vincent Daniels Square, teams had to take the 7 train from an adjacent elevated station to the Willets Point–Shea Stadium Station, then follow the flags to the finish line at Flushing Meadows Park.
  • Joe & Bill had fallen so far behind the other teams that by the time they began the leg in Alaska, Rob & Brennan and Frank & Margarita were crossing the finish line in New York. Instead of the next clue, Joe & Bill received notice that the race had ended when they opened their clue envelope at the Takosha Lodge.

Reception

Season 1 was not particularly a ratings success as the series premiered six days prior to the September 11 attacks, after which interest in foreign travel waned and viewership fell correspondingly. The show was further hindered by the lack of media coverage and promotion as networks focused on news stories and more patriotic programming.[12] Additionally, the show premiered and competed in the same time slot as with NBC's short-lived Lost, another travel reality game show with a similar premise.[13] The show did just well enough to earn a second season, which aired the following spring.

Critical response

Despite the lower than expected ratings, The Amazing Race 1 received positive reviews.[14] Linda Holmes of Television Without Pity wrote that she "was flat-out hooked for thirteen weeks, and the ending managed not to disappoint, which almost never happens."[15] Matt Roush of TV Guide called this season "TV's best reality show".[16] Allan Johnson of the Chicago Tribune called the first season "a satisfying race around the world".[17] In 2016, this season was ranked 5th out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.[18] Kareem Gantt of Screen Rant wrote that this season "had a great cast, truly awesome locations, and challenges that kept the viewer on the edge".[19] In 2021, Jane Andrews of Gossip Cop ranked this season as the fourth best.[20] In 2022, Jason Shomer of Collider ranked this season among the show's top seven seasons.[21]

Distribution

The DVD boxed set for Season 1 was released on September 27, 2005. Kevin & Drew, Lenny & Karyn, Joe & Bill, and Rob & Brennan did commentary on four episodes.[22]

Ratings

U.S. Nielsen ratings

Order Episode Rating/Share
(18-49) 		Viewers
(millions) 		Ref.
1 "The Race Begins" 5.1 11.80 [23][24]
6 "Whatever It Takes to Win" 3.6/9 8.37 [25]
7 "Triumph and Loss" 4.0/10 9.17 [25]
13 "Race To The Finish – Part 2" 6.0 13.65 [26]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Andy Dehnart (September 3, 2021). "Amazing Race behind the scenes: an oral history of CBS's first race around the world". reality blurred. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Swain, Brennan [@brennanswain] (April 8, 2021). "20 years ago today, April 8, 2001, on a chilly NYC morning Rob Frisbee and I crossed the finish line as the winners of The Amazing Race in Flushing Meadows Park!". Retrieved April 12, 2021 – via Instagram.
  3. ^ Petrozzello, Donna (December 13, 2000). "CBS seeks great racers". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  4. ^ Grossbart, Sarah (September 5, 2021). "What a Trip: The Complete Oral History of The Amazing Race". E!. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Andy Dehnart (August 9, 2001). "Amazing Race contestants revealed". reality blurred. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  6. ^ Sellers, Andrea (September 28, 2005). "The Black family becomes the first team eliminated from 'The Amazing Race: Family Edition'". Reality TV World. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Rogers, Steve (January 16, 2007). "CBS unveils 'The Amazing Race: All-Stars' cast, show to debut Feb. 18". Reality TV World. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  8. ^ Eng, Joyce (September 25, 2014). "8 Amazing Secrets From The Amazing Race Start Line". TV Guide. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  9. ^ Wigler, Josh (September 25, 2015). "The Amazing Race Host Phil Keoghan Previews The Season 27 Premiere". Parade. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
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  11. ^ a b "Post on TWoP forums with information supplied by Brennan. (Scroll down to 'Season 1 — Leg 4')". Television Without Pity. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved November 2, 2006.
  12. ^ Carter, Bill (October 22, 2001). "ABC Cancels A Planned Reality Show". The New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  13. ^ James Poniewozik (September 10, 2001). "Lost; The Amazing Race". Time. Retrieved January 9, 2008.
  14. ^ Adalian, Josef (November 7, 2001). "CBS prepping for Race redux". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on December 1, 2001. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  15. ^ Linda Holmes (December 18, 2001). "End of the line". Television Without Pity. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  16. ^ Andy Dehnart (December 13, 2001). "The Amazing Race concludes tonight". reality blurred. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Johnson, Allan (March 11, 2002). "'Amazing Race 2' offers some fancy footwork". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  18. ^ Mike Bloom; Jessica Liese; Dan Heaton (February 5, 2016). "Amazing Race | Ranking the Season". Rob Has a Podcast (Podcast). Event occurs at 1:42:50. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  19. ^ Gantt, Kareem (November 30, 2020). "Amazing Race: 10 Must-Watch Seasons, Ranked According To IMDb". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  20. ^ Andrews, Jane (January 2, 2021). "The Best Seasons Of The Amazing Race, Ranked". Gossip Cop. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  21. ^ Shomers, Jason (January 24, 2022). "The 7 Best Seasons of 'The Amazing Race'". Collider. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  22. ^ Beierle, Aaron (September 28, 2005). "The Amazing Race: Season 1". DVD Talk. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  23. ^ "Medialife 09-06-2001". Media Life Magazine. 2001-09-06. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
  24. ^ Lowry, Brian (September 7, 2001). "All Isn't 'Lost' in Ratings 'Race'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Weekly Ratings Summary: CBS and NBC Split Leadership". Media Life Magazine. October 31, 2001. Archived from the original on November 16, 2001. Retrieved September 3, 2001.
  26. ^ "Medialife 12-19-2001". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
  • The Amazing Race: The First Season. CBS. DVD. Paramount, 2005.

External links

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