''The Amazing Race 1'' (originally broadcast under the name ''The Amazing Race'') is the first season of the American

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early ...

series, ''

The Amazing Race ''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The ''Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in forei ...

''. It debuted on September 5, 2001, on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

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 in third.

Production

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. Location scouting for the race course took place in January 2001. The first season of ''The Amazing Race'' traveled in 39 days, spanning four continents and nine countries. The season was hit with multiple filming delays, including an airport strike in Rome and a

sandstorm A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transpo ...

in Tunisia, the latter of which forced teams to begin Leg 6 in

Gabès Gabès (, ; ar, قابس, ), also spelled Cabès, Cabes, Kabes, Gabbs and Gaps, is the capital city of the Gabès Governorate in Tunisia. It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Gabès. With a population of 152,921, Gabès is the 6th largest ...

rather than the original Saharan desert pit stop. The top of the

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...

was considered as the finish location for the season but was changed to

Flushing Meadows Park Flushing may refer to: Places * Flushing, Cornwall, a village in the United Kingdom * Flushing, Queens, New York City ** Flushing Bay, a bay off the north shore of Queens ** Flushing Chinatown (法拉盛華埠), a community in Queens ** Flushin ...

after production was unable to secure needed permits. Multiple aspects of filming were unique to the first season of the series. Host

Phil Keoghan Philip John Keoghan ( ; born 31 May 1967) is a New Zealand television personality, best known for hosting the The Amazing Race (American TV series), American version of ''The Amazing Race'' on CBS, since its 2001 debut. He is the creator and h ...

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. Each leg's pit stop mat featured a localized design, while subsequent seasons have used a single design. ''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.

Cast

Eleven teams participated in the first season of ''The Amazing Race''. ;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. Kevin & Drew and Joe & Bill returned for the first All-Stars season. Frank Mesa made an appearance at the starting line of season 25. Rob & Brennan made an appearance at the starting line of

season 27 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...

Results

The following teams are listed with their placements in each episode. Placements are listed in finishing order. *A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. *An placement with a double-dagger () indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a pit stop in a non-elimination leg. *A indicates that the team won the Fast Forward. ;Notes

Race summary

Leg 1 (United States → South Africa → Zambia)

*Episode 1: "The Race Begins" (September 5, 2001) *Eliminated: Matt & Ana ;Locations *

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, New York (

Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...

–

Bethesda Fountain Bethesda Terrace and Fountain are two architectural features overlooking the southern shore of the Lake in New York City's Central Park. The fountain, with its ''Angel of the Waters'' statue, is located in the center of the terrace. Bethesda T ...

) (Starting Line) * New York City →

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Dem ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

*Johannesburg (

Lanseria Airport Lanseria International Airport is a privately owned international airport that is situated north of Randburg and Sandton to the northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. The airport can handle aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 757-300 and ...

– Ryan Blake Air) * Johannesburg → Livingstone,

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...

* Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (

Victoria Falls Victoria Falls ( Lozi: ''Mosi-oa-Tunya'', "The Smoke That Thunders"; Tonga: ''Shungu Namutitima'', "Boiling Water") is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, which provides habitat for several unique species of plants and anim ...

– Knife's Edge Bridge) *Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (Victoria Falls –

Boiling Pot ''Boiling Pot'' is a 2015 American drama film directed by Omar Ashmawey and starring Louis Gossett Jr., Danielle Fishel, and Keith David. Premise On an American college campus, ideas that have been long neglected emerge as racial tension grows be ...

) * Livingstone District (Batoka Gorge – Abseil Zambia) *Livingstone District (Songwe Village) (Unaired) ;Episode summary *Teams set off from

and traveled to

John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Avia ...

, where they had to book one of three flights to

Johannesburg, South Africa Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

. The first was a direct South African Airways flight that arrived first, the second was a Swissair flight connecting in

Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Zürich ...

that arrived second, and the third was an

Alitalia Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia (), was an Italian airline which was once the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company had its head office in Fiumicino, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. The ai ...

flight connecting in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

that arrived last. *After arriving in Johannesburg, teams had to go directly to

, where they had to book one of four charter flights to an unknown destination (

Livingstone, Zambia Livingstone is a city in Zambia. Until 1935, it served as the capital city of Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia). Lying 10 km (6.2 mi) to the north of the Zambezi River, it is a tourism attraction center for the Victoria Falls and a border t ...

). Once there, teams had to find a vehicle with their next clue, instructing them to find "the smoke that thunders", which they to figure out was the local name for

''(Mosi-oa-Tunya)''. Teams could either drive themselves or hire a driver (who could not provide directions) to the falls in order to find their next clue. * For the series' very first Fast Forward, one team had to hike down a steep canyon to the

on the

Zambezi River The Zambezi River (also spelled Zambeze and Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, the longest east-flowing river in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. Its drainage basin covers , slightly less than hal ...

. Rob & Brennan won the Fast Forward. * 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 A zip-line, zip line, zip-wire, flying fox, or death slide is a pulley suspended on a cable, usually made of stainless steel, mounted on a slope. It is designed to enable cargo or a person propelled by gravity to travel from the top to the bo ...

across Batoka Gorge and then experience a gorge swing to reach the bottom in order to receive their next clue. In Land, teams would have had to take a long hike down the rim of the gorge in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose the zip-line. *Teams had to check in at the pit stop: Songwe Village. ;Additional notes * 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 they could check in at the pit stop. This task was unaired, but was shown as a bonus feature on the DVD. *The zip-line Detour at Batoka Gorge was later revisited in

as a Switchback in

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

Leg 2 (Zambia → South Africa → France)

*Episode 2: "Divide and Conquer" (September 19, 2001) *Eliminated: Kim & Leslie ;Locations * Livingstone District (Songwe Village) *Livingstone District (Songwe Museum) * Livingstone (Bundu Adventures) * Southern Province ( Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park) *Livingstone District (Mukuni Village) * Livingstone →

* Johannesburg →

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

*Paris (

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed "' ...

) *Paris ( Arc de Triomphe) ;Episode summary *At the start of this leg, teams had to find the Songwe Museum located near the village, where they found

instant camera An instant camera is a camera which uses self-developing film to create a chemically developed print shortly after taking the picture. Polaroid Corporation pioneered (and patented) consumer-friendly instant cameras and film, and were follow ...

s along with their next clue. * For this leg's Fast Forward, one team had to

whitewater Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...

raft down the treacherous rapids of the

. Pat & Brenda won the Fast Forward. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Near or Far. In Near, teams had to go to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park away and photograph three hard-to-find animals from a list of five ( giraffe, impala,

water buffalo The water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis''), also called the domestic water buffalo or Asian water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also found in Europe, Australia, North America, So ...

zebra Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. zebr ...

, or

rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

). In Far, teams would have had to go to

Chobe National Park Chobe National Park is Botswana's first national park, and also the most biologically diverse. Located in the north of the country, it is Botswana's third largest park, after Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Gemsbok National Park, and has one ...

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalaha ...

away and photograph a single

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...

. All teams chose to travel to the nearby park, so no teams actually traveled to Botswana. *After the Detour, teams had to travel to Mukuni Village, where they took 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

Paris, France Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. Teams then returned by charter flight to

, where they had to book flights to Paris. Once in Paris, teams went directly to the Eiffel Tower. * 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's skyline for a famous monument with a Route Marker on top. The monument they had to spot was the Arc de Triomphe, which was the pit stop for this leg of the race. ;Additional notes *This episode was originally scheduled to air on September 12, 2001, but was postponed due to the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...

Leg 3 (France)

*Episode 3: "Home for Some" (September 26, 2001) *Eliminated: Pat & Brenda ;Locations *

( Arc de Triomphe) *Paris ( Mariage Frères) *Paris ( Roue de Paris) *Paris ( Notre-Dame de Paris

Panthéon The Panthéon (, from the Classical Greek word , , ' empleto all the gods') is a monument in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. It stands in the Latin Quarter, atop the , in the centre of the , which was named after it. The edifice was b ...

) *Paris ( Hôtel de Ville) *Paris ( Place du Châtelet) * Paris → Avignon

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

Les Baux-de-Provence Les Baux-de-Provence (; oc, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal, Lei Bauç de Provença), commonly called Baux, is a Communes of France, commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regio ...

( Château des Baux) ;Episode summary *At the start of this leg, teams had to find "La Grande Roue" ("The Big Wheel") by figuring out that it was the nearby Roue de Paris in order to find their next clue. * This leg's Fast Forward required one team to find a tea shop called Mariage Frères in the

Rive Gauche The Rive Gauche (, ''Left Bank'') is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two parts. When facing downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank (or ''Rive D ...

and ask for a specific tea. Kevin & Drew won the Fast Forward. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Tough Climb or Easy Walk. In Tough Climb, teams had to travel to Notre-Dame de Paris and climb the cathedral's north tower in order to ring

Quasimodo Quasimodo (from Quasimodo Sunday) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the novel '' The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (1831) by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster, but ...

's bell and receive their next clue. In Easy Walk, teams had to locate the statue of a cat sitting next to the

Foucault pendulum The Foucault pendulum or Foucault's pendulum is a simple device named after French physicist Léon Foucault, conceived as an experiment to demonstrate the Earth's rotation. A long and heavy pendulum suspended from the high roof above a circular ...

in order to find their next clue. However, there were two Foucault pendulums in Paris, but only the one at the

had the statue of a cat, while the one at the Museum of Arts and Crafts did not. *After completing the Detour, teams had to find a man in a blue suit across from the Hôtel de Ville in order to receive their next clue. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to walk underground through the

Paris sewers The sewers of the French capital Paris date back to the year 1370 when the first underground system was constructed under Rue Montmartre. Consecutive French governments enlarged the system to cover the city's population, including expansions under ...

to the Place du Châtelet in order to find their next clue. *After completing the Roadblock, teams had to travel by train and taxi to

, and then by foot to the pit stop at the Château des Baux.

Leg 4 (France → Tunisia)

*Episode 4: "Colossal Showdown" (October 3, 2001) *Eliminated: Dave & Margaretta ;Locations *

( Château des Baux) *

→

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

*Tunis (

Bab el Bhar Bab el Bhar ("the sea gate"), also known as (the gate of France), is a city gate in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. It marks the separation between the Medina of Tunis The Medina of Tunis is the medina quarter of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. ...

) *Tunis (

Medina of Tunis The Medina of Tunis is the medina quarter of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The Medina contains some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains dating from ...

– Café Mnouchi

Hammam A hammam ( ar, حمّام, translit=ḥammām, tr, hamam) or Turkish bath is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the Islamic culture, culture of the Muslim world and ...

) *

El Djem El Djem or El Jem (Tunisian Arabic:, ') is a town in Mahdia Governorate, Tunisia. Its population was 21,576 during the 2014 census. It is home to Roman Empire, Roman remains including the "Amphitheater of El Jem". History The Roman city of Thys ...

(

Amphitheatre of El Jem The Amphitheatre of El Jem is an oval amphitheatre in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, formerly Thysdrus in the Roman province of Africa. It is listed by UNESCO since 1979 as a World Heritage Site. History The amphitheatre was built aro ...

) ;Episode summary *At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to find a smaller version of the Arc de Triomphe in the country represented by a small flag. Teams had to figure out that they had a

Tunisian flag The flag of Tunisia is a rectangular panel of red color with an aspect ratio of 2:3. In the center of the cloth in a white circle is placed a red crescent, surrounding a red five-pointed star on three sides. Bey Tunisia Hussein II decided to crea ...

, and they needed to travel by ferry from

Tunis, Tunisia ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

. Once in Tunis, they had to find the man depicted in a provided photograph near the

and say a traditional greeting of ''As-salām (السلام)'' in order to receive their next clue. * 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

using only a picture for reference. Once there, they had to order two coffees in order to receive their next clue. In Full Body Massage, teams had to search for a

massage parlor A massage parlor (American English) or massage parlour (Canadian/British English) is a place where massage services are provided for a fee. In the 19th century, the term began to be used in English as a euphemism for a brothel. Context In 189 ...

marked on a provided map, and once there, they had to receive a 20-minute massage before they could receive their next clue. *After completing the Detour, teams received a lighter marked with a picture of the

amphitheatre An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...

with the words "Go Here" on the back. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to light a torch and navigate the Amphitheatre of El Jem in order to find the pit of death. They then had to retrieve a sword above a pit, find their way out of the maze of tunnels, and bring it to the pit stop, where they sheathed the sword in order to finish the leg.

Leg 5 (Tunisia)

*Episode 5: "Desert Storm" (October 10, 2001) *Eliminated: Paul & Amie ;Locations *

(

) *

Tataouine Tataouine ( ber, Tiṭṭawin; ar, تطاوين) is a city in southern Tunisia. It is the capital of the Tataouine Governorate. The below-ground "cave dwellings" of the native Berber population, designed for coolness and protection, render the c ...

(Monument to the Memory of the Earth) *

Tataouine Governorate Tataouine Governorate ( ') is the southernmost of the twenty-four governorates of Tunisia, the only one to border both Algeria and Libya. It is also the largest, covering an area of 38,889 km². It had a population of 149,453 (at the 2014 ce ...

(

Ksar Hadada Ksar Hadada ( ar, قصر حدادة), sometimes known as Ksar Hedada, is a village in southeastern Tunisia. ''Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' was filmed here. The population at the 2004 census was 1298, and 1142 in 2014. Geography ...

) * Jebil National Park ( Ksar Ghilane – Camel Outpost) *Jebil National Park (Ksar Ghilane – Oasis) ;Episode summary *At the start of this leg, teams received a photograph of a globe monument (the Monument to the Memory of the Earth) and instructions to travel to

in order to find their next clue. Along with their Detour clue, teams found cars that served as their transportation for the rest of the leg. They could hire a driver for US$50, but drivers could not provide directions, so all teams had to navigate using a simple provided map. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Listening or Puzzling. In Listening, teams had to find the '' Star Wars'' movie set (

) and use a supplied

walkie-talkie A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver (HT), is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, ...

and their sense of hearing in order to locate the radio's counterpart hidden somewhere in the labyrinth of caves with their next clue. In Puzzling, teams would have had to find

Ksar Ouled Soltane Ksar Ouled Soltane ( ar, قصر أولاد سلطان ) is a fortified granary, or ksar, located in the Tataouine district in southern Tunisia. The ksar is spread out over two courtyards, each of which has a perimeter of multi-story vaulted granary ...

, a hard-to-find location, and solve a simple Tunisian dice game in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose the walkie-talkie task. *After completing the Detour, teams had use a map, a compass, and a series of painted yellow stones in order to find an arrow located approximately north of Guermessa that directed them along a path of several arrows across the Sahara to their next clue at Ksar Ghilane. * 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 found a new set of compass directions to the next pit stop: the Ksar Ghilane oasis.

Leg 6 (Tunisia → Italy)

*Episode 6: "Whatever It Takes to Win" (October 17, 2001) ;Locations *

(Streets of Gabès) *

La Marsa La Marsa ( aeb, المرسى ') is a coastal town in far north eastern Tunisia near the capital Tunis. The population is estimated as 92,987, as of 2014. The old summer capital of pre-colonial Tunisia, it is today a popular vacation spot for many ...

(Hôtel Le Palace) *

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

→

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

*Rome (

Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world t ...

) *Rome ( Palazzo dei Conservatori Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II) * Rome →

Castelfranco Emilia Castelfranco Emilia ( Western Bolognese: ; Modenese: ) is a town and ''comune'' in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, north-central Italy. The town lies about northwest of Bologna. Castelfranco either occupies or lies near the site of the ancient For ...

* San Cesario sul Panaro ( Pagani Auto Factory) *

Sant'Agata Bolognese Sant'Agata Bolognese ( Western Bolognese: ; City Bolognese: ) is a small ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, in the north of Italy. It is notable for being the headquarters of the luxury automobile manufacturer Automob ...

(Town Square) ;Episode summary *During the pit stop, a

in the Sahara forced the teams to move as a safety precaution to

to start the leg. *At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the Hôtel Le Palace near

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

in order to find their next clue, which instructed them to fly to Rome, Italy. Once in Rome, teams found their next clue outside the

. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Foot or Hoof. In Foot, teams had to find a well-known statue of a foot at the Palazzo dei Conservatori, using a provided picture that contained the entire statue, in order to find their next clue. In Hoof, teams were given a partial picture of a more obscure statue depicting the hoof of the equestrian statue of

Vittorio Emanuele II Victor Emmanuel II ( it, Vittorio Emanuele II; full name: ''Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso di Savoia''; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was King of Sardinia from 1849 until 17 March 1861, when he assumed the title o ...

. If teams completed this task, they found a line of taxis waiting for them. *After completing the Detour, teams had to travel by train to

and then take a taxi to the Pagani Auto Factory in order to find their next clue. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to drive a

Smart car Smart (stylized as smart) is a German automotive marque. Smart Automobile Co., Ltd. is a joint venture established by Mercedes-Benz AG and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2019 and aimed at producing Smart-badged cars in China to be marketed gl ...

to the town square of

using a map written entirely in Italian. The other team member was driven to the square in a

Pagani Zonda The Pagani Zonda is a mid-engine sports car produced by the Italian sports car manufacturer Pagani. It debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. By 2019, a total of 140 cars had been built, including development mules. Both 2-door coupé and r ...

traveling at . *Once team members were reunited, they could check in at the pit stop in the town square. ;Additional notes *Due to an airport strike in Rome, all flights to Rome were either fully booked or cancelled. As a result, teams had the option of either flying to elsewhere in Europe and taking a connecting flight or train to Rome or risk waiting in Tunis until direct evening flights to Rome might become available. *This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 7 (Italy → India)

*Episode 7: "Triumph and Loss" (October 24, 2001) *Eliminated: Lenny & Karyn ;Locations *

(Town Square) * Ferrara (

Castello Estense The ' (‘ Este castle’) or ' (‘St. Michael's castle’) is a moated medieval castle in the center of Ferrara, northern Italy. It consists of a large block with four corner towers. History On 3 May 1385, the Ferrarese people, driven to des ...

) *Ferrara (Aeroclub Volovelistico Ferrarese Bike Shop) * Ferrara →

* Rome Milan →

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

*Delhi (

Red Fort The Red Fort or Lal Qila () is a historic fort in Old Delhi, Delhi in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift ...

) * Delhi (

Chandni Chowk The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was b ...

) *

Agra Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra i ...

(Taj Khema Hotel) ;Episode summary * 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 Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...

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 Ferrara railway station ( it, Stazione di Ferrara) is the central station, main station serving the city and ''comune'' of Ferrara, in the Regions of Italy, region of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. Opened in 1862, it forms part of the Padua–B ...

, where they found their next clue. In Ride, teams had to travel to a bicycle shop in Ferrara and then ride to the Ferrara railway station following a street map in order to retrieve their next clue. * This leg's Fast Forward required one team to find

in the town of Ferrara and row a boat around the castle's moat to find the Fast Forward award hidden in the wall. Frank & Margarita won the Fast Forward. *After completing the Detour, teams were instructed to fly to

Delhi, India Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

, by catching a train to either

, from which they could fly to Delhi. Once in Delhi, teams found their next clue outside the

. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to hire a cycle rickshaw and find a specific shopkeeper in the congested

market, who showed the team member a blue box containing a replica of the

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...

along with their next clue. *Teams had to check in at the pit stop: the Taj Khema Hotel in

Leg 8 (India)

*Episode 8: "Competition to the Fullest" (October 31, 2001) ;Locations *

(Taj Khema Hotel) *Agra (

) *

Jaipur Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known ...

( Palace of the Winds) *Jaipur (

Amber Fort Amer Fort or Amber Fort is a fort located in Amer, Rajasthan, India. Amer is a town with an area of located from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Amber city and Amber fort were founded by ruler Alan Singh of Chanda dynasty of Meenas. Located ...

Jal Mahal Jal Mahal (meaning "Water Palace") is a palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India. The palace was originally constructed in 1699; the building and the lake around it were later r ...

) * Jaipur →

Bikaner Bikaner () is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is located northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. Formerly the capital of ...

* Deshnoke ( Karni Mata Temple) *Bikaner (

Laxmi Niwas Palace Lalgarh Palace is a palace and heritage hotel in Bikaner, in the Indian state of Rajasthan, built for Sir Ganga Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner, between 1902 and 1926. Laxmi Niwas Palace is a part of Lalgarh Palace but it has been given on lease and ...

) ;Episode summary *At the beginning of this leg, teams had to search the grounds of the

for their next clue, which instructed them to travel to the Palace of the Winds in

. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Elephant or Rowboat. In Elephant, teams had to ride an elephant up a steep path to the

and then find a

holy man ''Holy Man'' is a 1998 American television satirical comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Herek, written by Tom Schulman, and starring Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Preston, Robert Loggia, Jon Cryer, and Eric McCormack. The film was a ...

who had their next clue. In Rowboat, teams had to reach the

water palace using a rowboat and then find a holy man who had their next clue. *After completing the Detour, teams were instructed to travel by train to

. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to find a canister containing their next clue somewhere in the Karni Mata Temple, a temple devoted to the worship of rats. *Teams had to check in at the pit stop: the

in Bikaner. ;Additional notes *This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 9 (India → Thailand)

*Episode 9: "The Unexpected Twist" (November 14, 2001) *Eliminated: Nancy & Emily ;Locations *

(

) * Bikaner →

* Delhi →

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

*Bangkok ( Temple of the Reclining Buddha) *Bangkok ( Temple of Dawn) *Bangkok (Southern Bus Terminal Bangkok Yai) *

Kanchanaburi Kanchanaburi ( th, กาญจนบุรี, ) is a town municipality (''thesaban mueang'') in the west of Thailand and part of Kanchanaburi Province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327. That number was reduced to 25,651 in 2017. The town ...

(

Buddhist Monastery Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

) *

Krabi Krabi ( th, กระบี่, ) is the main town in the province of Krabi (''thesaban mueang'') on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phang Nga Bay. As of 2020, the town had a population of ...

( Tiger Cave Temple) ;Episode summary *At the beginning of this leg, teams were instructed to take either a bus or train back to

and then fly to

Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

. Once in Bangkok, teams had to make their way to the Temple of Dawn in order to find their next clue. * This season's final Fast Forward required teams to travel to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and play a traditional Buddhist game using the 108 urns alongside the giant

reclining Buddha A reclining Buddha is an image that represents Buddha lying down and is a major iconographic theme in Buddhist art. It represents the historical Buddha during his last illness, about to enter the parinirvana. He is lying on his right side, his hea ...

. They had to choose a bowl of coins and drop exactly one coin in every urn. If the bowl that the 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. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Public or Private. Both tasks required teams to find transportation to

. 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. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to dress like a Buddhist

monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...

and walk through a pit of

tigers The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...

in order to retrieve their next clue. *Teams had to check in at the pit stop: the Tiger Cave Temple in

. ;Additional notes *Nancy & Emily became frustrated after spending hours searching fruitlessly for the private vehicle, so they took a taxi to Kanchanaburi instead of completing the Detour, for which they incurred a 24-hour penalty and were thus eliminated from the race.

Leg 10 (Thailand)

*Episode 10: "To the Physical and Mental Limit" (November 21, 2001) ;Locations *

( Tiger Cave Temple) * Ao Phang Nga National Park (

Railay Beach Railay ( th, ไร่เลย์, ), also known as Rai Leh, is a small peninsula between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in Thailand. It is accessible only by boat due to high limestone cliffs cutting off mainland access. These cliffs attract roc ...

– King Climbers) *Ao Phang Nga National Park (Thaiwand Wall) * Ao Phang Nga National Park (Thaiwand Wall → Railay Beach) * Ao Phang Nga National Park (Railay Beach) → Ao Nang (Ao Nang Beach) *Bor Tor (Sea, Land & Trek) * Ao Nang (Ao Nang Beach) → Ao Phang Nga National Park (Chicken Island) * Ao Nang (Pai Plong Beach) ;Episode summary *At the beginning of this leg, teams were instructed to find "The King" at

– the King Climbers rock climbing school – where they received rock-climbing equipment and then hiked a half-mile through the jungle to reach Thaiwand Wall and their next clue. * This leg's Detour was a choice between Hike or Climb. In Hike, teams would have had to travel on a long, winding path up Thaiwand Wall in order to find their next clue. In Climb, teams had to take an arduous rock climb straight up Thaiwand Wall in order to find their next clue. All teams chose the rock climb. *After the Detour, teams had to rappel into a boat that brought them back to Railay Beach, where they then proceeded to Sea, Land & Trek rafting company in Bor Tor in order to find their next clue. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to paddle a kayak with their team member down the river in search of a route marker flag. Once spotted, they had to climb into a nearby cave, Tham Hua Kalok, in order to find their next clue along with

snorkeling Snorkeling ( British and Commonwealth English spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped breathing tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters ...

gear. *After completing 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 from the mainland near Chicken Island, where they had to use their snorkeling gear to dive in the water and retrieve their next clue. *Teams had to check in at the pit stop: Pai Plong Beach in Ao Nang. ;Additional notes *This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 11 (Thailand → China)

*Episode 11: "Fight to the Last Minute" (November 28, 2001) *Eliminated: Kevin & Drew ;Locations * Ao Nang (Pai Plong Beach) *

Phuket Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...

→

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

, China *Beijing (

Jingshan Park Jingshan Park is an imperial park covering immediately north of the Forbidden City in the Imperial City area of Beijing, China. The focal point is the artificial hill Jingshan (), literally "Prospect Hill". Formerly a private imperial garden at ...

– Top Pavilion) *Beijing (

Hongqiao Market Hongqiao may refer to the following locations in China: Literal meaning * Covered bridge (廊桥 or 虹桥 in Chinese), a kind of bridge which looks like a rainbow Transport * Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (上海虹桥国际机� ...

') *Beijing ( Donghuamen Night Market) *Beijing ( Tiantan Park) ;Episode summary *At the beginning of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Beijing, China. Once in Beijing, teams found their next clue at

. * 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 Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...

against a local champion at a nearby community center in order to receive their next clue. In Rally, teams had to travel by three common forms of local transportation: a bus to Hu Jia Lou, a

motorcycle taxi A motorcycle taxi, or cart bike or bike taxi, is a licensed form of transport in some countries. The taxi typically carries one passenger, who "rides pillion" behind the motorcycle operator. Multiple passengers are common in some countries. Bra ...

to Liu Jia Yao, and a

pedicab The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of hatchback tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, ...

to Quan Xin Yuan Restaurant, where they found their next clue. *At the Hongqiao Market, teams received a shopping list written almost entirely in

Mandarin Chinese Mandarin (; ) is a group of Chinese (Sinitic) dialects that are natively spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The group includes the Beijing dialect, the basis of the phonology of Standard Chinese, the official language ...

that they had to use to purchase five

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e, one squid, and two

chicken feet Chicken feet are cooked and eaten in many countries. After an outer layer of hard skin is removed, most of the edible Tissue (biology), tissue on the feet consists of skin and tendons, with no muscle. This gives the feet a distinct texture di ...

. Teams then traveled to the Donghuamen Night Market in order to find their next clue. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to give the items they'd just bought to a chef at the market for him to cook. They then had to eat all three dishes in order to receive their next clue. *Teams hadto check in at the pit stop: the South Gate of Tiantan Park in Beijing. ;Additional notes *Frank & Margarita and Rob & Brennan caught a much earlier flight 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)

*Episode 12: "Race to the Finish — Part 1" (December 5, 2001) ;Locations *

( Tiantan Park) * Beijing (

Great Wall of China The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic gro ...

– Jūyōng Pass) * Beijing → Anchorage,

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

* Scotty Lake (North Country Bed and Breakfast) *Scotty Lake (Blanket Toss Area) * Glacier View (

Matanuska Glacier Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier in the US state of Alaska. At long by wide, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. Its terminus feeds the Matanuska River. It lies near the Glenn Highway about north-east of Ancho ...

) * Trapper Creek (

Highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-acces ...

Mile Marker 131) *Trapper Creek (Wilderness Cabin) ;Episode summary *At the beginning of this leg, teams had to use a map to find three kite flyers in Tiantan Park with their next clue attached to the kites. Teams were then instructed to travel to the

by public bus in order to find their next clue. * 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 pavilion with their next clue. In Steep, teams had to hike up a much shorter, but extremely steep, path to a closer pavilion with their next clue. All teams chose the steep hike. *Teams were instructed to fly to Anchorage, Alaska. Once in Anchorage, teams chose a marked 4x4 and were driven to North Country Bed and Breakfast in Scotty Lake, where they spent the night. The next morning, one team member had to experience an Alaskan blanket toss known as ''

Nalukataq Nalukataq (, ''naluk-'' 'to throw it underhand; to toss it up' + ''kataq'') is the spring whaling festival of the Iñupiat of Northern Alaska, especially the North Slope Borough. It is characterized by its namesake, the dramatic Eskimo blanket t ...

'' in order to spot a nearby route marker on the ice. * In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb an ice wall in order to retrieve their next clue from the top of the glacier. *After completing the Roadblock, teams had to reach highway Mile Marker 131 near Denali State Park, where they left their vehicles and rode

snowmobile A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

s to the pit stop at a wilderness cabin. ;Additional notes *This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 13 (United States)

*Episode 13: "Race to the Finish — Part 2" (December 13, 2001) *Winners: Rob & Brennan *Second Place: Frank & Margarita *Third Place: Joe & Bill ;Locations * Trapper Creek (Wilderness Cabin) *Trapper Creek (Takosha Lodge) * Talkeetna (Fish Lake) * Anchorage → Newark,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, New York (Vincent Daniels Square) * New York City ( 52nd Street–Lincoln Avenue Station → Willets Point–Shea Stadium Station) *New York City (

–

Unisphere The Unisphere is a spherical stainless steel representation of the Earth in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the New York City borough of Queens. The globe was designed by Gilmore D. Clarke as part of his plan for the 1964 New York World's ...

) ;Episode summary *At the start of this leg, teams donned snowshoes and followed flags to Takosha Lodge in order to find their next clue. * This season's final Detour was a choice between Dog Power or Horsepower. In Dog Power, teams had to ride dogsleds to their next clue. In Horsepower, teams would have had to ride snowmobiles to their next clue. Both teams chose to ride the dog sleds. * 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 , completely submerge their heads, and then retrieve their next clue. *Teams were instructed to fly to

. Once there, teams had to travel by taxi to Vincent Daniels Square along 51st and

Roosevelt Avenue Roosevelt Avenue and Greenpoint Avenue are main thoroughfares in the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. Roosevelt Avenue begins at 48th Street and Queens Boulevard in the neighborhood of Sunnyside. West of Queens Boulevard, the ro ...

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

in order to find 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, and then follow the flags to the finish line at

. ;Additional notes *Joe & Bill had fallen so far behind the other two teams that by the time they began the leg in Alaska, Rob & Brennan and Frank & Margarita were already crossing the finish line in New York. Instead of receiving 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

, 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. Additionally, the show premiered and competed in the same time slot as with

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

's short-lived ''

Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

'', another travel reality game show with a similar premise. 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.

Linda Holmes Linda Holmes (born March 16, 1959) is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 42nd District since January 2007. The 42nd district includes all or parts of Aurora, Boulder Hill, Montgomery, Naperville, North Aurora and ...

of ''

Television Without Pity Television Without Pity (often abbreviated TWoP) was a website that provided detailed recaps of select television dramas, situation comedy, situation comedies and reality TV shows along with discussion forums. These recaps were written with sarca ...

'' wrote that she "was flat-out hooked for thirteen weeks, and the ending managed not to disappoint, which almost never happens." Matt Roush of ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' called this season "TV's best reality show". Allan Johnson of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' called the first season "a satisfying race around the world". In 2016, this season was ranked 5th out of the first 27 seasons by the ''

Rob Has a Podcast ''Rob Has a Podcast (RHAP)'' is an entertainment podcast hosted by former '' Survivor'' contestant Rob Cesternino. The podcast primarily provides commentary of reality television game shows. Overview Cesternino started ''RHAP'' in 2010, in ord ...

Amazing Race'' correspondents. 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". In 2021, Jane Andrews of Gossip Cop ranked this season as the fourth best. In 2022, Jason Shomer of

Collider A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators. Colliders are used as a research tool in particl ...

ranked this season among the show's top seven seasons. In 2022, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season as the overall best season.

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.

Ratings

;U.S. Nielsen ratings

References

*''The Amazing Race: The First Season.'' CBS. DVD. Paramount, 2005.

External links