The Amazing Race 3 is the third season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured twelve teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world to win US$1,000,000. This season visited four continents and thirteen countries and traveled over 41,000 miles (66,000 km) during thirteen legs. Starting in the Everglades, racers traveled through Mexico, England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam before returning to the United States, traveling through Hawaii, and finishing in Seattle. A new twist introduced in this season was the final memory challenge. The season premiered on CBS October 2, 2002, and ended on December 18, 2002.
Friends Flo Pesenti and Zach Behr were the winners of this season, while married parents Teri and Ian Pollack finished in second place, and brothers Ken and Gerard Duphiney finished in third place.
The cast of The Amazing Race 3 was increased to twelve teams and included soccer moms, law school graduates, a Vietnam War veteran, and a pair of twin models. Jill and her brother F.T. had originally applied for season 1, but after F.T. was killed on September 11, John Vito & Jill applied in remembrance of him.[5]
In 2021, Andrew Shayde (né Hyde) appeared on Naked and Afraid and lasted 13 days in South Africa before being removed for a possible MRSA infection.[7][8] In 2023, Shayde returned for Naked and Afraid's fifteenth season once again in South Africa.[9] Shayde later appeared on the spin-off Naked and Afraid: Castaways.[10] Shayde also competed on the CBS reality competition show Buddy Games.[11] In 2024, Shayde appeared on Naked and Afraid XL.[12]
Results
The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.
A red placement with a dagger (†) indicates that the team was eliminated.
An underlined blue placement with a 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.
^ abFlo & Zach and John Vito & Jill tied for 4th place after both teams stepped on the Pit Stop mat at the same time.
^ abcdefThis team won the Fast Forward on this leg.
^Derek & Drew initially arrived 3rd, but had inadvertently skipped the Roadblock and had to backtrack to complete it. Ken & Gerard checked in during this time, dropping Derek & Drew to last.
^Andre & Damon initially arrived 7th, but were issued a 78-minute penalty for not following the donkey route correctly, and started the next leg 9th.
^Heather & Eve initially arrived 1st, but were issued a 37-minute penalty because they had taken a taxi to the Pit Stop instead of traveling on foot as the clue had specified. All of the other teams checked in during this penalty time, dropping Heather & Eve to last.
Race summary
The route of The Amazing Race 3.
Destinations
Air travel Rail travel Water travel Bus travel Helicopter travel Bicycle travel Gondola travel
From the Everglades, teams drove themselves to Miami International Airport, where they had to book one of two flights to Mexico City, Mexico. Once there, teams had to travel to the Angel of Independence, where they received a picture of a man named Pablo. They had to use the picture as reference in order to find him at the Zócalo, where he gave them their next clue, which directed them to the Hotel de Cortes. There, teams had to sign up for one of three charter buses leaving the next morning to an unknown destination (San José Vista Hermosa).
This season's first Fast Forward required one team to travel to Plaza Santo Domingo and search for the one street typist out of dozens who had a "special message": the Fast Forward award. Ken & Gerard won the Fast Forward.
This season's first Detour was a choice between Wings or Wheels. In Wings, teams had to board a plane, climb to an altitude of over 10,000 feet (3,000 m), and then each team member had to skydive in tandem with an instructor in order to receive their next clue. In Wheels, teams had to choose a donkey-drawn cart and use a supplied map to direct a driver, who didn't speak English, along a seven-mile (11 km) course in order to receive the next clue.
At the start of this leg, teams had to drive themselves to the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan and climb up to the top of the pyramid in order to retrieve their next clue, which instructed them to travel by bus to Cancún and find their next clue at the San Marino marina.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to travel to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and join a group of performers called the Voladores by climbing a 100-foot (30 m) pole and swinging around the pole while suspended on ropes. Derek & Drew won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Man Power or Horse Power. In Man Power, teams had to use a kayak to search a small section of the lagoon for their next clue, which was hanging from a tree. In Horse Power, teams had to use a WaveRunner to search a large section of the lagoon for their next clue, which was attached to a buoy.
After the Detour, teams had to land at the marina and then drive to Playa del Carmen, where they boarded a ferry to the island of Cozumel. From there, teams had to find Chankanaab Park in order to find their next clue.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to jump into the lagoon and swim with a pod of dolphins in order to find their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to return to Playa del Carmen via ferry and then drive to the Pit Stop: the Diamante K Bungalows in Tulum.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to London, England. Once there, teams had to travel by train to Cambridge and find their next clue outside Scudamore's Punting.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to travel to the Duxford Imperial War Museum and maneuver a tank through a battlefield obstacle course within 90 seconds. Dennis & Andrew won the Fast Forward and were driven to Dunnottar Castle in a limousine.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Punt or Bike. In Punt, teams rowed a punt with only a long pole and small paddle to navigate down the River Cam. In Bike, teams rode a tandem bicycle along a marked course through Cambridge. After either Detour task, team retrieved their next clue from under the Magdalene Bridge.
After the Detour, teams had to take one of three charter buses leaving the next day to Aberdeen, Scotland, and then find their next clue at Dunnottar Castle.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to complete three Highland games: the caber toss, the hammer throw, and the stone put. Once done, teams could go directly to the nearby Pit Stop at Dunnottar Castle.
Additional note
Dennis & Andrew had difficulty booking a flight from Mexico City to London and arrived long after the other teams. Even though they won the Fast Forward, they still arrived at Dunnottar Castle last and were eliminated.[13]
At the start of this leg, teams had to walk to Stonehaven Harbour and search for a "message in a bottle": a bottle with their next clue on the inside label, which instructed them to fly to Porto, Portugal. Once there, teams had to travel to the Calem Port Lodge in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Old School or New School. In Old School, teams had to load a barrel of port wine onto a traditional Portuguese boat, row across the Douro River, and then deliver the wine to a restaurant. In New School, teams loaded nine crates of wine bottles onto a truck and drove them to three different restaurants. For both options, teams had to get signatures from each restaurant to prove that they had made the deliveries correctly in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams were instructed to travel by train to Lisbon and then find their next clue at the Estádio do Restelo.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to block one penalty kick from a teenage soccer player in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel on foot to the Pit Stop: the Torre de Belém.
Additional note
Heather & Eve were the first team to arrive at the Pit Stop, but they had misread the clue that told them to walk rather than take a taxi. They received a seven-minute time penalty for the advantage gained, plus an additional 30-minute penalty. Since all of the other teams arrived less than 37 minutes afterward, Heather & Eve were eliminated.[14]
Leg 5 (Portugal → Spain → Morocco)
While in Morocco, teams encountered a Roadblock involving the Moroccan traditional dyeing industry.
Episode 5: "What Happens If I Slip? Am I Just Hanging Off A Cliff?" (October 30, 2002)
Prize: Two digital cameras (awarded to Ken & Gerard)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to find the westernmost point of Continental Europe, which they had to figure out was Cabo da Roca, in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Ropes or Slopes. In Ropes, teams had to take a shuttle bus to the Ursa cliffs and rappel down to the shore below. In Slopes, teams hiked down a long trail to the same shore below. Once teams reached the shore, they could retrieve their next clue.
After the Detour, teams were instructed to drive to the port in Algeciras, Spain, and then travel by ferry to Tangier, Morocco. Once there, teams had to find the Viajes Flandria travel agency and sign up for charter buses to the Old City of Fez, where they had to search for their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to navigate through the Dar Dbagh Chouara Tannery and search through 25 vats of dye in order to find their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams drove themselves to the Pit Stop: the Borj Nord.
Additional note
During the drive from Portugal to Algeciras, four of the eight teams incorrectly fueled their cars using unleaded gasoline instead of diesel, rendering the cars inoperable. Teri & Ian recovered almost immediately when Ian borrowed a siphoning line, drained the tank, and refilled with diesel; Flo & Zach found an open repair shop in the middle of the night that fixed their vehicle; Aaron & Arianne called for a tow truck and were taken to a different repair shop after a very long delay; and Kathy & Michael had the car brought back to the station, left it overnight, and became the last team to get underway with a fixed car.[15]
Leg 6 (Morocco)
In this leg's Roadblock in Marrakesh, one team member had to sell bowls of escargots.
Episode 6: "I'm a Much Better Liar Than You Are" (November 13, 2002)
Prize: Two digital cameras (awarded to Teri & Ian)
At the start of this leg, teams had to drive themselves to the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, where they found their next clue. They were instructed to travel by train to Marrakesh and then travel to the Palmeraie Oasis, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to look through piles of carpets in a carpet shop to find the one with the Fast Forward design sewn into it. Teri & Ian won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Now You See It or Now You Don't. In Now You See It, teams would have ridden on horseback to a route marker visible from their starting point, where they'd have dug for a clue in a marked square of sand. In Now You Don't, teams chose a sand bike and rode to a route marker that wasn't visible from their starting point, where they found a clue etched on a stone. They had to make a rubbing of the clue onto a piece of paper. All teams chose Now You Don't.
After the Detour, teams had to translate their clue from Arabic in order to find their next clue at the Café Glacier.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to team up with a food vendor, help assemble their stall, and then sell five bowls of escargots in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Riad Catalina.
Additional note
Andre & Damon were officially detained when their taxi took them far out of the way in Morocco and they encountered a local official who wanted to seize their passports. Andre & Damon refused and the show's security team had to come extricate them from the situation.[16]
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Munich, Germany. Once there, teams had to travel to the Friedensengel and find a puppet named Kasperle, who handed them their next clue. Teams were then instructed to travel by train to Innsbruck, Austria, where they found their next clue at the Annasäule.
This leg's Fast Forward required one team to find a surfer on the Eisbach River in Munich. Flo & Zach won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Sled or Skate. In Sled, teams had to ride a bobsled with a team of professional bobsledders down the Olympic Bobsled Track in order to receive their next clue. In Skate, teams would have had to run a skating relay with a pair of professional ice skaters at the Olympic Ice Stadium in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose Sled.
After the Detour, teams had to ride the Nordkette Cable Car to the Seegrube Station in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to put on safety gear and descend 230 feet (70 m) to the ground on a rescue cable in order to receive their next clue.
Andre & Damon fell so far behind, due in part to their delay in the previous leg and also due to falling asleep on the train from Munich to Innsbruck and missing their stop, that all of the other teams had already checked into the Pit Stop before Andre & Damon arrived at the Detour. Instead of performing the Detour, they were instructed to go directly to the Pit Stop for elimination.[17]
At the start of this leg, teams traveled to the Augustinerhof Farm in Füssen and searched a large haystack for their next clue. Teams were instructed to drive to Friedrichshafen and then travel by ferry to Romanshorn, Switzerland. Once there, teams had to travel by train to Schaffhausen and continue to the Rheinfall, where they had to travel by ferry and retrieve their clue from the top of a rocky outcropping in the middle of the waterfall. Teams were then instructed to travel by train to Zürich. At the Lindenhof, teams searched for a Swiss officer, who led them into a vault with their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Count the Money or Run the Numbers. In Count the Money, teams had to count a large amount of Swiss currency inside of a fishbowl sitting right next to the safe. In Run the Numbers, teams had to search the streets of Zürich for three different numbers: the number on the Züri-Familie sculpture at the intersection of Sihlstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse,[18] the sum of the numbers on the north face of a clock on St. Peter's Church, and the number of trees in Lindenhof marked with ribbons. The resulting numbers from both tasks formed the combination to the safe that contained the next clue. All teams chose to perform Run the Numbers, although Ken & Gerard did begin Count the Money until they gave up in frustration.
After the Detour, teams had to travel by train to Grindelwald and then find a route marker in a field east of the railway station, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use a crossbow to shoot an apple off a mannequin's head in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Chalet Arnika.
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the Gletscherschlucht. There, they had to venture into the gorge to find a key to one of the provided cars containing their next clue.
This season's final Fast Forward required one team to find a cheese-making cabin near Saxeten and eat enough pieces of Swiss cheese from a massive cheese wheel so as to completely reveal the Fast Forward award hidden underneath. John Vito & Jill won the Fast Forward.
Teams who were unable to attempt the Fast Forward had to drive to Kandersteg, where they loaded their car onto a car train and rode through the Alps to Goppenstein. Teams then had to drive to the Niouc Bridge, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Extreme Swiss or Very Swiss. In Extreme Swiss, each team member had to walk onto a narrow bridge and take a bungee jump into the gorge below in order to receive their next clue. In Very Swiss, teams had to drive to a nearby farm and then find a key inside the bell around a goat's neck in order to unlock their next clue. However, only five of the seventy-five goats had bells with keys.
After the Detour, teams had the option to make one phone call to their family or friends back home, but they had to complete the call before they could continue to their next destination: the Château de Chillon in Veytaux.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to properly assemble a Swiss army bicycle from a pile of parts using an identical pre-assembled bike as a reference in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to ride both bicycles to the Basset Marina in Montreux. There, teams had to use a paddle boat in order to reach the Pit Stop aboard the steamship Savoie, which was floating on Lake Geneva.
At the Petronas Towers, teams had have their picture taken in front of the towers using a digital camera. Teams then had to walk to the Ampang Park shopping center, where they developed their pictures and found their next clue printed on the back of the photo. Teams were then instructed to travel by train to Singapore and search the National Orchid Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens for an orchid called "Margaret Thatcher" in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Dry or Wet. In Dry, teams drove to an apartment block in Choa Chu Kang. From there, they had to locate Unit #10-137, where they met Singaporean TV star Gurmit Singh, who handed them their next clue. In Wet, teams had to drive to the Singapore Zoo and find the "Mermaids of the Sea": the zoo's manatees. Once at the manatee enclosure, they had to swim through the pool in order to receive their next clue.
At Suntec City, one team member had to run three times around the center of the Fountain of Wealth before retrieving their next clue from the middle of the fountain.[19] Afterwards, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Mount Faber.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Easy Buy or Hard Sell. In Easy Buy, teams rode a traditional boat called a sampan into the floating market of Cái Bè in order to find the only vendor selling water coconuts, from whom they received their next clue. In Hard Sell, teams chose a shoulder basket and carried enough fruit into the land market so as to sell enough in order to make 40,000₫ (roughly $2.50) that they could exchange for their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to 2A Ton Duc Thang Street in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to transport their teammate on a cyclo along a marked course through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and onto a ferry across the Saigon River to the Pit Stop: the Café Thu Thiem.
Additional note
All route markers in Vietnam were colored solid yellow instead of red and yellow in order to avoid confusion with the former South Vietnamese national flag, which was also red and yellow.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by train to Huế. Once there, teams had to search the Hiển Lâm Các Pavilion inside the Imperial City for their next clue. Teams then had to travel to the bridge in Nam Ô in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Basket Boats or Basket Bikes. In Basket Boats, each team member had to cross a stretch of river in a round basket boat using only a single paddle in order to reach the clue box on a nearby island. In Basket Bikes, each team member took a bicycle laden with dozens of shrimp baskets and had to ride one mile (1.6 km) in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to go to the Bach Dang dock in Hội An and board a sampan that took them to a route marker on the Thu Bồn River.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb onto a fishing platform and use a wooden winch to raise a fishing net out of the water in order to retrieve the clue dangling underneath, which directed them to the Pit Stop: China Beach in Da Nang.
Additional notes
The Detour task involving the bicycle and shrimp baskets was revisited in season 29 as a Switchback.[21]
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the Quang Minh Temple in Da Nang, where they found their next clue at the Buddha's feet, which instructed them to travel by train to Hanoi and then fly to Honolulu, Hawaii. Once there, teams had to drive to Puaena Point and receive a blessing from a kahuna, who also gave them their next clue. Teams were then instructed to fly to the island of Kauaʻi and drive to Wailua River State Park, where they found their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Quick Drop or Slow Walk. In Quick Drop, teams took a quick drop from the top of a waterfall on a zipline. They then had to swim to shore and follow the flags to a clue behind the waterfall. In Slow Walk, teams would have walked down a much longer marked trail to the same clue box behind the waterfall. All teams chose Quick Drop.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to choose a totem pole and spin the animal faces so that they were aligned in the order that teams encountered them on the race: donkey (Mexico), dolphin (Mexico), horse (Morocco), goat (Switzerland), and manatee (Singapore). Once the animals were in the correct order, the bottom of the totem pole opened to reveal the final clue, which directed teams to the finish line: Gas Works Park.
Additional notes
Due to Vietnamese law, teams had to book a flight at a travel agency before they could enter Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.
Legs 12 and 13 aired back-to-back as a special two-hour episode.
Reception
Critical response
The Amazing Race 3 received positive reviews. Linda Holmes of Television Without Pity wrote that this season was good but was not satisfied by the ending.[22] Dalton Ross of Entertainment Weekly praised the unpredictability of this season writing that "you never truly know what's going to happen."[23] In 2016, this season was ranked 2nd out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.[24] Kareem Gantt of Screen Rant wrote that this season "thrives on team chemistry to hook a viewer in and did this cast lock in their viewers. The locations were also fantastic and the suspense was at the perfect pitch."[25] In 2021, Jane Andrews of Gossip Cop ranked this season as the show's 6th best season.[26] In 2023, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season as the eleventh-best season.[27] In 2024, Taguiam's ranking was updated with this season becoming the fifth-best season.[28]
While reviews for this season were positive, reactions to Flo Pesenti co-winning this season were largely negative.[29]Andy Dehnart of reality blurred was negative towards the win due to Flo "threatening to quit the race repeatedly and shrieking more than a banshee with its leg stuck in a trap".[30]Television Without Pity co-creator Tara Ariano called Flo "malingering".[31] John Crook of the Los Angeles Times called Flo "spoiled" and "petulant".[32]
Awards
In 2003, this season of The Amazing Race won the inaugural Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality/Competition Program.[33]
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