The Amazing Race 7 is the seventh season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven 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 five continents and ten countries and traveled over 40,000 miles (64,000 km) during twelve legs. Starting in Long Beach, racers traveled through Peru, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Botswana, India, Turkey, England, and Jamaica before returning to the United States, traveling through Puerto Rico, and finishing in Miami-Fort Lauderdale. A new twist introduced in this season includes an expansion of the non-elimination leg penalty where teams also were stripped of possessions excluding their passports and the clothes that they were wearing. The season premiered on CBS March 1, 2005, and concluded on May 10, 2005.
Married couple Uchenna and Joyce Agu were the winners of this season, while engaged couple Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich (of Survivor fame) finished in second place, and dating couple Ron Young Jr. and Kelly McCorkle finished in third place.
The Amazing Race 7 took place over 29 days and traveled nearly 40,000 miles (64,000 km). Filming began on November 20, 2004, and finished on December 19, 2004. The teams raced through ten countries, five of which were not previously visited on the series: Peru, Chile, Botswana, Turkey, and Jamaica. Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory in the Caribbean, was also visited for the first time.
This was the first edition of The Amazing Race to not circumnavigate the world by traveling continuously either west or east while crossing each meridian. Once teams traveled as far east as India, they returned to the United States by traveling westward through Europe and the Caribbean.
In this season, a change was made to the non-elimination leg penalty. In addition to being stripped of all their money and receiving no allowance for the next leg, teams were forced to surrender all of their possessions, except for their passports and the clothes they were wearing, for the remainder of the season. They were also no longer allowed to beg for money prior to the start of the next leg. The racers could receive or buy clothing or toiletries from the other teams.
Host Phil Keoghan greeted teams at the check-in mat midway through the eighth leg to hand them their next clue, marking the first time on The Amazing Race that teams stepped on the check in mat only to be handed their next clue, or to have their next clue handed to them by Keoghan.
Controversy surrounded the final leg of the season when Rob & Amber and Uchenna & Joyce arrived at the airport in San Juan. They were both sold tickets for a flight leaving later than one whose gate was about to close. While Rob & Amber managed to get on this earlier departing flight, Uchenna & Joyce were shown through the gate as the boarding corridor between the gate and airplane began to shut. After a commercial break, the boarding corridor reopened to the gate to pick up Uchenna & Joyce. No explanation was given as to why the gate reopened, which has led to widespread speculation about intervention by the production staff.[1][2] In the "Revisiting the Race" special feature on the season 7 DVD, Uchenna, Rob, and Phil Keoghan denied the accusations of intervention by the production crew. Uchenna described his experience of finding the same airline agent at the gate who had previously informed him that there was no earlier available flight. Rob described Uchenna running around frantically trying to get onto the flight, which the final edited version of the show did not portray. Phil cited the fact that the decision to reopen the door rested solely with the pilot, and that intervention by the production crew would have resulted in someone leaking such information out.
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. As a penalty, they were stripped of their money, bags, and possessions other than their passports and the clothes they were wearing upon checking in, and they received no money at the start of the next leg.
An italicized placement indicates the team's placement at the midpoint of a double leg.
A green ƒ indicates that the team won the Fast Forward.
A brown > indicates that the team used the Yield and a brown < indicates the team on the receiving end of the Yield.
^This was a double leg with two Detours and two Roadblocks shown over two episodes. The placements listed for the first half are the order of the teams' arrival at the Pit Stop in Lucknow.
^Meredith & Gretchen initially arrived 4th, but missed their clue at the end of the Roadblock and had to retrieve it before checking in. Lynn & Alex checked in during this time, dropping Meredith & Gretchen to 5th.
Race summary
The route of The Amazing Race 7.
Destinations
Air travel Rail travel Water travel Bus travel Helicopter travel Bicycle travel Gondola travel
After arriving in Ancón, teams rode a rickshaw to Playa Hermosa. On the beach, teams had to search through three sand piles for a set of airline tickets leaving the next morning to Cusco. The second flight to Cusco was delayed due to technical difficulties and the four teams with tickets on that flight were booked onto the third flight, which departed 1:40 hours after the first.
Once in Cusco, teams found their next clue outside the airport, which instructed them to travel via taxi to Huambutio and receive another clue from the owner of a marked kiosk. From there, teams continued to the top of a gorge, where they rode two ziplines to the bottom in order to receive their next clue.
This season's first Detour was a choice between Rope a Llama or Rope a Basket. In Rope a Llama, teams had to rope two llamas and lead them to a nearby pen in order to receive their next clue. In Rope a Basket, each team member had to carry a 35-pound (16 kg) basket of alfalfa two-thirds of a mile (1.1 km) to a store in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams went to the Huambutio Police Station and boarded delivery trucks, which departed every 20 minutes and could transport no more than three teams per truck. When the trucks arrived in Písac, teams had to search the local market to find their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Convento de la Merced in Cusco.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by bus to Arequipa. Once in Arequipa, teams had to search for the Sindicato Único de Lustradores de Calzado in order to find their next clue.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to work as a shoeshiner and polish five pairs of shoes on the street for a fee of one Peruvian sol per pair. After earning five sols, racers had to find their partner at the shoeshine union headquarters in order to receive their next clue.
Based on the order that team members finished the Roadblock, teams were given plane tickets for one of two flights to Santiago, Chile, each of which carried five teams and departed forty-five minutes apart. Once in Santiago, teams had to travel to San Cristóbal Hill and ride the funicular to the statue of Virgin Mary in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Shop or Schlep. In Shop, teams had to travel to the Mercado Central and find the Donde Augusto restaurant, where the chef gave them a shopping list. Teams then had to buy the proper quantities of five ingredients on the list in order to receive their next clue from the chef. In Schlep, teams had to travel to the Libreria Chilena, load 180 books onto a hand truck, deliver the books eight blocks to the Library of Congress of Chile, and then place the books on a designated shelf in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Neptune Fountain at Cerro Santa Lucía.
Additional note
Chilean model Pamela Díaz appeared as the Pit Stop greeter in this leg.[13]
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to Paseo Bulnes, choose a marked car, and drive themselves through the Andes Mountains to Puente Viejo in Uspallata, Argentina, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Paddle or Pedal. In Paddle, teams had to whitewater raft seven miles (11 km) down the Mendoza River to their next clue. In Pedal, teams had to pedal mountain bikes seven miles (11 km) down a railroad track to their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to drive to Camping Suizo in El Challao in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to eat a four-pound (1.8 kg) traditional Argentine feast consisting of cow ribs, pork sausage, blood sausage, cow intestines, udder, kidney, and part of a cow's salivary gland in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Estancia San Isidro.
Additional notes
Rob & Amber, Ray & Deana, and Meredith & Gretchen incurred four-hour penalties each because Rob, Deana, and Meredith chose to quit the Roadblock.[14]
Debbie & Bianca fell five hours behind the other teams after they made a wrong turn while trying to drive to Argentina and wound up on the Chilean coastline instead.[15]
At the start of this leg, teams had to drive to the Cabaña la Guatana Gaucho Ranch in Lunlunta, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to complete a traditional gaucho challenge by riding a horse through a barrel racing course and then use a stick to spear a ring within 40 seconds in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to the Mendoza Airport and take one of two flights departing five hours apart to Buenos Aires. Once there, teams had to travel to the English Clock Tower in the Plaza de la Fuerza Aérea and find a man in a raincoat with their next clue. Teams were then instructed to travel by train to Tigre and search the docks for their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Shipwreck or Island. In Shipwreck, teams had to find an abandoned ship within a seven-square-mile (18 km2) area, using only a 30-year-old picture as a reference, in order to receive their next clue. In Island, teams used a map to travel four miles (6.4 km) up the San Antonio River in order to find an island with their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: La Martina Polo Ranch in Vicente Casares.
Leg 5 (Argentina → South Africa)
For the season's first Fast Forward, one team had to traverse one of the Orlando Cooling Towers in Soweto.
Episode 5: "I've Been Wanting a Face-Lift for a Long Time" (March 29, 2005)
Prize: Two Toyota RAV4 vehicles (awarded to Ray & Deana)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Johannesburg, South Africa. Once there, teams had to search the airport parking lot for a marked car, which contained their next clue.
This season's first Fast Forward required one team to go to the Orlando Power Station in Soweto. There, they had to walk across one of the cooling towers on a suspension bridge 30 stories above the ground. Ray & Deana won the Fast Forward.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Tunnels or Tribes. In Tunnels, teams drove to Wild Cave Adventures in Krugersdorp, where they had to rappel 45 feet (14 m) into a dark cave and search for their next clue. In Tribes, teams drove to the Lesedi Cultural Village in Broederstroom, where they found five objects and had to deliver the correct item to each of the village's five tribes. For every correct item delivered, a chief gave them a necklace. Once teams had all five necklaces, they could exchange them for their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to drive to the Baragwanath Market in Soweto in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search the market and purchase five items from vendors in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to deliver their purchased items to the Orlando Children's Home in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Soweto Overlook on Ngakane Street.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel to the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve in Krugersdorp. There, teams had to sign up for one of two shuttles departing one hour apart that took them through the reserve, where they had to help feed the lions in order to receive their next clue, which instructed them to fly to Gaborone, Botswana. Once in Botswana, teams had to travel by train and bus to a giant aardvark statue near Gweta in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to complete a traditional bushman hunting exercise by throwing a spear 20 feet (6.1 m) into a swinging bag to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive themselves along a marked road to a cattle post at Xau Xarra, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Food or Water. In Food, teams had to use two sticks and a wooden container called a kika to pound enough corn into powder so as to fill a basket in order to receive their next clue. In Water, teams had to fill 12 ostrich egg shells with water from an underground spring using reed straws and then bury them in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to drive themselves along a marked road to the Makgadikgadi Pans on the edge of the Kalahari Desert in order to find the Pit Stop.
Additional note
Legs 5 and 6 aired back-to-back as a special two-hour episode.
Leg 7 (Botswana)
Teams encountered many African animals, including elephants, during their drive through Botswana.
Episode 7: "Houston, We Have an Elephant!" (April 5, 2005)
At the start of this leg, teams had to drive themselves through Maun and then continue to Sankuyo Village, where they found their next clue beneath a water tower.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Carry It or Milk It. In Carry It, each team member had to carry three items on their heads (a bucket of water, a basket of corn, and a bundle of wood) to a cooking area 70 yards (64 m) away without using their hands to receive their next clue. In Milk It, teams had to select up to four goats from a pen and milk them until they filled a 10-US-fluid-ounce (300 ml) cup in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to drive to a marked crossing at the Khwai River in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to drive their vehicle across a crocodile-inhabited crossing of the Khwai River. They then had to choose a marked path by removing a flagged post and use their vehicle to remove two trees felled by elephants before retrieving their next clue at the end of the path. Teams could then drive to the Pit Stop: the Khwai River Lodge.
Leg 8 (Botswana → India)
After arriving in Lucknow, teams found their next clue at the Bara Imambara(above), while the Jaswant Thada in Jodhpur(below) served as the Pit Stop for this double-length leg.
Episode 8: "Mow'em Down, Like Grass" (April 12, 2005) & Episode 9: "We Have a Bad Elephant" (April 19, 2005)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Lucknow, India. To reach Lucknow, teams were required to sign up for one of three charter flights to Francistown, where they booked tickets to Mumbai, India, and then a connecting flight to Lucknow. Once there, teams had to travel to Bara Imambara, don a head cover or headscarf, and search the Bouli for their next clue, which directed teams to travel by horse-drawn tonga to the Kohinoor Steel Emporium in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to search among 600 metal boxes in the emporium for one of ten which contained their next clue.
After the first Roadblock, teams had to travel by cycle rickshaw to Indane Bhushan Gas Service in order to find their next clue.
This leg's first Detour was a choice between Solid or Liquid. In Solid, teams traveled to Mehrotra Coal Depot, where they had to break up 175 pounds (79 kg) of coal, load it onto flatbed tricycles, and then deliver it to K.K. Jaiswal Charcoal Merchants in order to receive their next clue. In Liquid, teams traveled to the Sharma Tea Corner, where they chose a tea cart and pushed it to a three-story office building, where they had to find five people from a list of ten and exchange cups of tea for their business cards. When they received five business cards, teams had to return the carts to the tea shop and exchange the cards with the owner for their next clue.
After the first Detour, teams had to travel to the rooftop of the Charbagh Multistory Flats. There, teams met Phil, who told them that the leg was not over before handing them their next clue.
Episode summary (Episode 9)
Teams' next clue instructed them to travel across the street to the train station and board an overnight train to a mystery destination. While on the train, a porter delivered their next clue, which directed them to search for their next clue at the train station in Jodhpur. From there, teams had to travel to Sardar Market, where they found their next clue at the top of the clock tower.
This season's second Fast Forward required one team to have their heads completely shaved at the Kailashoham Gaure Shwar Mahadev Mandir on Kaylana Lake. Uchenna & Joyce won the Fast Forward.
This leg's second Detour was a choice between Trunk or Dunk. In Trunk, teams had to travel to Panna Niwas and then push a 600-pound (270 kg) teak elephant 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) through the streets to the Shri Kunj Bihari Temple, where they received their next clue. In Dunk, teams would have had to travel to a dyeing house and dye 25 sheets of fabric until they found the one imprinted with their next clue. All teams chose Trunk.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to Deora Krishi Farm in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's second Roadblock, one team member had to complete two laps in a camel-driven cart in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Jaswant Thada.
Additional notes
The head-shaving task was later revisited on season 20 as a Switchback.
Episode 10: "We Got a Gnome! We Got a Gnome!" (April 26, 2005)
Prize: A $20,000 shopping spree on Travelocity.com and a stay in a first-class suite at the Four Seasons Hotel during the Pit Stop (awarded to Ron & Kelly)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Istanbul, Turkey. Once in Istanbul, teams traveled by train and ferry to the Kız Kulesi, where they found their next clue directing them to search for one of four TravelocityRoaming Gnomes that they had to carry for the duration of the leg. Teams then traveled to Galata Kulesi in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Columns or Kilos. In Columns, teams traveled to the Binbirdirek Cistern and had to use a map with coordinates to find four columns, each of which had a number for the combination needed to open a padlocked box which contained their next clue. In Kilos, teams had to travel to the Yeni Mosque and find a man with a box of scales. Using one of the scales, teams had to weigh enough people on the street until they reached a total of 2,500 kilograms (5,500 lb). When they were finished, teams had to return their scale and show their weights in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to Rumeli Hisarı in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb a 25-foot (7.6 m) ladder up the side of Halil Paşa Kulesi. There, they had to climb to the top of a tower to retrieve a key and then rappel down the side of Sarlica Paşa Kulesi. At the bottom, they had to use the key to open a book which contained their next clue. They were instructed to have the guard open the gate in order to allow their partner to enter the castle and then search the grounds for the Pit Stop.
Additional notes
Ron & Kelly chose the special gnome which allowed them to win the leg's prize.
This was a non-elimination leg.
Leg 10 (Turkey → England)
From the London Eye, teams surveyed the city for the location of their next clue.
Episode 11: "The Devil Made Me Do It" (May 3, 2005)
Prize: A home entertainment system for each team member (awarded to Rob & Amber)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel to the Sirkeci Train Station and walk past a group of whirlingdervishes to their next clue, which directed them to fly to London, England. Once there, teams had to find their next clue at the zebra crossing made famous on an album cover by The Beatles: Abbey Road. From Abbey Road, teams had to travel to the London Eye, board a capsule, and survey the city from the Ferris wheel in order to locate a route marker, which was at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. There, teams found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Brains or Brawn. In Brains, teams had to take the London Underground and solve a series of three riddles: (1) exchange a luggage tag from the baggage storage in Waterloo station for their first item (a magnifying glass); (2) find the three naked men of Hammersmith – a statue in the Hammersmith tube station – for their second item (a pipe and tobacco); and (3) find the Baker Street tube station for their third item (a deerstalker hat). Teams then had to take all three items to 221B Baker Street, home of the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and exchange the items with Sherlock Holmes for their next clue. In Brawn, teams had to travel to Battersea Park and transport five 160-pound (73 kg) boats from a lake to the storage area 500 yards (460 m) away in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Millennium Dome in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to drive a double-decker bus through a marked course and then park the bus in the designated parking area in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: Potters Fields Park.
Additional note
Rob & Amber chose to Yield Ron & Kelly.
Leg 11 (England → Jamaica)
Teams spent the night at Frenchman's Cove in Port Antonio.
Episode 12: "Five Continents, 25 Cities and More Than 40,000 Miles" (May 10, 2005)
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to do the limbo in order to determine at what time the next morning they could start the next task. For every level they achieved, they earned an additional 15 minutes. After eight attempts at the limbo, teams received their next clue instructing them to spend the night and then depart Frenchman's Cove the next morning.
The next day, teams traveled to Grants Level in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Raft It or Build It. In Raft It, teams would have traveled eight miles (13 km) down the Rio Grande on a bamboo raft with only a pole to steer in order to receive their next clue. In Build It, teams had to build a bamboo raft using the provided tools and then paddle across the Rio Grande to find their next clue at the top of a hill. All teams chose Build It.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Round Hill in Hopewell.
Additional notes
This was a non-elimination leg.
After leaving Frenchman's Cove, teams had to travel to the Hill Preparatory School and search the desks of a classroom in order to find their next clue. This task was unaired.[16]
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the Cool Breeze House Onion Shack and pick up a sack of fifty onions. They then had to travel to 3 Dives Jerk Shack and chop the onions in order to receive their next clue. Teams were directed to Rose Hall in Montego Bay, where they found their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Pony Up or Tee It Up. In Pony Up, teams would have had to ride a horse into the ocean and then hang onto its tail as it went around buoys and returned to shore in order to receive their next clue. In Tee It Up, teams had to go to the driving range, where one team member had to hit a golf ball onto the 16-foot (4.9 m) green 140 yards (130 m) away in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose Tee It Up.
After the Detour, teams were instructed to fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Once there, teams had to drive to the Castillo San Felipe del Morro in order to find their next clue. From there, teams drove to an abandoned sugar refinery in Aguadilla, where they found their next clue.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to jump 30 feet (9.1 m) off of a pier, swim 90 yards (82 m) to a buoy that held their next clue, and then board a boat that returned them back to shore.
After the Roadblock, teams were instructed to fly to Miami, Florida. Once there, teams had to travel by taxi to their next clue beneath the Rickenbacker Causeway. Teams then had to travel to Little Havana and find "The King of the Havanas", which they had to figure was a cigar shop known as El Rey de los Habanos, in order to receive their final clue directing them to the finish line: the Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale.
Additional note
Legs 11 and 12 aired back-to-back as a special two-hour episode.
Reception
Critical response
The Amazing Race 7 received mostly positive reviews. Andy Dehnart called this season satisfying by the end.[17] In 2016, this season was ranked 4th out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.[18] Kareem Gantt of Screen Rant wrote that it was "a season in which The Amazing Race was firing on all cylinders."[19] In 2021, Jane Andrews of Gossip Cop ranked this season as the show's 6th best season.[20] Val Barone of TheThings ranked this season as the show's best season.[21] In 2022, Jason Shomer of Collider ranked this season among the show's top seven seasons.[22] Conversely, Linda Holmes of Television Without Pity wrote that it was an "incredibly ungenerous, pinched, unpleasant season" due to it turning "into such a bitchy, moralizing, self-righteous morass, and it's not Rob and Amber who made that happen. It's primarily Lynn and Alex, with help from Meredith and Gretchen, Ron and Kelly, and -- unfortunately -- Uchenna and Joyce."[23][24] In 2024, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season ninth.[25]
Distribution
The DVD boxed set for season 7 was released on December 20, 2005. Lynn & Alex, Brian & Greg, Rob & Amber, and Uchenna & Joyce did commentary on four episodes.[26]
Awards
In September 2005, The Amazing Race 7 won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, the third consecutive award for the television series. Although seasons 5 and 6 were also eligible, producers chose season 7 since it was the most recent installment of the show.[27]
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