The Amazing Race 15

The Amazing Race 15
Season Run September 27 – December 6, 2009
Filming dates July 18 – August 7, 2009
No. of Episodes 11
Winning team Meghan Rickey & Cheyne Whitney
Unfinished Business Herbert "Flight Time" Lang & Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton,
Zev Glassenberg & Justin Kanew
All-Stars Herbert "Flight Time" Lang & Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton
Season Stats
Continents visited 3
Countries visited 9
Cities visited 20
No. of legs 12
Distance traveled 25,000 mi (40,000 km)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 14
Next →
Season 16

The Amazing Race 15 is the fifteenth installment of the reality television show The Amazing Race. It featured 12 teams of two, with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the world.

The fifteenth cycle started on Sunday, September 27, 2009, with a two-hour premiere. It aired on CBS in the United States, and CTV in Canada, on Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT with the season finale on December 6, 2009.[1][2] The show is again hosted by Phil Keoghan. In Asia, it was on-air on AXN.

Dating couple Meghan Rickey and Cheyne Whitney were the winners of this Race.

The complete season was released on DVD on May 21, 2014.

Production

Development and filming

The Sixth Street Viaduct over the Los Angeles River between Downtown Los Angeles and the Boyle Heights neighborhood was the starting line of The Amazing Race 15.

CBS aired the fifteenth season during the start of the 2009–2010 television season.[3] The announcement is the first such television series announcement to be made by a broadcaster on Twitter, following Keoghan's own initial announcement of the renewal via Twitter.[4]

The fifteenth season spans eight countries in 21 days and travels 25,000 miles (40,000 km) visiting Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as Estonia & the Czech Republic, which appeared for the first time.[5] It also introduces new features to the race: One team was eliminated right at the Starting Line and a new twist was added, the Switchback, where teams faced one of the series' previous most challenging Roadblocks. The race revisited the infamous Stockholm Roadblock of Season 6, in which one team member had to unroll one of 270 hay bales with only 20 containing clues.[6] Instead of being an exact duplicate, however, this Race's Stockholm Roadblock involved fewer bales (186) and instead of 20 clues, only seven flags were hidden. Additionally, the original version had the nine teams competing; by the time this race reached the task, only five teams were involved. Also, the original version's task leg was an elimination leg, but the leg that featured the Switchback was a non-elimination leg.

All route markers and clue boxes in Vietnam were colored yellow with a white stripe rather than the typical yellow with a red stripe to avoid confusion with the flag of the former independent state of South Vietnam. This was also done in Season 10, and later in Season 22. These were also the original route markers in Season 1.

This was the second season with a surprise elimination at some location other than a Pit Stop; the other was Season 10. The eliminated team, Eric & Lisa, who were eliminated at the Starting Line, acknowledged in a post-race interview that they were the first team voluntarily to leave the show instead of spending the remainder of the Race at the Elimination Station. As a consequence, they were not present at the Finish Line (the second team not to be in the season finale at the finish line, the first being in Season 13) and had no knowledge of the outcome of the Race before the season finale aired.[7]

This was the first season since Season 11 to have more than two non-elimination points (Season 11 had four non-elimination points). This was also the first US season where the first leg was a non-elimination leg. As such, all clues leading to the Pit Stops (including the first leg) ended with the sentence "The last team to check in may be eliminated."

Wayne Newton appeared in the season finale; teams were instructed to find him in a suite at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, where he then gave them the location of the Finish Line.

Longest journey by skateboard

Rob Thomson (New Zealand) covered 12,159 km (7,555 miles) from Leysin, Switzerland, to Shanghai, China, between 24 June 2007 and 28 September 2008.[8]

Cast

Applications were originally due by February 24, 2009, but the deadline was later extended. Semi-finalist interviews were held between March 20 and March 29, 2009. Following this, finalists were invited to Los Angeles between April 23 and April 30, 2009, for final interviews with the producers. From there, 12 teams were selected as contestants. Filming took place around July and August 2009.

Casting calls were also held as host Phil Keoghan cycled across the United States during the months of April and early May 2009 to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Keoghan made stops to help with those casting calls.[9][10]

Married couple Eric and Lisa were eliminated at the very start of the race when they finished last in a clue-finding challenge before the teams headed off to the airport to start the competition. When they were told they would be headed to Elimination Station, they informed production that they had previous plans to travel to India and would not go to ES. As a result, they were not allowed to have any further involvement in the show; although their travel was over by the time the race ended, Eric and Lisa were not told where the final Pit Stop was and as a result are the one of two teams (the other was Toni & Dallas in The Amazing Race 13) were not shown up for cheering to the winning team and two runners-up.

Some of the more prominent members of the cast are professional poker players Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle, Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap, Harlem Globetrotters Herbert "Flight Time" Lang and Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton and country singer-songwriter Canaan Smith.

One member of the cast, Zev Glassenberg, has Asperger's Syndrome. His teammate, Justin Kanew, is the son of Jeff Kanew, who directed Revenge of the Nerds.[11]

Meghan and Cheyne were married to each other on May 7, 2011; the teams of Sam & Dan, Maria & Tiffany, and Brian & Ericka were in the wedding party. Brian & Ericka recently decided to have a divorce prior to this event.[12]

Friends Zev Glassenberg & Justin Kanew and Harlem Globetrotters Nate "Big Easy" Lofton & Herbert "Flight Time" Lang raced again in The Amazing Race 18 among a cast made up of returning teams from seasons 12-17. Flight Time & Big Easy were also chosen to compete in the second All-Stars edition.

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Team Relationship Position (by leg) Roadblocks
performed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Meghan & Cheyne Dating 1st 6th 2nd 5th 1stƒ 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st Meghan 5, Cheyne 6
Sam & Dan Brothers 9th 2nd 5th 1st 5th 3rd 1st 4th 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd Sam 6, Dan 6
Brian & Ericka Married 6th 10th 4th 3rd 2nd 4th 5th7 3rd 4th 4th 3rd9 3rd Brian 6, Ericka 6
Flight Time & Big Easy Harlem Globetrotters 5th 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 6th 3rd 1st 3rd 3rd 4th10 Flight Time 5, Big Easy 610
Gary & Matt Father/Son 7th 1st 3rd 4th 4th 5th 4th 5th 5th Gary 4, Matt 5
Maria & Tiffany Professional Poker Players 11th3 7th 6th 8th 6th 2nd 6th8 Maria 2, Tiffany 5
Mika & Canaan Newly Dating 10th2 8th 7th 7th 7th 7th6 Mika 1, Canaan 5
Lance & Keri Engaged 3rd 4th 9th⊃4 6th 8th Lance 3, Keri 2
Zev & Justin Friends 2nd 5th 8th 9th5 Zev 2, Justin 2
Marcy & Ron Dating 4th 9th 10th Marcy 1, Ron 2
Garrett & Jessica Dating On & Off 8th 11th Garrett 1, Jessica 1
Eric & Lisa Married Yoga Teachers 12th1 Eric 0, Lisa 0
  1. ^ Eric & Lisa were eliminated at the Starting Line as per the provisions of the starting line task (see below).
  2. ^ Mika & Canaan arrived at the Pit Stop in 10th place, but had lost one of the tourists that they were required bring with them. They backtracked to find their missing tourist before checking in, again. This did not affect their placement.
  3. ^ Maria & Tiffany arrived at the Pit Stop in 11th place, but had lost two of the tourists that they were required bring with them. Rather than backtrack to find them, Maria & Tiffany elected to take a 2-hour penalty. Because they were in last place and it was a non-elimination leg, the 2-hour penalty was applied to their starting time for the next Leg and they subsequently had to perform a Speed Bump task.
  4. ^ In an unaired scene, Lance & Keri used a Blind U-Turn on Sam & Dan. However, Sam & Dan were already in front of them and the U-Turn had no effect.[13]
  5. ^ Zev & Justin initially arrived 1st, but discovered after being checked in at the Pit Stop that they were missing Zev's passport. They were told that they could not be checked in unless they had their travel documents, and backtracked to find it. All other teams checked in to the Pit Stop before they could find Zev's passport, resulting in Zev & Justin being eliminated.
  6. ^ Mika & Canaan did not finish the task at the Atlantis, The Palm resort due to Mika's fear of heights and swimming/water. Already in last place, they proceeded to the Pit Stop where they checked in and were eliminated without a penalty being issued.
  7. ^ Brian & Ericka initially arrived 5th, but were issued a 30-minute penalty because they did not travel by bicycle to the Detour as instructed in their clue. This did not affect their placement.
  8. ^ Maria & Tiffany failed to complete either of the Detour tasks and elected to take a 24-hour penalty for failing a Detour. Already in last place, the penalty wasn't issued and Phil came out to them on the race course and eliminated them.
  9. ^ Brian & Ericka initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for writing down the letters in the Roadblock task before reaching the office, which was explicitly prohibited in the clue. This did not affect their placement and was unaired.[14]
  10. ^ At the Ekotechnické Museum, where the location of the Roadblock was, Big Easy decided that he could not finish the task and he & Flight Time decided to take the 4-hour penalty. By the time they arrived at the next Route Marker at the Kryocentrum, all the other teams had already checked in at the Pit Stop, and the clue instructed them to go directly to the Pit Stop, where they were eliminated.

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.[15]

  1. "They Thought Godzilla Was Walking Down the Street" – Flight Time
  2. "It's Like Being Dropped on Planet Mars" – Lance
  3. "Sean Penn Cambodia Here We Come" – Justin
  4. "I'm Like Ricky Bobby" – Cheyne
  5. "Do It for the Hood! Do It for the Suburbs!" – Flight Time/Sam
  6. "This Is Not My Finest Hour" – Ericka
  7. "This Is the Worst Thing I've Ever Done in My Life" – Meghan
  8. "We're Not Meant for the Swamp" – Brian
  9. "We're Not Working With Anybody, Ever, Anymore!" – Ericka
  10. "It Starts With an 'F', That's All I'm Saying" – Dan
  11. "Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound" – Elvis Presley impersonator; a cluegiver (non-racer)

Prizes

The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg. All trips are sponsored by Travelocity.

Elimination Station

After elimination, five of the first six teams eliminated were sequestered at a villa in Phú Quốc, Vietnam to await the finale. The exception was Eric and Lisa, who chose to leave the show upon their elimination.[7] CBS posted short videos on its website after each episode aired in the Pacific Time Zone to show the eliminated teams interacting at the villa.

Race summary

The route of the race
Destinations Air travel    Rail travel    Water travel    Bus travel
Route Markers Detour    Roadblock    Fast Forward    U-Turn    Speed Bump    Pit Stop

Leg 1 (United States → Japan)

Upon arriving in Tokyo, teams gathered at a television studio at the base of the Tokyo Tower to compete in a Japanese game show for the Roadblock.

Airdate: September 27, 2009

At the Starting Line on Sixth Street Viaduct, teams had to search through over 1,000 license plates for one of 11 Japanese plates from Shinagawa, and present it to Phil to receive tickets for one of two flights for their first destination: Tokyo, Japan with a room for 11 teams. The kanji for "Shinagawa" (品川) were given in the clue, though not explicitly. The team without a license plate were not given tickets to Tokyo and was eliminated.

Upon arrival in Tokyo, teams had to head to Tokyo Tower in Minato to find their next clue: the Roadblock, asked "Who's ready to play Sushi Roulette?". One team member had to participate in a Japanese-style game show called Sushi Roulette. Once all the teams arrived at the Roadblock location, the host would spin a wheel with 11 plates of sushi, 2 of which were "wasabi bombs" – temaki-style sushi filled only with hot wasabi. If the racer received a wasabi bomb, he or she had 2 minutes to eat it in order to receive their next clue. If they failed to finish it within the time allotted, they had to play again until they received a new wasabi bomb and could complete the task. Racers who received plain sushi had to eat the sushi and play until they received a wasabi bomb.

The clue after the Roadblock teams received a colored flag and had to lead a group of 20 Japanese tourists wearing the same colored visors as their flag via the scramble crossing in Shibuya to the Pit Stop at Konnō Hachimangū Shrine. Teams were not allowed to check in unless all 20 members of their group were present at the mat. If at least one member of their group was not present, they had to go back to find them and bring them to the Pit Stop before being allowed to check in.

Leg 2 (Japan → Vietnam)

For their Speed Bump in Leg 2, Maria and Tiffany had to serve the traditional Vietnamese soup phở to the dockmaster in Cái Bè.

Airdate: September 27, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told they were headed to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Once teams arrived, they must travel by bus to Cái Bè and made their way to Bến Tàu Du Lịch Dock. At the Dock, Maria and Tiffany encountered a Speed Bump and had to prepare a serving of the Vietnamese soup phở for the Bến Tàu Du Lịch dockmaster by collecting the ingredients at a soup stand and then combining and serving him the completed phở to receive their next clue and could catch up with the others. Teams had to take a sampan along the Mekong Delta to a Fruit Farm Mud Pit. There, teams had to collect nutrient-rich mud in buckets and pile it at the base of a fruit tree to a designated line to receive their next clue.

The clue where it collected at the farm and teams sent to Cai Be Township Sports Ground for the Roadblock, asking "Who's feeling just ducky?". One team member had to herd 150 ducks out of their pen, lead them across a bridge and back, and then return them back into their pen in 10 minutes using two flags as a means to guide the ducks to receive their next clue. With only three available fields, if the team member failed to complete it within 10 minutes, they would have to relinquish their spot and wait for another turn. The clue directed the teams by foot to Bassac III Riverboat along Cai Be Market for the Pit Stop.

Leg 3 (Vietnam)

In Ho Chi Minh City, teams had to collect a clue from the mouth of a dragon puppet in a water puppet theater (the pictured theater is in Hanoi).

Airdate: October 4, 2009

During the Pit Stop, the Bassac III traveled from Cái Bè to Mỹ Tho with all of the teams on board. Teams opened their clue and had to travel to Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City and upon arrival teams had to grab a flag containing their clue from the mouth of a dragon puppet moving about in the water. This clue consisted solely of a postage stamp concealed inside a small container. Teams were left to figure out that the stamp depicted the Saigon Central Post Office (referred to as the "Ho Chi Minh City Post Office" in the show) and had to find their next clue.

The clue turned out to be the Detour, giving them a choice between Child's Play or Word Play. In Child's Play, teams had to find a kiosk named Nhiep Anh Công viên Tao Đàn Kiosque Giao Anh in Tao Dan Park and transport a concrete animal statue to a children's playground, collecting five different colored balloons along the way, in order to receive their next clue. In Word Play, teams had to go up to Hotel A Dong's observation deck and search the traffic circle of Ngã sáu Cộng Hoà (Six-way Intersection of the Republic) in front of the hotel for six Vietnamese letters hidden atop vehicles passing through the circle, then get assistance from the locals to unscramble the letters to spell the Vietnamese word "Độc Lập", which means "independence", to receive their next clue.

The Detour clues instructed teams to the Blind U-Turn Point, however, it went unaired. Teams instructed their clues to Điện cơ 008 and picked up their Roadblock clue, asking "Who's ready for a complete breakdown?". One team member had to disassemble two VCRs and organize the parts into two separate piles in order to receive their next clue. The clue sent teams to head to the Pit Stop at Reunification Palace.

Leg 4 (Vietnam → Cambodia)

Wat Phnom was the fourth Pit Stop in The Amazing Race 15.

Airdate: October 11, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed to their next destination: Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Upon arrival, teams made their way to Foreign Correspondents' Club and they had to find two correspondents reading newspapers and whisper to them, "May I have my next assignment?". With their next clue received hidden inside a newspaper. They then received a duplicate photo of King Norodom Sihanouk and Jacqueline Kennedy taken in 1967. Teams were left to figure out that such a photo could be found at a hotel suite named after Kennedy at the Hotel Le Royal, where they would receive their next clue.

Upon arriving at Hotel Le Royal, teams picked up the Detour clue, giving them a choice between Cover or Wrap. In Cover, teams headed to a marked motorcycle helmet shop (located at Russian Market), choose four helmets, then sell them using just their persuasion to a family of four (two adults and two children) for US$10. When completed, they would hand the money to the store owner who would hand them their next clue in exchange. In Wrap, teams had to find the Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung) and find stalls 980 and 981, where the shopkeeper handed them a silk scarf. They then had to search the market for a woman wearing an identical scarf and bring the woman back to the stall. When they correctly matched the two scarfs, the shopkeeper would hand them their next clue.

The Detour clues instructed to travel by foot to Wat Toul Tom Pong for the Roadblock: "Who's ready to go bananas?". One team member had to put on a monkey mask and tail, then perform three Classical Khmer monkey dance maneuvers as demonstrated by the monkey dancer. If it was to the satisfaction of the monkey dancer, he would hand them their next clue. The clue sent the teams for the Pit Stop at Wat Phnom.

Leg 5 (Cambodia → United Arab Emirates)

This leg's Detour tasks took place in Ski Dubai, where the racers performed snow-related tasks, a stark contrast to the hot Dubai weather.

Airdate: October 18, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed to travel to the Persian Gulf and only told to find the tallest building in the world, which directed them to their next destination, the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Upon arrival, teams had to head to Dubai Fountain and signed up for one of two departure times to Burj Dubai (now Burj Khalifa) the following morning. At the designated time, the teams boarded an elevator bound for a balcony located on the 120th floor of then still-under construction building, where their next clue was located.

The clue where turned out either a choice of Fast Forward, teams travelled to the Dubai Autodrome where one team member had to operate a Formula Three open wheel race car and complete a single lap around the track of the Dubai Autodrome in 45 seconds or less. If successful, they would win the Fast Forward and be driven to the Pit Stop in a Maserati. Other teams had to travel to the parking area in The Dubai Mall and searched the marked cars to drive them to Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve where teams encountered the Roadblock, asking "Who thinks they can beat the desert heat?". One team member chose a traditional water bag and had to search the Desert Reserve for a series of urns buried in the sand. Some of the urns contained water, while others were empty. When they found enough water to fill their bag, they gave it to a Bedouin and his thirsty camels to receive their next clue.

The Roadblock clue instructed teams to travel to Ski Dubai for the snow-contrasted Detour: a choice between Build a Snowman or Find a Snowman. In Build a Snowman, teams had to take snow from Ski Dubai and carry it outside, where the temperature was approximately 120 °F (49 °C). They then had to build a snowman – complete with two coal eyes, carrot nose and a top hat – before the snow melted. If the snowman was to the attendant's satisfaction, she would hand them their next clue. In Find a Snowman, teams had to ride the ski lift to the top of the artificial mountain, sled down to the bottom, dig through piles of snow for a toy snowman buried within it, then give it to a person in a polar bear suit who would hand them their next clue. The clues sent them to Souk Madinat Jumeirah for the Pit Stop.

Leg 6 (United Arab Emirates)

While in Dubai, teams visited the Atlantis resort, located at the apex of the artificial Palm Jumeirah islands.

Airdate: October 25, 2009

At the start of the leg at Souk Madinat Jumeirah, teams have to pick up a locked briefcase along with a clue to their next destination, the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht club, and had to take part for the Roadblock, asked teams "Who's ready to row, row, row your boat?". One team member had to row an inflatable dinghy out to a yacht anchored offshore and meet a sheikh on board who gave the team member a watch. After rowing back to the dock, they would have to open a locked briefcase they were told to pick up at the beginning of the leg, figuring out that the time displayed on the watch corresponded with the combination to the briefcase's lock (8:35 → 8-3-5). When they opened it and would receive their next clue in the briefcase.

The clue after the Roadblock told teams to travel to the Old Textile Souq Quarter by Abra from Bur Dubai to Deira and picked up the Detour clue: a choice between Gold or Glass. In Gold, teams had to find Deepu Jewellers in New Gold Centre in Deira where they would use a precision scale to weigh out US$500,000 worth of gold to the nearest ounce. The price of gold per ounce was displayed on a television monitor and changed by the minute. Once the correct amount was on the scale, they would receive their next clue. In Glass, teams made their way to a spice market in Deira where they had to open a crate and assemble twelve hookahs – using all parts from the crate and using three displayed hookahs as guides – before receiving their next clue.

The clue after the Detour and teams instructed to Atlantis in Palm Jumeirah and upon arrival, both team members had to slide down the resort's Leap of Faith water slide which dropped them six stories down a nearly 90° incline and through a tunnel beneath the aquarium's shark lagoon. At the bottom, teams would find their next clue. If multiple teams were at the top of the slide at the same time, the leading team had two minutes to go down the slide; if the two minutes elapsed, the leading team was required to move aside and allow the trailing team the opportunity to slide down. The clue told the teams to search Dolphin Bay Beach for the Pit Stop.

Leg 7 (United Arab Emirates → The Netherlands)

This leg's Roadblock required one team member to climb to the top of the Martinitoren and count the bells in the carillon.

Airdate: November 1, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed to travel for their next destination: Amsterdam, Netherlands. Upon arrival, they had to pick up a marked vehicle and drove them to Cornelis Lely Monument in Afsluitdijk, at the center of Frisian coast to find their next clue. The clue teams told to travel to Martinitoren in Groningen where they encountered the Roadblock, asking "Who's got strong legs and keen eyes?". One team member had to climb to the top of the Martinitoren and count all of the bells in the carillon. When they gave the right number (62) to the carillonneur, they would receive their next clue. If they provided the wrong number, they would have to climb back up to the carillon to count again.

The clue teams instructed to head to De Marne Windmill and picked up their Detour clue, given them a choice between Farmer's Game or Farmer's Dance. In both Detours, teams dressed in traditional Dutch costumes—one male and one female—and rode bicycles to their Detour choice. In Farmer's Game, teams had to strip down to their Dutch underwear and swim across a creek. On the other side, they had to retrieve a special set of golf clubs and play 3 holes of Farmersgolf. Team members took turns with each stroke and had to finish within par of 8 strokes on each hole to receive their next clue. In Farmer's Dance, teams had to find a country festival where one team member had to hit the bell on a high striker (if that team member failed, team members would take turns until they hit the bell). They then had to enter a dance hall to learn a traditional Dutch folk dance and perform that dance in front of a crowd. If the dance was to the instructor's satisfaction, the instructor would give each team member a serving of soused herring which they had to eat in order to receive their next clue. The clues sent teams continued riding bicycles to the Pit Stop at Zoutkamp Harbor.

Leg 8 (The Netherlands → Sweden)

Temas visited Tivoli Gröna Lund, Sweden's oldest amusement park, where one team member had to ride the Fritt Fall drop tower to find their next clue.

Airdate: November 8, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed to travel to Stockholm, Sweden. Upon arrival, they must travel by train and ferry to Tivoli Gröna Lund and upon arrival at the amusement park, one team member had to ride the Fritt Fall drop tower to look for an arrow that pointed them in the direction of their next clue, located among some carnival games. Teams then had to play a game of ring toss until they ringed a cone with a Travelocity Roaming Gnome concealed beneath it. If successful, the game operator would hand them the gnome, which had their next clue on the bottom of its base. Teams had to keep the Roaming Gnome with them for the remainder of the leg.

The clue was for the Detour, choosing them between Nobel Dynamite or Viking Alphabet. In Nobel Dynamite, teams traveled to a rock quarry and had to fill sandbags to create a protective bunker in the rock quarry. Once they were protected, they set off an explosion with dynamite, which would unearth a metal box containing their next clue. In Viking Alphabet, teams had to decode a message in Elder Futhark on a runestone (using smaller stones with both runes and letters) that told them to "Find the Strong Viking" to receive their next clue.

The clue teams instructed to Bögs Gård Farm in Väsby where they encountered the Roadblock, asking "Who thinks they can spot a needle in a haystack?". One team member participated in an Amazing Race Switchback of the notorious Roadblock from the Sweden leg of Season 6: the team member had to search through 186 hay bales to find one of seven flags (the Season 6 Roadblock had sisters Lena & Kristy searching for their clue for nearly 10 hours). When teams found one of the flags, they were allowed to proceed to the nearby Pit Stop.

Leg 9 (Sweden → Estonia)

This leg's Detour paid tributes to Estonia's leisure time in their rich raised bogs.

Airdate: November 15, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were given a set of keys along with their clue and informed to travel to the capital city of Tallinn in Estonia. Upon arrival, Gary and Matt encountered with the Speed Bump and had to find a Saunabuss parked nearby, strip naked, and spend five minutes in a sauna with some locals before they could continue racing.

In Tallinn, teams made their way to Mustpeade Maja, where they had to find the right key that would sound an alarm to open the door and where they found the clue which it was for the Roadblock, asking teams "Who can solve a medieval mystery?". One team member went into the cellar of the Mustpeade Maja and participated in a ceremony of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads Guild. Team members took a candelabra with a room number attached from a table of revelers. When they found that room, they were given what appeared to be a blank scroll and a crayon. Team members had to figure out that their next clue was written in invisible ink and could be revealed by holding the scroll over the light of the candle.

The clue received from the Roadblock had these words on a scroll: Pikk Hermann Tower Gardens. the clue was the Detour: a choice between Serve or Sling. In Serve, teams participated in a game of volleyball in the Keava bog, where they had to score a total of five points against a local team in order to receive their next clue. In Sling, teams put on bog shoes and walked out onto the bog where they used slingshots to fire assorted vegetables at a target, which when hit would collapse a table full of cabbages along with their next clue. The clue directed them to Keava Raba Outlook Tower for the Pit Stop.

Leg 10 (Estonia → Czech Republic)

The Roadblock in Prague required teams to searched among the seats of Estates Theatre to find a miniature mandolin.

Airdate: November 22, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told to head next to the city of Prague, Czech Republic. Upon arrival, teams had to head to Old Town Square and upon arrival, teams had to find a man in a vintage Praga who would give them their next clue.

Teams were informed to head to Vltava River and find Kajaky Trója where they searched for their Detour clue: given them a choice between Fast & Furious or Slow & Steady. In Fast & Furious, teams had to row a kayak down a manmade whitewater rafting course used by professional kayakers and grab a ribbon suspended over the course which had their next clue written on it; if their boat capsized before reaching the clue, they had to start the course over. In Slow & Steady, teams had to pull themselves along an aerial rope course suspended above the rafting course. When they reached the end of the rope, they would get ribbons that had their next clue written on them.

In this clue, teams had to figure out that the words on their ribbons – Stavovské Divadlo – referred to the Estates Theatre, their next destination. Upon arrival, they encountered the Roadblock, where teams were asked "Who can remain composed under pressure?". One team member had to search the Estates Theatre for a miniature mandolin. Once they found it, they had to bring it onstage to an actor dressed as the titular character from the Mozart opera Don Giovanni (which premiered at the theatre), who would hand them their next clue. The clue directed the teams to the Pit Stop at Prague Castle.

Leg 11 (Czech Republic)

This leg took place in Prague's Jewish quarter Josefov, the home of Franz Kafka.

Airdate: November 29, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed to head to the Spanish Synagogue where they encountered their next clue. For Brian and Ericka, however, they had to do the Speed Bump, and had to find the M1 Lounge, where each of them had to prepare and drink a traditional shot of absinthe before they could continue racing with the others.

The clue teams had to travel to Ekotechnické Museum for the Roadblock, asking "In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd". One team member entered the museum and search among several hundred ringing telephones for the five that had a person on the other end of the line. A voice from each phone would give the team member one letter to the word "FRANZ"—a reference to Franz Kafka. After obtaining all five letters, the team member had to fill out a form with several biographical questions and attempt to unscramble the five letters to form his name. If they were correct, the inspector would hand them their next clue.

The clue teams received instructing them to Kryocentrum and they had to strip down to their underwear and spend two minutes in a cryotherapy chamber which reached temperatures of −160 °C (−256 °F). After the two minutes were up, they received their next clue, sending them to Charles Bridge. Upon arrival, they found the Detour clue, given them a choice between Legend or Lager. In Legend, teams built a golem by placing wet clay around a hay frame, then transported it to the Old New Synagogue. If the golem was to the rabbis' satisfaction, they would hand them their next clue. In Lager, teams had to carry a total of 30 glasses of beer from a brewery called Pivovar a Restaurace "U Fleků" through the busy town square and deliver them to a bar named Restaurace Kozička to receive their next clue. The clue directed them to the Pit Stop at Střelecký Island.

Leg 12 (Czech Republic → United States)

The final leg of the race took place at various resorts on the Las Vegas Strip: the MGM Grand, the Mandalay Bay, the Mirage, and the Monte Carlo.

Airdate: December 6, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were given to their final destination city: Las Vegas, Nevada. Upon arrival in Las Vegas, teams made their way to Graceland Wedding Chapel and had to search their next clue right behind Elvis Presley impersonator. The clue told the teams to travel to Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for the final Roadblock, where teams asked "Who's ready to climb down the mountain?". One team member had to rappel down the exterior of the Mandalay Bay hotel tower face-down in order to retrieve their next clue.

The clue after the Roadblock where teams sent them to The Mirage and had to find Love theater, one team member was harnessed in a bungee cord and launched by his or her teammate in an attempt to retrieve a bouquet of flowers dangling in the air. Once the entire bouquet was obtained, they had to hand it to an actress acting as a flower girl to receive their next clue.

The clue received at the end of the bungee cord task instructed teams to go to "the most famous casino in Monaco", and left them to figure out that this was a reference to the namesake of the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Upon arrival, teams had to count out a total of $1,000,000 worth of poker chips which were scattered on several poker tables. Once the dealer verified their count was correct, they would receive a chip worth $1,000,000 and their final clue. This task was incorrectly presented as a roadblock.

The clue teams received instructing them to the MGM Grand, where they had to find Suite 88 and would find Wayne Newton, who would tell them the location of the Finish Line: his house at Casa de Shenandoah.

Ratings

US Nielsen ratings

# Airdate Episode Rating Share Rating/Share
(18-49)		 Viewers
(millions)		 Rank
(Overall)
1 – 2 September 27, 2009 "They Thought Godzilla Was Walking Down the Street"[18] 6.5 10 3.3/8 10.40 #25
3 October 4, 2009 "It's Like Being Dropped on Planet Mars"[19] 5.9 9 2.8/7 9.95 #26
4 October 11, 2009 "Sean Penn Cambodia Here We Come"[20] 6.7 10 3.0/8 10.52 #20
5 October 18, 2009 "I'm Like Ricky Bobby"[21] 5.8 9 3.0/7 10.92 #20
6 October 25, 2009 "Do It for the Hood! Do It for the Suburbs!"[22] 6.4 10 3.4/8 11.20 #22
7 November 1, 2009 "This Is Not My Finest Hour"[23] 6.5 10 3.3/8 11.22 #18
8 November 8, 2009 "This Is the Worst Thing I've Ever Done in My Life"[24] 6.9 10 3.5/9 11.62 #24
9 November 15, 2009 "We're Not Meant for the Swamp"[25] 6.6 10 3.2/8 11.39 #24
10 November 22, 2009 "We're Not Working With Anybody, Ever, Anymore!"[26] 6.9 11 3.7/9 12.19 #20
11 November 29, 2009 "It Starts With an "F", That's All I'm Saying"[27] 6.8 10 3.4/8 11.61 #18
12 December 6, 2009 "Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound"[28] 7.1 11 3.7/9 12.32 #9

Canadian ratings

# Airdate Episode Viewers
(millions)		 Rank
(Overall)
1 – 2 September 27, 2009 "They Thought Godzilla Was Walking Down the Street" 2.861 #6
3 October 4, 2009 "It's Like Being Dropped on Planet Mars" 2.669 #5
4 October 11, 2009 "Sean Penn Cambodia Here We Come" 2.001 #13
5 October 18, 2009 "I'm Like Ricky Bobby" 2.413 #9
6 October 25, 2009 "Do It for the Hood! Do It for the Suburbs!" 2.619 #5
7 November 1, 2009 "This Is Not My Finest Hour" 2.575 #3
8 November 8, 2009 "This Is the Worst Thing I've Ever Done in My Life" 2.763 #3
9 November 15, 2009 "We're Not Meant for the Swamp" 2.619 #8
10 November 22, 2009 "We're Not Working With Anybody, Ever, Anymore!" 2.260 #9
11 November 29, 2009 "It Starts With an "F", That's All I'm Saying" 2.419 #7
12 December 6, 2009 "Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound" 3.074 #1

Awards

In 2010, The Amazing Race 15 was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding Reality Program" during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards.[29]

References

  1. ↑ Schneider, Michael (2009-05-20). "CBS unveils fall schedule". Variety. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  2. ↑ "Fall TV: CBS Announces Premiere Dates". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  3. ↑ Schneider, Michael (2009-04-16). "'Amazing Race' back for 15th cycle". Variety. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  4. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2009-04-16). "CBS tweets 'Amazing Race' renewal". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  5. ↑ "'The Amazing Race 15': Exclusive reveal of the route, plus teases". Entertainment Weekly. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
  6. ↑ Lang, Derrik (2009-09-09). "Meet the teams on new season of The Amazing Race". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
  7. 1 2 Eng, Joyce (2009-09-28). "Amazing Race's Eric and Lisa: Quickie Elimination Was "No Big Deal"". TV Guide. seattlepi.com. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  8. ↑ Glenday, Craig (2013). Guinness World Records 2014. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-908843-15-9.
  9. ↑ Keoghan, Phil (2009-03-23). "Phil Keoghan blogs 'The Amazing Race': episode 6". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  10. ↑ Elber, Lynn (2009-02-25). "'Amazing' ride: Phil Keoghan to bike across USA". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  11. ↑ "Amazing Race Cast: Zev and Justin on CBS". cbs.com. 2011-10-14. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  12. ↑ Garcia, Jennifer (2011-05-08). "Amazing Race Winners Meghan Rickey & Cheyne Whitney Marry!". People. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  13. ↑ "McMillen's Moments, Episode 5". Gina from Reality Wanted. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  14. ↑ ""We Were Three or Four Inches Away From a Million Bucks" – RealityNewsOnline's Exclusive Interview with The Amazing Race 15's Third Place Team, Brian & Ericka". Teeuwynn Woodruff from Reality News Online. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2009-12-10.
  15. ↑ "CBS TV Schedule". CBS. Archived from the original on September 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  16. ↑ Eng, Joyce (2009-10-12). "Amazing Race's Justin Takes the Blame for Losing Zev's Passport". TV Guide. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
  17. ↑ Nhà hát Múa rối nước Rồng Vàng
  18. ↑ "CBS wins premiere week in viewers and adults 25-54 – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  19. ↑ "CBS Wins in Viewers and Adults 25-54 for second week in a row; NCIS reigns as the No. 1 program – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  20. ↑ "CBS Dominates The Week In Viewers And Key Demos – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  21. ↑ "TV Ratings: Weekly primetime broadcast TV ratings for the week ending October 18, 2009: featuring Sunday Night Football ratings, NCIS ratings, NCIS: Los Angeles ratings, Grey's Anatomy ratings, House ratings, Family Guy ratings, The Big Bang Theory ratings, Two and a Half Men ratings, Glee ratings, The Cleveland Show ratings, Dancing With the Stars ratings, CSI ratings, CSI: MIAMI ratings, The Mentalist ratings; Cougar Town ratings, Modern Family ratings – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  22. ↑ "CBS Hour of Comedy Power – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  23. ↑ "NCIS Rebroadcast Is the Week's Top Scripted Program – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  24. ↑ "CBS first in viewers for sixth time in seven weeks; The Big Bang Theory is No. 1 comedy – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  25. ↑ "TV Ratings: Weekly primetime broadcast TV ratings for the week ending November 15, 2009: featuring Sunday Night Football ratings, World Series ratings, NCIS ratings, NCIS: Los Angeles ratings, Grey's Anatomy ratings, V ratings, Family Guy ratings, The Big Bang Theory ratings, Two and a Half Men ratings, Glee ratings, Dancing With the Stars ratings, CSI ratings, CSI: MIAMI ratings, The Mentalist ratings; Cougar Town ratings, Modern Family ratings, ALCS ratings – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  26. ↑ "TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football, AMAs, Grey's, Big Bang, House and NCIS top weekly broadcast charts – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  27. ↑ "CBS Wins Thanksgiving Week In Viewers And Adults 25-54 – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  28. ↑ "Season Finale of The Amazing Race 15 Posts Largest Audience Of the Season – Ratings". TVbytheNumbers. 2009-12-07. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  29. ↑ "21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards – English Language Nominees". Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
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