Recap: The Amazing Race Australia, Episode 2.09 – “Why am I trying to ride a log on icy water?”

The Amazing Race Australia 2, Episode 9

The Leg

All teams are on the same flight to Vancouver, Canada.  Once in Vancouver, teams head to Stanley Park where they would look for a totem pole, take part in a First Nation ritual and receive their next clue from the chief.

Teams have to collect two paddles and make their way on foot to the Vancouver Rowing Club.  They find an Hours of Operation and they all go to a hotel for the night.  All the teams but one are at the Rowing Club when it opens at 8:30am.  James & Sarah are running late leaving the hotel.

Meanwhile, the other teams open the next clue, revealing a Fast Forward.  Paul & Steve and Shane & Andrew run off to get a taxi to head to the Art Studio for the Fast Forward.  But when Paul & Steve get a taxi first, Shane & Andrew decide to just go back and do the task.

At the harbor, teams must paddle themselves across the harbor to a dock where they must decipher a nautical phrase using maritime flags on a yacht.  They must figure out that the flags across the way are arranged in alphabetical order, according to the corresponding flag.

Michelle & Jo figure out the flag key first while Joseph & Grace head to a nearby information center to get a print out.  Just arriving are James & Sarah who, while on their way here, remember that they did not pay their hotel before leaving.  So before going out on the kayaks, they decide to go back and settle their bill.  But they worry about not having money for the taxi.

James & Sarah get to the hotel and the guy gives them a big discount as well as prints out a key to the flags for them too.  Across town, Paul & Steve arrive at the art studio to open the Fast Forward clue.


For this Fast Forward, the only one of the Race, Paul & Steve must pose nude for an art class who will draw them.  Once the students are done, they can go directly to the Pit Stop.  They have no problem getting naked and no problem heading to Grant at the Pit Stop at Crab Park where they officially win their 5th leg in a row and $10,000.

Back at the harbor, Michelle & Jo finish deciphering the message: “Three sheets to the wind, splice the mainbrace, weigh anchor and set sail.” And they are given the next clue, the Detour.


In this Detour, teams will get to do one of two traditional skills performed by Canadian lumberjacks.
In Toss, teams must throw an axe at a log target 6 meters away.  Once teams have landed 10 axes, they will be given their next clue.
In Tumble, teams must balance themselves on a rolling log and rotate the log 10 times to be given their next clue.

As teams head to the Detour, James & Sarah catch up to Lucy & Emilia.  They start off fast with the flags, but they soon get frustrated.  Lucy & Emilia finish and James & Sarah almost get the message, missing only a “B” from “brace.”

Michelle & Jo decide on the Tumble Detour, but Shane & Andrew choose Toss, allowing them to get ahead.  Joseph & Grace and James & Sarah also choose Toss, while Lucy & Emilia have “fun” with Tumble.

James & Sarah return to their nice taxi driver after being able to ask a Chinese couple for 5 bucks.

After the Detour, teams head to the Road Block.


In this Road Block, teams will ride on top of a cable car to the peak of Grouse Mountain while collecting three flags along the way.  If they fail to collect a flag, they will have to return to the bottom and try again.

Shane & Andrew and Michelle & Jo maintain their leads finishing the Road Block and they head to Grant to check-in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Grace fails her first two attempts, but gets it on the third to avoid getting slapped with a four hour penalty.  Emilia gets it on her 2nd go.  James & Sarah’s nice taxi driver accepts their $25 payment for their $75 cab ride and they head up to the cable car.

Joseph & Grace have money issues of their own and have to go around the resort to beg for money as well.  Meanwhile, Lucy & Emilia manage to hop into James & Sarah’s nice taxi.

Joseph & Grace step on the Mat in 4th.  We are led to believe James & Sarah arrive at the Pit Stop first, but their driver won’t accept their $4 worth of money.  Lucy & Emilia then arrive and they check-in 5th.

James & Sarah see a police officer nearby who calls the owner of the cab and gets them out of their fare by promising the owner a case of Foster’s.

But it’s too late as James & Sarah step on the Mat in last and are eliminated.

Episode Thoughts
How refreshing to have TAR in Canada.  First time since TAR8 and it was a great leg.  That first nautical flags task was definitely familiar.  But the others were awesome.  First off, that Fast Forward!?  First unpixeled nudity on any edition of TAR ever?  Wow.  Were they really nude?  That’s pretty daring for both Paul & Steve and TAR itself.

The Detour was great to show off Canada’s stunning forests.  I wish we got to see more, but the Road Block and beautiful view it provided helped make up for it.

Very interesting to see so many teams with money troubles on TARAu.  They must not know how to manage the cash.  Or TARUS has been a lot more generous with how much money they give.

TARAu’s tricky editing has been very obvious every week, but none more than this week’s.  I think it was more than obvious James & Sarah were, unfortunately, last.

Also, Grant’s been doing it the whole Race, but his “You are the X team to arrive” or his “pre-determined elimination leg” spiels definitely throw me off.  We’ve come to expect the “X team to arrive” to automatically mean that team has incurred a penalty.  And the “pre-determined elimination leg” just sounds odd.

Anyway, it’s going to be a three week wait.  But, it appears we’re going to get a three-night finale.  Woah.  That’s a lot of TAR, even for the most diehard TAR fans I think.  Interesting decision by 7.

PIT STOP
The Capitol Building
Havana, CubaCONNECTION
Toronto, Canada

DESTINATION CITY
Vancouver, Canada

ROUTE MARKER
Stanley Park
Vancouver

Vancouver Rowing Club
Vancouver

DETOUR
Pine Forest
Vancouver

ROAD BLOCK
Grouse Mountain
Vancouver

PIT STOP
Crab Park
Vancouver

DEPARTURE
The Capitol Building
Havana, Cuba

Paul & Steve 12:08am
Shane & Andrew 12:23am
Michelle & Jo 12:35am
James & Sarah 2:01am
Lucy & Emilia 2:17am
Joseph & Grace 3:22am

TOSS
Shane & Andrew
Joseph & Grace <
Sarah & James

TUMBLE
Michelle & Jo
Lucy & Emilia

Paul & Steve
Paul & Steve took the Fast Forward.

> or < indicates team switched Detours.

Who did the Road Block?
Who can reach for the sky?
In order of completion; Italics indicate who did the Road Block

3 Paul Paul & Steve Steve 3
4 Shane Shane & Andrew Andrew 3
4 Michelle Michelle & Jo Jo 3
3 Joseph Joseph & Grace Grace 4
2 Lucy Lucy & Emilia Emilia 5
4 Sarah Sarah & James James 3

3 Sticky Sticky & Sam Sam 3
1 Tarryn Tarryn & Ross Ross 3
1 Donna Kym & Donna Kym 1
2 Sue Sue & Teresa Teresa 0
0 Adam Adam & Dane Dane 0

PIT STOP
Crab Park
Vancouver, Canada1st Paul & Steve =
2nd Shane & Andrew =
3rd Michelle & Jo =
4th Joseph & Grace +2
5th Lucy & Emilia =
Eliminated James & Sarah -2
Sarah & James Sarah & James – How sad for them to go.  Worst elimination of the season so far.  Both, especially Sarah, were competitive and smart and avoided any drama with other teams.  Sure they had their own drama with each other, but they were able to get the tasks done (most of the time at least).  It sucks they had to go before Joseph & Grace.  And it sucks even more to learn they’ve broken up since the show.  But, they were one of those few teams who both entertain and Race hard. 
Paul & Steve Paul & Steve – Well, it’s kind of annoying that other teams can’t even get in front of Paul & Steve to get a Fast Forward.  Their domination is also getting kind of boring considering the leg design and the lack of competition from other teams have helped propel them to #1 for five legs.  They certainly aren’t nasty people who concentrate more on other teams (Grace!), but they were much more fun when they were actually putting more effort into their Race instead of just skating by.
Lucy & Emilia Lucy & Emilia – Another week, another leg with them saved by another team doing just that much worse than them.  Though, Emilia stepped up a lot this leg in both the Detour and Road Block.  They just need to do that more consistently and help push themselves out of the bottom.
Michelle & Jo Michelle & Jo – Staying safe and consistent.  And unless they royally mess up or get some bad luck like Sticky & Sam, they should have their spot in the finals secured.
Shane & Andrew Shane & Andrew – A surprisingly strong leg for them.  They got themselves to the top and stay there even after wasting some time trying to go for the Fast Forward.  I guess they are peaking at the right time.  If they keep it up, they might actually have a shot.
Joseph & Grace Joseph & Grace – It is hilarious to watch them, or just Grace, talk about who does and doesn’t deserve to be in the final leg.  She should look in the mirror, eh?
Quotes from Episode 2.09

Paul: “I’m used to being pretty hot, but right now I’m extra hot.”

Joseph: “You can’t throw an axe?”
Grace: “Joey, I can’t even throw a tennis ball.”

Lucy: “I can’t even walk straight.  Why am I trying to ride a log on icy water?”

Sarah: “I’ve thrown plenty of things before, plates, I’ve thrown shoes.  But never an axe, which is probably a good thing.”
James: “Probably.”

 

390 episode caps at photobucket.com/TARAu209

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