Recap: The Amazing Race Australia vs New Zealand, Episode 6 – I'm not going to come last, I'm going to just die on The Amazing Race."

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John & Murray open the next clue telling teams to take an overnight train on the Trans-Siberian Railway to the city of Kostroma. Once there, they must make their way to the Museum of Wooden Architecture.

As a reward for arriving first at the Pit Stop, John & Murray have received first class train tickets to Kostroma for themselves and for another team of their choice.

The rest of the teams check-in and Cat & Jesse are the most relieved to be spared even after arriving in last.

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The teams are all on the same train. John & Murray love their first class cabin, but now it’s time to grant another team the same privilege. They walk over to the third class berths where the other five teams are chatting and having some snacks.

Johnny & Muzza decide to give the tickets to Ashleigh & Jarrod.

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Next morning, teams arrive in freezing and snowy Kostroma. They hop into taxis and hurry over to the Museum where they find the next clue.

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It is time for another nation vs. nation battle. Teams will team up with their fellow countrymen, each choose a Matryoshka or nesting doll and then search for the rest of their respective sets amongst hundreds in five wooden house.

Only when all teams from their country have found all their nesting dolls can they receive their next clue.

Team Australia decides they will stick together and go to each house to help find each other’s dolls. John & Murray, meanwhile, decide to separate themselves from the other Kiwis and tells them to just let them know if they see any of their dolls.

Each team must find four nesting dolls to place into their original one that they picked up, for a total of 12 for each country.

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The Aussies are doing well. When they run into John & Murray, the best mates see that working together may actually help so they decide to reunite with the other Kiwis.

But Team Australia finishes the task first and they head off to find their next clue in front of the fire tower in the Town Square.


And there, teams find the Detour.
In Boil, teams will fill an outdoor bathing kettle to the marked line and light a fire beneath it. Once the judge is satisfied, they must immerse themselves in the water before receiving their next clue.
In Build, teams must stack all their firewood in the marked area using traditional methods. Once the woodsman is satisfied with their work, they will receive their next clue.

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As the Kiwis find all their dolls, Daniel & Ryan and Ashleigh & Jarrod head to the Boil Detour. Sally & Tyson think it is too cold to take an outdoor bath, so they choose Build.

Sally watches as Tyson takes the lead stacking the wood, not needing to see the sample. Daniel starts filling the kettle with water while Ryan starts the fire. And Ashleigh gets a fire started, only for it to go out. She switches jobs with Jarrod who finds Ashleigh has used up all the kindling.

The Kiwis head to the Town Square and all of them choose Build.

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Meanwhile, Daniel & Ryan finish filling their kettle. They strip down to their skivvies and hop in. The judge gives them the thumbs up and they quickly hop back out to receive their next clue.

And that clue reveals the Road Block.


For this Road Block, teams will drive a sled led by dogs around a slalom course to receive their next clue.

Sally & Tyson decide to switch over to Boil where Jarrod is trying to light their fire again. It takes awhile before the judge finally approves and Ashleigh & Jarrod strip and dunk themselves in the ice cold water.

They run back inside to their clothes before getting their next clue.

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On the other side of the Detour, John & Murray and Carla & Hereni arrive and begin with stacking the wood. Both teams decide to copy the example exactly to length and height. But Cat & Jesse realize they can use the entire marked area which is actually longer than the example.

Cat & Jesse manage to catch up when Carla & Hereni’s stack topples over.

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Sally & Tyson finish the Detour and they head over to the Road Block. There, Daniel has completed the Road Block just as Ashleigh & Jarrod arrive.

Teams can now head to the Pit Stop on the frozen Volga River near the Ipatiev Monastery.

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Back at the Detour, John & Murray have just finished stacking to the exact same measurements of the example, but the woodsman gives them the thumbs down. They didn’t stack all the wood in their pile.

Murray is upset since he had mentioned to John earlier that they should have filled the marked area.

Ashleigh finishes the Road Block and she and Jarrod are off. Sally & Tyson arrive, but Tyson has to take another bathroom break before he can hop on to the sled.

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On the way to the Pit Stop, Daniel & Ryan’s driver who has been driving like a madman all day long squeezes through two huge trucks before hitting an ice patch and then fishtailing and spinning around. The driver gets the car under control and they are off to the Pit Stop.

They step on the Mat and Grant officially checks them in as Team #1. They win a 5 star holiday package to Phuket from Virgin Australia Holidays. That includes round trip tickets and a 7 night stay at a luxury resort.

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BUT! That is not all. Grant also gives them a Salvage Pass. They can either have a one-hour head start on the next Leg or save the last place team from elimination on this Leg.

Ashleigh & Jarrod arrive at the Pit Stop and are officially Team #2.

Back at the Detour, Cat & Jesse are the first Kiwi team to leave even when they were the first to arrive. Now it is between Carla & Hereni and John & Murray who are shocked to see Cat & Jesse pass them.

Tyson finishes the Road Block and they head to the Mat as well where Grant checks them in as Team #3.

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Tyson has something to say though. Today is his and Sally’s 4th anniversary. He tells her how much he loves her, gets down on his knees and takes a ring out of his pocket so he can ask her to marry him.

Of course, Sally says and they are now engaged.

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Back at the Detour, Carla & Hereni are almost done when…

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Their stack collapses. They now have to start again.

But their buddies John & Murray are also in the same boat as their huge stack comes tumbling down.

Cat & Jesse finish the Road Block and head to the stop to officially finish 4th.

The last two teams hurry through their pieces of wood and Carla & Hereni are the ones that come out on top. They rush off to the Road Block and then to the Pit Stop where they check-in as Team #5.

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That leaves John & Murray in last. Grant tells them about the Salvage Pass and calls Daniel & Ryan who ultimately decide not to save John & Murray.

That means John & Murray are officially last and eliminated.

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Episode Thoughts

I thought this was another great episode. The least you could ask for on any Leg of The Amazing Race is good competition and this Leg had it.

I thought the nation vs nation task was alright. Especially with the brewing discord about the country alliances. It would’ve been interesting to see though how it would’ve worked had there not been an even split between the teams. This was a task they could’ve easily shifted to being individual if there were a 4-2 or worse split with the countries.

The Detour was fine I thought. Both were pretty physical and it seems the log stacking was fine as long as you read your clue correctly. Cat & Jesse didn’t seem to have much trouble with it. And who knows how far behind the Kiwis were before they even arrived at the Detour.

The Road Block was okay since dogsleds are always awesome.

The Salvage Pass was definitely an interesting twist. Definitely didn’t expect it in the middle of the Race. Not sure if they should do that at random, but it definitely worked here. I guess all those repetitive Daniel & Ryan talking heads about wanting to play fair and not appreciating John & Murray’s hypercompetitiveness were all leading up to this Salvage Pass drama.

Speaking of, after TAR24’s non-effort in editing, TARAu’s faux cliffhangers have been a welcome sight. They definitely help add some fun and excitement to the episode. Especially with Daniel & Ryan’s car spinning out like that. They made it exciting and thrilling even though you knew they’d be fine.

If last week I’d never heard so many “shit”s on TAR in my life, this week, I’ve never seen so much ass and balls on TAR in my life! lol wow!

Kostroma was amazing! I can’t remember any other Russian leg having looked so stunning and beautiful, even all covered in snow.

And speaking of beautiful, TARAu’s maps are AMAZING. Wow. Talk about some snazzy graphics.

My Subjective Team Rankings

Daniel & Ryan are still my defacto favorite team, I guess. I like that they’re aren’t completely boring and are actually good competitors who are not afraid of drama. They’ve got personality! Which is more than can be said of most TARUS teams of recent years.

Sally & Tyson have really grown to be hilariously awesome. From all the puppies to the bathroom breaks, they’ve been a fun team who has slowly stepped it up week after week. The proposal was sweet, especially since it was so unexpected. (TAR Canada seemed to hint heavily on Alain & Audrey’s moment last week.) It helps that Sally & Tyson are more sweet on the Race rather than Alain & Audrey’s francophone meltdowns (which are still fun when they happen!).

Cat & Jesse did a good job this week. They fought to stay in and were still funny along the way. Much better than the last Leg, both Race-wise and personality wise. Carla & Hereni though, I feel like are just sliding through. They’ve gotten plenty of lucky breaks and now I think they may not ever become as awesome as they were in the first Leg. I still hope they can step it up.

Ashleigh & Jarrod are fun as well, but there are times when some of the shtick feels a little forced. With John & Murray gone, they’ll be the source of the Race’s hypercompetitiveness, and that may or may not be a good thing. We’ll see how they develop moving forward.

And finally John & Murray. I must give lots of kudos to them for being very gracious and good sports about their horrible Leg. Yes, they’ve been douchebags most of the Race, but it’s nice to see that it was them being ubercompetitive. They were able to go out and accept their defeat with no snide or unnecessary remarks. They did themselves in and they admitted it. Good for them.

Episode Quotes

Ashleigh: “I can’t believe no one knows how to speak English in this country. It’s crazy!

Tyson: “My bladder has shrunk even more in the freezing cold.”

Daniel: “I’m not going to come last, I’m going to just die on The Amazing Race.”

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