Recap: The Amazing Race Canada 8, Episode 9 – “I hate this game right now.”

Recap: The Amazing Race Canada 8, Episode 9 – I Love You. I Know.

The 9th Leg begins with teams flying to Bathurst, New Brunswick via Montreal. Upon arrival in Bathurst, teams wlll head to Frostbites Dairy Bar for ice cream and a clue. That clue tells teams to pack a pile of east coast essentials including plywood, a lobster trap and two chairs into their Chevy Silverado ZR2.

Brandon & Connor are first to load their truck and open the next clue revealing the Road Block: Who can think on their feet? For this Road Block, teams will drive to La Brokerie in Caraquet where they will learn and perform an Acadian stepdance.

The other teams get the thumbs up, leaving Beverley & Veronica in last. Meanwhile, Court and Franca must perform this Road Block. Jesse, Connor and Catherine join them in trying to observe the demonstration.

While Catherine goes for her first attempts, Beverley arrives with one of the chairs they packed onto their Chevys. All the teams struggle with the intricate dance.

But Catherine is able to eventually get the hang of it and gets the thumbs up first of any of the teams. Jesse passes on his first attempt, Franca gets it on her 4th attempt, Beverley on her 7th attempt, Court on his 13th attempt and Connor on his 17th attempt.

After the Road Block, the teams must drive to Village Historique Acadien in Bertrand. They will change into wool clothing and wooden clogs and fill a water barrel using a yoke and two small buckets.

Catherine & Craig maintain their lead and open the next clue revealing a Detour: Oyster Shuck or Clean & Tuck. For both Detours, teams will head to Ceilo. In Oyster Shuck, teams will delicately shuck open 24 oysters and replicate two oyster platters. In Clean & Tuck, teams must clean and prepare a glamping dome.

Catherine & Craig choose the oysters while Jesse & Marika choose the glamping. Beverley & Veronica arrive at the village after Franella, but they leave first by filling their buckets much quicker. Both of them choose oysters and Veronica feels this is her challenge as her uncles own oyster restaurants.

Upon arrival at the village, Brendan & Connor face their Speed Bump which involves them making 50 roof shingles using couvreur tools. They must hurry as they are in last and just behind Court & Ali. Court & Ali fill their buckets just as the brothers finish the Speed Bump.

Over at the Detour, Catherine & Craig get the thumbs up on their platters. They can now make their way to the Pit Stop at Pokeshaw Rock. Beverley & Veronica get the thumbs up on their oysters and are able to leave. Franca & Nella are right behind them.

Meanwhile, Marika is emotional as she and Jesse are just missing one detail with their robe. Court & Ali and Brendan & Connor arrive at the oysters at the same time and get started.

Over at the Pit Stop, Catherine & Craig claim first place and win a trip to Mexico City, 250,000 Expedia points worth $2500 and a $2500 Marshalls gift card. Franca & Nella are 2nd and Beverley & Veronica, who stopped for directions, place 3rd.

Finally, Jesse notices what’s wrong with the robe and they finally get the next clue. They hurry to the Pit Stop and they are Team #4.

It’s down to the last two teams. Court & Ali get the thumbs up before Brendan & Connor. And it’s a Chevy Silverado Race to the Mat. The brothers decide to take what they think is a shortcut. And it works out as they step on the Mat as Team #5.

That means Court & Ali are last and eliminated.

Episode (and Team!) Thoughts

I think after that horrible episode and Leg from Australia earlier today, anything TAR Canada produced tonight would’ve been great. Lol

But this was actually a legitimately good episode and Leg. Even though the tasks themselves were okay and typical of TARC’s many rural Canada Legs, everything else about the episode made it exciting and fun.

First of all, the alliance is truly, officially dead! Yay! Along with that, teams were in true Race mode. They weren’t snapping at each other, but they were all focused on surviving this Leg. Competitive without any of the extra drama. Which can be fun to watch, as this episode proved.

This was the first time this season that I actually liked all the teams. And it was because of that great, competitive dynamic.

Meanwhile, I am so happy none of the teams handed their oyster platters to another team for them to submit at the Detour! Also at the village, I’m pleasantly surprised none of the teams took one of the already-filled barrels to have checked as their own. Quite a relief!

The most difficult task of the Leg was the Road Block. Actually, the most difficult for me. I would probably just give up and quit. Lol But it was a good task to start the Leg with and create some space between the teams. Not an insurmountable separation, but just enough to create tension.

The water buckets was a fine middle of the Leg task. But it’s good that teams didn’t get bunched up waiting at the water pump. That would have been a disaster. Or, the site of some explosive fighting. Either way, win-win! Lol

Finally, both Detour tasks were borrowed from many TARs of the past. TAR Canada has definitely done that same task with the glamping set-up many times before. And the oyster task is basically the same thing, replicating an example.

Overall, the Leg was straightforward, but the teams were really on their “A” game. It was very refreshing seeing all the teams really tensed up and Racing hard for a spot in the Penultimate Leg and ultimately the finale.