Recap: The Amazing Race Australia 6, Episode 9 – “I don’t like getting dirty, full stop.”

Teams travel to Alacati, Turkiye where they will Race on the 9th Leg. Kathy & Chace and Stuart & Glennon are STILL in quarantine because of COVID.

The first clue of the Leg has teams heading into the town square to grab two ice cream cones from the trickster vendor without smashing it. Angel & Frankie maintain their early lead as they open the next clue even before other teams arrive.

After the ice cream treat, teams must now head to the water where they will hop into a jetcar and complete one full figure 8 and do two doughnuts around buoys within a minute and a half in order to receive the next clue.

Angel decides to do this not-Road Block. She fails her first attempt, but is able to try again before another team arrives. She is much faster on her second try and she and Frankie get the next clue.

After the not-Road Block, teams have to head into town and put their hands behind their backs and go face first into a massive bowl of powdered sugar to fish out the one yellow out of 30 different colored pieces of Turkish Delight, a sweet treat.

Toni fails her first attempt, allowing Gabby to finish the tricks second. Teams continue going too slow or doing too many tricks than they need, so they fail. That allows Dragon Boat Mum Claire to move her and Jodie into 3rd. Other teams end up finishing in a blur and they head to the next Route Marker.

Which is where Angel & Frankie have already been stuffing their faces into sugar. That is, until Angel sees Frankie’s snot in it so she decides to sit this one out. They again finish the task before any other team arrives.

After the Turkish Delights, teams must make their way on foot to Alacati Digirmenleri, the Pit Stop for this Leg of the Race.

Flick & Gabby arrive just as the Church Friends leave, but the Barista Sisters are lucky enough to find the yellow candy quickly. It’s a footrace to the Mat and it is Angel & Frankie who claim their 3rd Leg win in a row. They also win a six-night Darwin, Litchfield, Kakadu National Parks prize pack valued at $5000 courtesy of NT Tourism. Flick & Gabby have to settle for 2nd.

As other teams are stuffing their faces in sugar, Pako & Mori have fallen to last place at the jetcar. Mori finally passes on his 4th attempt with just 10 seconds to spare.

Lauren & Steph, Jodie & Claire and Heath & Toni check-in at the Mat as Teams 3 through 5. Chelsea & Jamus are Team #6. Tiffany & Cynthia, Kelly & Georgia and Fliss & Tottie are 7th through 9th.

It’s down to the last two teams. Morgan & Lilli get to the candies first and leave before Pako & Mori arrive. But the Hubbies are able to find the yellow candy quickly. It’s a footrace to the Mat, apparently. And Pako & Mori end up surviving as Team #10.

That means Morgan & Lilli are last and eliminated.

Episode/Team Thoughts

What was this Leg? From a wonderfully full Leg yesterday to a barebones Leg today. It was almost like a mini-Leg. But I guess that is to be expected when there’s 52 Legs they need to fill.

So the COVID teams return next Leg and it looks like the show merely held them until they need to be flown to another country. It’s a money-saving logistics thing rather than a COVID safety thing. Whatever.

Back to this Leg though. The ice cream Route Marker at the top of the Leg was fine. It’s a fun way to get the first clue of the Leg. But when it was one of the only tasks of the Leg, it feels kind of lacking now.

I don’t get having another not-Road Block. Like, it’s a perfect Road Block. Why not just make it one? Though we didn’t see any teams switch out, it was certainly possible. It’s happened in previous Legs. But with a Road Block, it adds more competition and drama.

The task itself was fine. But again, as the main challenge of this three-task Leg, it’s underwhelming.

As is the bobbing for candies too. This was just a very short Leg with really nothing to add in terms of team development either.

Speaking of, it was pretty obvious Morgan & Lilli were about to be eliminated since they all of a sudden get some screentime. It’s too bad, but just a quirk of a 62-team season.

More interestingly, it was nice to see the Angel & Frankie and Flick & Gabby rivalry continue to heat up. It’s great to see two evenly matched teams go up against each other. I also liked Gabby saying that they need to beat Angel & Frankie in a challenge and not in some other nefarious way. Just Race! That’s a great Race philosophy to have.

Episode Quotes

Gabby: “They need to do something wrong and we need to do something right.”

Angel: “I don’t like getting dirty, full stop.”

Pako: “I don’t know why he has such difficulty counting.”