Recap: The Amazing Race Canada 9, Episode 1 – “We want pancakes! We want pancakes!”

Recap: The Amazing Race Canada 9, Episode 1 – I Hate Pancakes

The 9th season of The Amazing Race Canada begins at the Starting Line at Esplanade Riel in Winnipeg. The ten teams this season include high school sweethearts, now married parents Allie & Eddie, best friend wrestlers Gail & Gisele, best bros DerPal/Derek & Jaspal, couple Deven & Amanda, Drag Race alums and best friends Jermaine & Justin, dating couples Ty & Kat and Tyler & Kayleen, siblings Shayla & Joel, and best friends Ben & Anwar and Gracie & Lily,

Before they start, Jon introduces The Assist from Desjardins. Teams can use The Assist once at designated challenges. And that could help them reach the Final Leg for the chance to cross the Finish Line first to win 2023 Chevy Colorado ZR2, Guru-sponsored trip around the world and Samsung-sponsored $250,000.

Jon flags them off and the teams run to their bags to open the first clue directing them to the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Here, teams must choose a title and then search the Quamaljuq Visible Vault for that chosen sculpture. When they think they’ve found the correct Inuit art, they must enter the locator number into the museum database to find the artist’s name.

Teams can exchange the name for the next clue. Ty & Kat finish first and open the next clue revealing they will now fly to Calgary Alberta. They must head to the Fast Air Jet Centre and sign-up for one of two charter flights arriving 15 minutes apart.

On the first charter Flight are Ty & Kat, Shayla & Joel, Allie & Eddie, Gail & Gisele and Derek & Jaspal. On the second charter flight are Gracie & Lily, Tyler & Kayleen, Jermaine & Justin, Deven & Amanda and Ben & Anwar.

Upon arrival in Calgary, teams are dropped off at a park where they find the next clue, the first Road Block of the Race: Who has book smarts?

For this Road Block, teams must head to the Central Library where they will rappel down the side of the building and look for three words on yellow flags which they must relay to an international woman of mystery.

Teams will also have an opportunity to win three Express Passes. To do so, teams must search the Calgary’s Story section of the library and find the Passes in one of the books. Shayla & Joel, DerPal and Ty & Kat decide to give it a try and it is Ty & Kat who manage to find the Express Passes first.

Gail & Gisele and Allie & Eddie, meanwhile, go to the Road Block which Gisele and Allie decide to do. Gisele quickly rappels down first, but does not realize the words she needs are on flags along the way. Allie ends up relaying the secret message first, followed by Ty & Kat.

Teams receive a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and must now head to Betty Lou’s Library where they will use the Nightography feature to take a photo of the Detour clue.

Derek, Amanda, Shayla and Ben are next to finish the Road Block. Giselle, who was first at the Road Block, now leaves 9th. Jermaine & Justin are in last.

Ty & Kat arrive at Betty Lou’s Library first, relay a password to get in and use their Samsungs to take a photo of the Detour clue. This first Detour is a choice between Batter and Beat.
In Batter, teams must head to Stephen Ave and take part in a special nighttime version of the Calgary Stampede Pancake Breakfast. Teams must take and memorize orders at two tables of locals, then properly cook the pancakes, add the correct toppings and serve them to receive their next clue. What teams don’t know is the customers will randomly switch tables from time to time. In Beat, teams must head to Olympic Plaza and learn a call and response drum routine with a drum circle. When teams can stay in sync with their partner, they will receive the next clue. This is a limited stations Detour.

Ty & Kat and Allie & Eddie choose the pancakes. DerPal, Shayla & Joel, Tyler & Kayleen and Ben & Anwar choose the drums. Gracie & Lily arrive at the pancakes as Eddie is on his 6th attempt to serve the orders. Kat, on her 5th attempt gets the thumbs up. Deven & Amanda, Jermain & Justin and Gail & Gisele also arrive at the pancakes.

Ty & Kat can now head to the Pit Stop at the Peace Bridge where they officially check-in as Team #1 and win a trip to Berlin, Germany courtesy of Expedia. Gracie & Lily, who serve their pancakes on their first attempt, check-in as Team #2 with Derek & Jaspal claim 3rd.

Tyler & Kayleen finish the Detour 4th, but Jermaine & Justin manage to reach the Mat in 4th. The dating couple settles for 5th. Deven & Amanda take 6th.

Shayla & Joel pass the drums after their 6th attempt and check-in at the Pit Stop in 7th. Ben & Anwar get the thumbs up at the drums on their 7th attempt and check-in as Team #8.

It is down to Allie & Eddie, who has been struggling with memorizing the orders, and Gail & Gisele who lost precious time at the Road Block. Eddie is on his 13th attempt and he finally gets the thumbs up. He and Allie can now head to the Pit Stop where they check in as Team #9.

That means Gail & Gisele are last and eliminated.

Episode Thoughts

So this was actually a pretty solid premiere? Yes it was! Maybe it’s partly because I have such low expectations for The Amazing Race Canada. lol But I actually liked this episode. Maybe it’s also because last year was so blah that anything would look better in comparison.

But really, the only think I will criticize about this episode is Why have all three Express Passes in one book? Should’ve spread them out. I know TARC loves handing out several Express Passes to one team. But they should’ve just had only one Express Pass in each book. That would allow more teams to have it. Or even encourage a team to search through for all three.

I still don’t get why TARC just doesn’t have the first Leg in the same city or area as the Starting Line. Having to fly to another destination I think is such a waste of time and money. Especially when we know TARC likes to save as much money as they can.

Anyway, I think the tasks were fine. First the one in Winnipeg. I think it was a good way to separate teams at the start before the charter flight. A simple, straightforward task.

The Road Block is also another task that seems simple on paper. Just rappel down, look at the words on the flags and that’s it! If it weren’t for Gisele, the Road Block would be one of in and out tasks. A boring processional task. But it was actually and allowed for some placement shifts.

Welcome to The Amazing Race Canada Samsung! Samsung has of course been a sponsor of TARPHDME hehehe

Anyway! The Samsung promo task was fine. And the Detour was pretty good as well.

The pancakes would worry me as I have a bad memory. Lol I could definitely just cook them though. And the drum side of the Detour didn’t seem too challenging for teams, but they had to wait in line to perform.

Overall, I thought this was a solid premiere. It would be awesome if the show maintains that in the coming weeks. But I will still temper those expectations for this show.

My Subjective Team Rankings

Always hard to get a feel for the teams after one episode. But the ones who

First, I like parents Allie & Eddie. They have major meltdown potential lol And it would be fun to see them just scrape by every Leg and maybe slowly get themselves to the top. They have that fun dynamic you like to watch in a reality series.

Derek & Jaspal might have to tone down their goofball antics. But so far, they seem alright and harmless. And their control of their shtick allows them to be more fun than they might be otherwise.

Shayla & Joel might be otherwise uninteresting. But they have a good sibling bond that is one where you really do care about each other and later absolutely scold you for something you did.

Everyone else was fine for now. Though it was too bad Gail & Gisele were eliminated so soon. I think they could’ve done very well this season. Oh well.