Leg 23.03
Pont Neuf (Toulouse, France)
Casa de la Vall (Andorra la Vella, Andorra)
La Noblesse du Temps and Calidea I La Dama Del Gel (Andorra la Vella)
Andbank (Andorra la Vella)
Grandvalira (Canillo)
Borda Del Pi (Canillo)
Caldea Spa (Andorra la Vella)
Mirador Roc del Quer Viewpoint (Ordino, Andorra)
Knowing this is the first Elimination Leg of the season, teams are especially on edge as every potential mistake or wrong turn could mean they are the first team out of the Race!
Teams begin the Leg in the 6am hour, departing in pairs ten minutes apart. But the almost three hour drive from Toulouse to Andorra la Vella proves to be a daunting task for the teams. Some teams end up running into each other along the way and decide perhaps it is best to work together and pool their Google Maps time in order to safely get them all to Andorra la Vella together.
The leading teams initially reach the Pyrenees together, but MM & MJ decide the other teams are just holding them back so they find an opportunity to lose Jacob & Jerika, Christian & Sam, Elma & Jojo, Miriam & Ardy and Ehra & Michelle who are all shocked to see they’ve been ditched. But they don’t have time to dwell on it when they end up taking a wrong turn and now have to backtrack.
Turns out it was a good move for MM & MJ who arrive as Casa de la Vall in first place. The others taking a wrong turn allow Tom & Antoinette and Ben & Mike, who stuck together during the drive, arrive tied for 2nd, ten minutes after the twins.
The formerly leading group arrive at 9:47am while the trailing teams Doug & Chesca, Ina & Erika, Wendell & Saviour and Sheryn & Mel, who also stick together for the drive, arrive just a few minutes after.
At the money task, MM & MJ lose a bit of time with a miscalculation. Jacob & Jerika, Miriam & Ardy, Tom & Antoinette and Elma & Jojo are just minutes behind them. Ben & Mike and Christian & Sam also lose some time while the trailing teams manage to stay within 30 minutes from the twins.
Teams, however, have to make their way back to their 2023 Kia Sportages on foot. And the almost 30-minute walk back to Casa de la Vela further separates teams.
At the Detour, many teams believe the tubing will be the faster task. But it ends up being unexpectedly difficult. That allows the dog sledding teams MM & MJ, Jacob & Jerika, Elma & Jojo and Wendell & Saviour to move to the front of the pack. After struggling with the tubes, Miriam & Ardy, Christian & Sam, Ehra & Michelle and Ina & Erika end up switching Detours. Kakai & Cai and Ina & Erika, who see the teams struggling on the tubes, choose the sled instead and manage to move up the ranks, leaving Ben & Mike and Doug & Chesca fighting for last against Sheryn & Mel who have to fulfill their Automatic U-Turn Non-Elimination penalty.
The next Road Block proves to be difficult for Jerika, Antoinette, Michelle and Chesca, further shuffling the teams once more.
At the final Road Block of the Leg, MM & MJ maintain their lead with Christian & Sam close behind. But Wendell & Saviour manage to drive a bit faster to the Pit Stop to claim their first Leg win. MM & MJ settle for 2nd with Christian & Sam in 3rd.
Elma & Jojo, Miriam & Ardy take 4th and 5th, respectively. Jacob is able to make up time at the spa and he and Jerika finish the Leg as Team #6. Kakai & Cai and Tom & Antoinette step on the Mat as Teams 7 and 8, respectively. Sheryn & Mel are able to make up lots of time at the two Road Blocks, getting themselves to check-in as Team #9.
It is now a four-way battle to avoid elimination. Ehra & Michelle and Ina & Erika get a headstart from the spa and finish the Leg as Teams 10 and 11, respectively. That leaves just two teams. Doug & Chesca leave the spa first, but Ben & Mike end up reaching the Pit Stop just a few minutes before them to claim 12th. That means Doug & Chesca are the first team eliminated from the Race.
| PIT START Pont Neuf Toulouse, France |
| 6:00am – Jacob & Jerika / Christian & Sam 6:10am – Elma & Jojo / MM & MJ 6:20am – Miriam & Ardy / Ehra & Michelle 6:30am – Tom & Antoinette / Ben & Mike 6:40am – Kakai & Cai / Ina & Erika 6:50am – Wendell & Saviour / Doug & Chesca 7:00am – Sheryn & Mel |
| ROUTE INFO Order of arrival at Casa de la Vall, Andorra la Vella |
| MM & MJ – 9:25am Tom & Antoinette – 9:35am Ben & Mike – 9:35am Jacob & Jerika – 9:47am Christian & Sam – 9:47am Elma & Jojo – 9:48am Miriam & Ardy – 9:48am Ehra & Michelle – 9:48am Doug & Chesca – 9:52am Kakai & Cai – 9:52am Ina & Erika – 9:52am Wendell & Saviour – 9:52am Sheryn & Mel – 9:52am |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Combining Two Halves of Clue |
| MM & MJ – 10:02am Tom & Antoinette – 10:08am Ben & Mike – 10:08am Jacob & Jerika – 10:25am Christian & Sam – 10:26am Ehra & Michelle – 10:28am Elma & Jojo – 10:30am Miriam & Ardy – 10:31am Doug & Chesca – 10:30am Kakai & Cai – 10:42am Ina & Erika – 10:33am Wendell & Saviour – 10:31am Sheryn & Mel – 10:41am |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Departure Andbank, Andorra la Vella |
| MM & MJ – 10:55am Jacob & Jerika – 11:02am Miriam & Ardy – 11:04am Tom & Antoinette – 11:05am Elma & Jojo – 11:05am Ehra & Michelle – 11:10am Ben & Mike – 11:12am Christian & Sam – 11:12am Doug & Chesca – 11:15am Kakai & Cai – 11:19am Ina & Erika – 11:20am Wendell & Saviour – 11:22am Sheryn & Mel – 11:25am |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Arrival Casa de la Vela |
| MM & MJ – 11:15am Jacob & Jerika – 11:20am Tom & Antoinette – 11:25am Christian & Sam – 11:28am Miriam & Ardy – 11:30am Elma & Jojo – 11:30am Ben & Mike – 11:32am Ehra & Michelle – 11:35am Doug & Chesca – 11:42am Wendell & Saviour – 11:45am Ina & Erika – 11:46am Kakai & Cai – 11:50am Sheryn & Mel – 11:50am |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Arrival Grandvalira |
| MM & MJ – 11:50am Jacob & Jerika – 11:55am Tom & Antoinette – 12:00pm Christian & Sam – 12:05pm Miriam & Ardy – 12:05pm Elma & Jojo – 12:05pm Ben & Mike – 12:10pm Ehra & Michelle – 12:12pm Doug & Chesca – 12:25pm Wendell & Saviour – 12:20pm Ina & Erika – 12:18pm Kakai & Cai – 12:25pm Sheryn & Mel – 12:25pm |
| DETOUR | |
| TUBO Tom & Antoinette Christian & Sam Miriam & Ardy Ben & Mike Ehra & Michelle Doug & Chesca Ina & Erika Sheryn & Mel* |
TRINEU MM & MJ Jacob & Jerika Elma & Jojo Wendell & Saviour >Miriam & Ardy >Christian & Sam Kakai & Cai Sheryn & Mel* >Ehra & Michelle >Ina & Erika |
| Teams listed in order of Detour completion. > or < indicate team switched Detours *Sheryn & Mel fulfilled their Non-Elimination Penalty Automatic U-Turn |
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| DETOUR OVERALL |
| MM & MJ – 12:50pm Jacob & Jerika – 12:55pm Elma & Jojo – 1:05pm Wendell & Saviour – 1:20pm Miriam & Ardy – 1:25pm Christian & Sam – 1:30pm Tom & Antoinette – 1:35pm Sheryn & Mel (Trineu) – 1:40pm Kakai & Cai – 1:45pm Ehra & Michelle – 1:55pm Ina & Erika – 2:00pm Ben & Mike – 2:05pm Doug & Chesca – 2:10pm Sheryn & Mel (Tubo) – 2:15pm |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Arrival Borda del Pi, Canillo |
| MM & MJ – 1:05pm Jacob & Jerika – 1:10pm Elma & Jojo – 1:20pm Wendell & Saviour – 1:35pm Miriam & Ardy – 1:40pm Christian & Sam – 1:45pm Tom & Antoinette – 1:55pm Kakai & Cai – 2:00pm Ehra & Michelle – 2:10pm Ina & Erika – 2:15pm Ben & Mike – 2:20pm Doug & Chesca – 2:25pm Sheryn & Mel – 2:30pm |
| ROAD BLOCK: Who thinks they can “-got” for it? | |
| MM 3- 3 MJ Elma 3 – 3 Jojo Wendell 3 – 3 Saviour Miriam 3 – 3 Ardy Christian 3 – 3 Sam Jacob 3 – 3 Jerika Kakai 3 – 3 Cai Tom 3 – 3 Antoinette Ehra 2 – 4 Michelle Ina 3 – 3 Erika Sheryn 2 – 4 Mel Ben 3 – 3 Mike Doug 2 – 4 Chesca |
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| Bold teammate indicates who performed this Road Block. Red teammate indicates who completed Road Block after an Interchange is used Road Block counts are as of this Road Block. |
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| ROUTE INFO Order of Departure Borda del Pi, Canillo |
| MM & MJ – 1:45pm Elma & Jojo – 1:55pm Wendell & Saviour – 2:05pm Miriam & Ardy – 2:09pm Christian & Sam – 2:12pm Jacob & Jerika – 2:15pm Kakai & Cai – 2:32pm Tom & Antoinette – 2:48pm Ehra & Michelle – 2:52pm Ina & Erika – 3:05pm Sheryn & Mel – 3:08pm Ben & Mike – 3:10pm Doug & Chesca – 3:15pm |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Arrival Caldea Spa, Andorra la Vella |
| MM & MJ – 2:15pm Elma & Jojo – 2:25pm Wendell & Saviour – 2:30pm Miriam & Ardy – 2:30pm Christian & Sam – 2:35pm Jacob & Jerika – 2:40pm Kakai & Cai – 3:00pm Tom & Antoinette – 3:15pm Ehra & Michelle – 3:20pm Ina & Erika – 3:30pm Sheryn & Mel – 3:35pm Ben & Mike – 3:40pm Doug & Chesca – 3:45pm |
| ROAD BLOCK: Who can make the deposit? | |
| MM 3- 4 MJ Christian 4 – 3 Sam Wendell 3 – 4 Saviour Elma 4 – 3 Jojo Miriam 3 – 4 Ardy Jacob 4 – 3 Jerika Kakai 3 – 4 Cai Tom 4 – 3 Antoinette Sheryn 3 – 4 Mel Ehra 3 – 4 Michelle Ina 3 – 4 Erika Doug 3 – 4 Chesca Ben 4 – 3 Mike |
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| Bold teammate indicates who performed this Road Block. Red teammate indicates who completed Road Block after an Interchange is used Road Block counts are as of this Road Block. |
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| TRIGGER POINT Trigger: If any team is able to crack the code within their first five attempts. Actual: No team cracked the code within first five attempts. Result: Not Activated |
| ROUTE INFO Order of Departure Caldea Spa, Andorra la Vella |
| MM & MJ – 3:20pm Christian & Sam – 3:23pm Wendell & Saviour – 3:25pm Elma & Jojo – 3:25pm Miriam & Ardy – 3:35pm Jacob & Jerika – 3:40pm Kakai & Cai – 3:45pm Tom & Antoinette – 4:05pm Sheryn & Mel – 4:10pm Ehra & Michelle – 4:15pm Ina & Erika – 4:25pm Doug & Chesca – 4:35pm Ben & Mike – 4:40pm |
| PIT STOP Mirador Roc del Quer Viewpoint Ordino, Andorra |
| Wendell & Saviour – 3:55pm MM & MJ – 4:00pm Christian & Sam – 4:02pm Elma & Jojo – 4:05pm Jacob & Jerika – 4:08pm Miriam & Ardy – 4:10pm Kakai & Cai – 4:15pm Tom & Antoinette – 4:35pm Sheryn & Mel – 4:40pm Ehra & Michelle – 4:45pm Ina & Erika – 4:55pm Ben & Mike – 5:05pm Doug & Chesca – 5:10pm |