Aly Dudek and Steven Langton became the sixth team to be eliminated from this season of The Amazing Race.
Earlier this week, I caught up with Aly (a 24-year-old Olympic athlete from Milwaukee, WI) and Steve (a 31-year-old Olympic athlete from Boston, MA) to discuss a variety of topics that included their feelings about being U-Turned by Tyler and Laura. We also chatted about them clashing during their last leg on the Race and their predictions on who they feel is in the best position to win.
Check out the interview below!
Murtz Jaffer: Steve, I have to tell you that if you had told me that the Olympians would be eliminated before the finale, I would have called you crazy. Were you surprised that you didn’t make it to the finale?
Steve Langton: Obviously we would have loved to be the first team to the pit stop on the last leg but unfortunately fate had other plans for us. One of the aspects that make the race what it is, is the fact that there is a sizable luck component and that it’s anybody’s game. We knew that going in and although we felt as though we were the strongest team we knew that it’s The Amazing Race and that anything can happen.
MJ: I feel like this might have been the worst leg that any one team has ever had on The Amazing Race. You had a flat tire, a speedbump, and you even got lost. How much of a factor is luck on The Amazing Race?
Aly Dudek: You forgot to mention the U-Turn, too!! Unfortunately, Steve and I had most things going against us in Africa. Basically, everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. Unlike within our sports, luck is a much bigger factor on The Race. We can try to prepare and be aware of what is going on as much as we can, but if you get a good or bad taxi driver, forced to take a different flight than other teams, or have every single factor go wrong on a certain day, luck is not on your side!
MJ: Were you surprised to get U-Turned?
SL: Not at all. We were fully expecting to be U-Turned by Tyler and Laura and unfortunately we put ourselves in a position where we allowed that to happen.
MJ: Do you blame Laura and Tyler for using it on you and are there any ill feelings about it now?
AD: I do not blame Tyler and Laura for using the U-Turn on Steve and me. I would have U-Turned us, too! We are a strong team, and unfortunately we put ourselves in a compromising poison that day and were at great risk of having out picture posted on the u-turn board.
MJ: Steve, if there wasn’t a U-Turn, do you think you could have snuck into the pit stop ahead of Mike and Rochelle or was it a lost cause by that point?
SL: I can’t say for sure but unless they got drastically lost, we would have been hard pressed to get to the mat ahead of them, even without the U-Turn.
MJ: Aly, you are Steve competed at the Olympics. It’s kind of why I am curious to get your take on the U-Turn. Do you think there is a place for it on The Amazing Race or does it adversely effect the legitimacy of the competition?
AD: I can’t say for sure but unless they got drastically lost, we would have been hard pressed to get to the mat ahead of them, even without the U-Turn.
MJ: Steve, if you had the option to U-Turn another athlete at the Olympics… would you consider using it? What about on The Amazing Race? Is anything fair game?
SL: The Olympics and The Race are completely different animals. At the Olympics, you are competing against competitors that you know very well and like you, are the very best in the world at what they do. During the race, you’re competing against people that you don’t know very well and completing various tasks that no one is particularly great at. There is no place for a U-Turn at the Olympics because most competitors, myself included, want to beat our competition at their very best and because we are better. As for the Race, anything goes, and although Aly & I wouldn’t have used the U-Turn unless we were at risk of being eliminated, Tyler and Laura had every right to play the card they did.
MJ: Aly, you seemed to clash with Steve on these last two legs whereas this was never a problem on previous legs. Was it just because of the heat in Africa or was it a culmination of things that led to your frustration with your partner?
AD: At this point in the race, all of the teams are in deep, the better teams are left to duke it out, and we are sleep deprived and hungry…I’d like to blame my craziness on that. But I was a bit frustrated from the first roadblock when we built the huts because I strongly felt that Steve should have performed that roadblock instead of me. For some reason, the bushmen that helped me build the hut, had me dig what seemed to be twice as many holes as the other team, taking much longer than I had intended.
MJ: Steve, now that you and Aly have been eliminated… do you feel like it’s anyone’s game?
SL: Aly and I felt like it was anyone’s game from the start of the race. There are so many factors and moving pieces that go into its running, many of which are out of your control. If you look at past seasons, we’ve seen some strong teams victorious but we’ve also seen some very weak teams win, too.
MJ: Aly, what was the best part about doing the show?
AD: The Race was, next to the Olympics, one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I got to share that first hand with Steve. We were able to travel the world, perform tasks we probably would have never have had the chance to experience, and meet fantastic people along the way. Since the show, our relationship has only become stronger, and I’d love to have our chance a redemption!
MJ: Steve, what’s next for you?
SL: Hopefully, the next All-Star Season! I’m not training currently but have not ruled out chasing after an Olympic 2-Man Gold Medal in South Korea, which has eluded the U.S. Program for entirely too long.
MJ: Aly, what’s next for you?
AD: Steve and I are in a phase where we are figuring out what’s next. I’m interested in pursing broadcasting, as well as continuing to explore my passion for fitness and travel. We’ll see where it all takes us!
MJ: Thanks guys!
