Leaderboard (Roadblocks performed in parentheses after Racer name):
Top Teams
The teams of the Bong Squad continue to dominate this Race. In this case, what we have to assume was a missed turn somewhere gave Eric and Jeremy the upper hand. Otherwise, a clean leg where they lost some of their lead but maintained it throughout.
Aside from those two teams, Yolanda and Ray deserve an honourable mention for realizing that traffic was slowing them down and parking the car so they could walk.
Bottom Team
Joseph and Monica lost some time looking for the vendor during the detour.
Detour – Big Fish or Little Fish
A wash. Neither option seemed to be particularly faster than the other.
Roadblock – Kayak Polo
A nothing task that proved to be very easy. The most significant thing here is that Michelle finally did a Roadblock.
And now, it’s time for LIVE coverage of:
The Amazing Race 9, Episode 7, Herculean Effort for Some Herculean Dudes
Previously, teams raced from Segesta to Siracusa on the island of Sicily. Eric and Jeremy finished first, and Lori and David were eliminated. Six teams remain. Who will be Philiminated… next?
Opening Credits
We are in Siracusa on the island of Sicily. And at the Fonte Aretusa is the fifth Pit Stop in a race around the world. Teams arrived here for a mandatory rest period.
Eric and Jeremy, who were the first team to arrive at 10:33am, are the first team to depart at 10:33pm. They’re told to travel 350 miles by train to Rome, Italy and search the Trevi Fountain for a man with a yellow and red scooter.
BJ and Tyler, 10:38pm. They’re trying to keep a positive attitude.
Monica and Joseph, 11:40pm. Monica notes that their call smells like fish.
Fran and Barry, 11:53pm. Barry admires Fran’s mental toughness.
The Frat Boys find out that the station doesn’t open until 4am, and the first train doesn’t depart until 8am. So you know what that means – equalized. The Hippies meet up with them.
Michelle and Lake, 12:17am. Lake yells at Michelle.
Monica and Joseph arrive.
Yolanda and Ray, 1:02am. They plan to take out one team at a time.
Everyone’s at the train station.
Rome. Frats and MoJo take a taxi while the other teams take the Metro. But Yolanda and Ray can’t find the station.
Eric and Jeremy are first to arrive. The clue tells them to find the Horse Carriages near the Spanish steps and find a portfolio. They must keep the portfolio with them as it’s part of a “Crack the DaVinci Code” task.
Monica and Joseph are second to the fountain and get their clue. Everyone else get their clues.
Eric and Jeremy find the portfolio, and are told to travel 661 miles to Athens, Greece and find the Agora. They also find out that the first team to the Pit Stop and “cracks the code” will win the prize.
The other teams are close behind and head to the airport. Ray wants to come back to shop after he and Yolanda win the millions.
Frats arrive and get on a flight to Athens arriving at 7:25pm. Hippies and Monica and Joseph get the same flight. The other teams get on as well.
Athens. Fran and Barry are the first team out. Frats and Hippies are surprisingly last, but find out that the Agora is closed and opens at 8am.
8am, and teams find the first of two Fast Forwards. Teams must smash plates and find the only yellow and red flag. Otherwise they must travel by train to Corinth and Isthmus Station. Monica and Joseph, Frats and Fran and Barry decide to try for the Fast Forward.
Monica and Joseph are first to the Fast Forward and start smashing. Eric and Jeremy arrive and much smashing ensues. But it’s Eric and Jeremy that find the Fast Forward!
They’re told to find a marked car and head to the Pit Stop – the Fortress of Rion on the Greek Coast.
Fran and Barry arrive at the Fast Forward and find out that it’s been taken. Meanwhile, Monica and Joseph think they’re out of it.
Ad Break
Back, and Fran and Barry are behind as Monica and Joseph reach the train station. Monica cries because “that’s what she does”. Fran and Barry arrive and take the train with them.
Corinth. Hippies, Rolanda and Michelle and Lake get off one station too early. They take a bus and get to the staion.
Roadblock – Who likes to hear the sound of their own scream? The team member must bungee jump.
Ray, Tyler and Michelle take it and they’re jumping in that order.
The remaining two teams arrive and Monica and Fran take it. They end up fourth and fifth, respectively.
Ray finishes the task and finds a
Detour – Herculean Effort or It’s All Greek To Me
Herculean Effort – Teams must travel to an ancient stadium and compete in three ancient Olympic events – Discus (one team member), Javelin (the other one) and Wrestling (both).
It’s All Greek To Me – Teams must travel to the same ancient stadium and find nine pieces of pottery shard with Greek lettering. They’ll get help from the locals to translate, find a city on the provided map with all the letters and get their clue.
They choose Herculean Effort. Hippies finish and choose Herculean Effort as well. Michelle finishes the task and they also opt for the sports.
Monica loves the jump and they encourage Fran before they leave. They also go for Herculean Effort.
Fran, of course, is all frightened so we won’t see her jump until after the
Ad Break
We’re back, and of course Fran jumps. They get their clue and decide on the pottery.
Michelle gets yelled at by Lake.
Meanwhile, Eric and Jeremy have arrived at the Pit Stop as Team Number One. As the first team to arrive and crack the code they’ll get to walk the red carpet at the premiere of “The Da Vinci Code”.
Rolanda arrive at the stadium. Yolanda does the discus pretty easily. The Hippies are lost. Michelle and Lake continue to yell at each other. Monica and Joseph arrive at the stadium. Monica finishes the discus as Ray has troubles with the Javelin. Fran and Barry arrive at the stadium. Michelle and Lake arrive at the stadium and go to Greek. Guess they changed their mind. Meanwhile, the Hippies are still lost, and find out that they’ve gone the wrong way – they’ve lost two hours and could be done. At least they would be if this didn’t look like it was shaping up to be a non-elimination leg.
Ad Break
The Hippies aren’t giving up as Joseph finishes the javelin. Meanwhile, Fran and Barry get the words translated as do Michelle and Lake. Hippies are still driving.
Monica and Joseph wrestle the man and get him out. They’re told to head to the Pit Stop at the Fortress. The last team to arrive may be eliminated.
Ray finally gets the javelin and then he and Yolanda drag the wrestler out of the circle. Fran and Barry are looking for the city as Michelle and Lake get translations. Fran and Barry find the city “Dimitsama” and they head out. Michelle and Lake finish the Detour as well. Barry takes out his back window via a tree.
Hippies arrive and complete the discus quickly. Meanwhile, artificial tension (maybe) as Michelle and Lake may be lost. B.J. finishes the javelin. And then the Hippies have way to much fun wrestling the wrestler. Everyone is now heading to the Pit Stop.
Team number two are… Yolanda and Ray! But they have been assessed a 15 minute penalty for not taking a train all the way to Isthmus. Thus, Monica and Joseph are officially team number two!
Yolanda and Ray are officially team number three.
It’s dark as the teams are heading to the Fortress.
Fran and Barry are team number four.
BJ and Tyler are, amazingly, team number five and find out about the penalty. But Michelle and Lake will be assessed that penalty as well, so it’s a wash, really. But it doesn’t matter, as penalty time expires and BJ and Tyler are team number five.
Michelle and Lake are the last team to arrive, and they’ve been Philiminated.
Next time, Ray and Yolanda turn on each other. Teams travel to the Middle East where B.J. suffers from the heat at the Roadblock.
