The Amazing Race 1

Development and filming

The first season of The Amazing Race traveled 35,000 miles (56,000 km) in 39 days, spanning four continents and nine different countries. The season was hit with multiple filming delays, including an airport strike in Rome and a sandstorm in Tunisia, the latter of which forced teams to begin Leg 6 in Gabès, rather than the original Saharan desert Pit Stop.

Other aspects of filming were unique to the first season of the series. Host Phil Keoghan handed out clues at the beginning of some legs and only greeted the last-place team at each Pit Stop; all other teams were greeted and informed of their placements by local representatives. Each leg's Pit Stop mat featured a localized design; subsequent seasons have used a single mat design throughout the entire race.

During Leg 5, Paul and Amie got lost in the Sahara Desert after trying numerous routes; they found the desert oasis Pit Stop by luck, unknowingly skipping the roadblock and final route marker.

Amazing Race courses were planned so that the final three teams would all reach the finish line. However, Joe and Bill were so far behind that they could not catch up and did not finish the race. When they were still completing Leg 12 (which aired alongside Leg 13 in the final episode), Team Guido was required to have villagers bounce one teammate upwards using an Alaskan tapestry. According to the DVD commentary, the tapestry broke under the weight the day before, so a trampoline had to be used instead.

Cast

Eleven teams participated in the first season of The Amazing Race, ranging from best friends to couples, as well as a mother and daughter duo. Kevin and Drew made an appearance in Season 8, handing out clues from a hot dog stand in New York City. They also returned, along with Joe and Bill, to participate in the All-Stars edition among a cast of returning teams from seasons 1-10. Runner up Frank Mesa made an appearance at the starting line of season 25. Winners Rob and Brennan made an appearance at the starting line of Season 27.

Margaretta Groark died on October 26, 2008, after a long battle with cancer, at the age of 67. Nancy Hoyt died on December 8, 2011, after a long battle with ALS, at the age of 56.

Ratings

Season 1 was not particularly a ratings success, although it was co-directed by Michael Bay. The series premiered six days prior to the September 11 attacks, after which interest in foreign travel waned and viewership fell correspondingly. The show was further hindered by the lack of media coverage and promotion as networks focused on news stories and more patriotic programming. Additionally, the show premiered and competed in the same time slot as with NBC's short-lived Lost, another reality show with a similar premise. The show did just well enough to earn a second season, which aired the following spring.

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television due to inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Episode titles

The episode titles are:

1. The Race Begins
2. Divide And Conquer
3. Home For Some
4. Colossal Showdown
5. Desert Storm
6. Whatever It Takes To Win
7. Triumph And Loss
8. Competition To The Fullest
9. The Unexpected Twist
10. To The Physical And Mental Limit
11. Fight To The Last Minute
12. Race To The Finish — Part 1
13. Race To The Finish — Part 2

Leg 1 (United States → South Africa → Zambia)

Airdate: September 5, 2001

The race's very first Fast Forward required teams to hike down a steep canyon to the Boiling Pot on the Zambezi River. For the series' very first Detour at Batoka Gorge, teams had a choice between Air or Land. In Air, teams had to take a quick trip along a zipline across the gorge and then experience a 54 metres (177 ft) gorge swing to reach the bottom and receive their next clue. In Land, teams had to take a long hike down the rim of the gorge to receive the next clue. Near the Pit Stop at Songwe Village, there was a Roadblock that required one team member to cook an ostrich egg which both team members were required to eat. However, it went unaired and it became available as a bonus feature on the DVD.

Leg 2 (Zambia → France)

Airdate: September 19, 2001

The Fast Forward instructed teams to find the Bundu Adventures rafting company near the Zambezi River where one team had to whitewater raft down the treacherous rapids of the Zambezi River. At the museum teams found the Detour: a choice between Near or Far. In Near, teams had to go to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park only 20 kilometres (12 mi) away and had to photograph three hard-to-find animals from a provided list of five (giraffe, impala, water buffalo, zebra, rhino). In Far, teams had to go to Chobe National Park in the nearby nation of Botswana 110 kilometres (68 mi) away and photograph a single elephant.

This was the Race's very first aired Roadblock, saying "This task requires strong legs and keen eyes. For this Roadblock, one team member had to take the stairway up to the second level of the Eiffel Tower and use a ₣10 coin to operate a telescope to search the city skyline for a famous monument with a race flag on top that would serve as the Pit Stop; the Arc de Triomphe.

Leg 3 (France)

Airdate: September 26, 2001

The Fast Forward was required one team to find an obscure tea shop called Mariage Frères in Rive Gauche and ask for a specific tea called Le Venturier. The leg's Detour was a choice of Tough Climb or Easy Walk. In Tough Climb, teams must travel to Notre Dame de Paris and had to climb up the 297 steps of the cathedral and ring Quasimodo's bell to receive their next clue. In Easy Walk, teams had to locate a statue of a cat sitting beside Foucault pendulum. What they don't know is that there are two Foucault pendulums in Paris, but only the one at the Panthéon has the statue. The other pendulum at the Museum of Arts and Crafts does not. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to walk underground through the sewers of Paris to the Place du Châtelet, two blocks away.

Leg 4 (France → Tunisia)

Airdate: October 3, 2001

In this leg's Detour, teams would have a choice between Full Body Brew or Full Body Massage. In Full Body Brew, teams had to find Café Mouche inside the Bab Bhar marketplace using only a picture for reference. Once there, they must order two cafés to get their next clue. In Full Body Massage, teams had to search for a massage parlor marked on a provided map. Once there, they had to sit through a 20-minute massage before they received the next clue. There was also an unused Fast Forward, in an unaired segment, where the teams were told to go fishing on board the Kinsa in the port of Sidi Bou Said.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to light a torch and, with some basic instructions, navigate the ancient arena to find the pit of death. Then, they had to retrieve a sword dangling above the pit, find a way out of the maze of tunnels, then bring it to the Pit Stop, where they must slide the sword into the sheath to finish the leg.

Leg 5 (Tunisia)

Airdate: October 10, 2001

The leg's Detour is a choice between Listening or Puzzling. In both options, teams must take a marked truck to their next destination in middle Tunisia and they must pay the driver with US$50, who cannot provide directions. In Listening, teams had to find the well-known Star Wars movie set Ksar Hadada and use supplied walkie talkie and their sense of hearing to locate the radio's counterpart, hidden somewhere in the labyrinth of caves. In Puzzling, teams had to find Ksar Ouled Soltane and solve a simple Tunisian dice game at the hard-to-find castle. There was Fast Forward in this leg, in an unaired segment, requiring a team had to use a map that had an arrow pointing to a location to find a cave and take a picture of something inside.

For this Roadblock, one team member rode a camel, with the help of a camel handler, and used a set of compass directions to reach the flag visible in the distance, somewhere in the middle of the desert. The non-participating member must make the trek on foot. Once they reached the route marker, teams had to use a new set of compass directions to the next Pit Stop, the Ksar Ghilane oasis.

Leg 6 (Tunisia → Italy)

Airdate: October 17, 2001

The leg's Detour was a choice between Foot or Hoof. In Foot, teams had to find a large, well-known statue of a foot at Palazzo dei Conservatori, using a provided picture that contained the entire statue. In Hoof, teams were given a partial picture of another, more obscure statue. The statue was a mounted horse at Altare della Patria, but teams only received a picture of its hoof. However, if teams completed this task, they would find a line of taxis waiting for them.

There was a Fast Forward, which went unused and in an unaired segment that instructed teams to find "the keys to the arms of St. Peter" in Vatican City. In this Roadblock, one team member had to drive a Smart car to the town square of Sant'Agata Bolognese, the leg's Pit Stop, using a map written entirely in Italian. The other team member received a free ride to the Pit Stop in a Pagani Zonda traveling at 180 miles/per hour.

Leg 7 (Italy → India)

Airdate: October 24, 2001

The Fast Forward which had one team find Castello Estense in the town of Ferrara and ride a rowboat through the moat around the castle to find the Fast Forward pass hidden in the wall. The Detour was a choice between Glide or Ride. In Glide, teams traveled to the town of Ferrara and one team member took a glider ride with a professional glider (also getting a surprise nose-dive, and the other member rode in the towing plan. Once completed, the team would receive a free taxi ride to Ferrara railway station and to their next clue. However, the seats on the glider are first-come, first-served. In Ride, teams had to travel to a marked bike shop in Ferrara and ride bikes 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to Ferrara railway station following a street map to receive the next clue.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to hire a rickshaw and find a shopkeeper in Ashkov Sadev somewhere in the congested Chandni Chowk market. Once found, the shopkeeper would show the team member a blue box containing a replica of the Taj Mahal with their next clue.

Leg 8 (India)

Airdate: October 31, 2001

There was a Fast Forward, in an unaired segment, and had the teams traveling to Jantar Mantar to climb 22 or 33 steps. For the leg's Detour, teams had a choice of Elephant or Rowboat. In Elephant, teams had to find a holy man inside the Amber Fort. To reach the fort, teams had to ride on back of an elephant upon a steep path. In Rowboat, teams had to find a holy man at the Jal Mahal water palace and reach him using a rowboat.

For this Roadblock, one team member had to find a clay pot with clues somewhere in the Karni Mata Temple, a temple devoted to the worship of rats, which are sacred to locals and number in the range of thousands. In the temple, the member performing could only wear socks (since shoes are prohibited inside).

Leg 9 (India → Thailand)

Airdate: November 14, 2001

For the leg's Detour, teams had a choice between Public or Private. For both Detours, teams needed to find transportation to the town of Kanchanaburi, their next destination. In Public, teams had to go to a local bus station and ride a public bus to Kanchanaburi leaving every 15 minutes, paying with their own money. In Private, teams had to find a specified private vehicle using only license plate number and a crude map of the area. If they found the vehicle, the team would receive a free ride to Kanchanaburi.

The Fast Forward which required one team to travel to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and play a traditional Buddhist Game that used the 108 urns alongside the giant reclining Buddha. They had to choose a bowl of coins and drop exactly one coin in every urn. If the bowl they chose had too little or too many, they had to choose another bowl to play again. The first team to find the bowl with exactly 108 coins would win the Fast Forward.

For this Roadblock, one team member had to dress like a Buddhist Monk and walk through a pit of tigers to retrieve the clue, remaining calm the entire time.

Leg 10 (Thailand)

Airdate: November 21, 2001

The leg's Detour was a choice between Hike or Climb. In Hike, teams had to travel on a long, winding path up around the wall to find their next clue. In Climb, teams had to take an arduous rock climb straight up Thaiwand Wall to find their next clue. There was a Fast Forward in this leg, in an unaired segment, the team had to climb 1,200 steps at Wat Tum Sua (tiger cave temple) to get the pass.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to paddle a kayak with their team member and all their luggage down the river in search of a route marker flag. Once the flag was spotted, the team would climb into a nearby cave, Tham Hua Kalok to get the next clue along with snorkeling gear.

Leg 11 (Thailand → China)

Airdate: November 28, 2001

This leg's Detour was a choice of Volley or Rally. In Volley, teams had to score five points in a game of ping pong against a local champion at a nearby community center to receive their next clue. In Rally, teams had to take three common forms of local transportation to follow a series of clues. First, teams had to travel by Bus to Hu Jia Lou. Next, teams had to ride a motorcycle taxi to Liu Jia Yao. Finally, teams had to a ride a Chinese Bicycle Taxi to Quan Xin Yuan Restaurant. When they complete the trip, teams would get their next clue. There was a Fast Forward, in an unaired segment, the team had to travel to the Forbidden City.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to give all the items previously bought to a chef at Donghuamen Night Market (see additional tasks below) and eat all three delicacies. Once all the food were eaten, they would receive their next clue.

Leg 12 (China → United States)

Airdate: December 5, 2001

The Detour was a choice of Flat or Steep. Both Detours took place at the famous Great Wall of China. In Flat, teams had to walk to a long, flat path to a far away marked pavilion for the next clue. In Steep, teams had to take a much shorter but extremely steep path to the closer marked pavilion for the next clue.

The leg's Roadblock where one team member had to go climb an ice wall to retrieve information from the top of the glacier using the provided gear and a lesson from an instructor.

Leg 13 (United States)

Airdate: December 13, 2001

The leg's final Detour was a choice of Dog Power or Horsepower. In Dog Power, teams rode a dog sled 11 miles (18 km) to their next clue. In Horsepower, teams used a snowmobile to ride 30 miles (48 km) to the next clue.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to strip down to their underwear or a bathing suit and plunge into the freezing waters of Fish Lake with temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, completely submerge their heads, and then swim to their next clue.