The Amazing Race 14

Development and filming

The Amazing Race 14 lasted for 22 days and traveled over 40,000 miles (64,000 km). The teams raced in nine countries, including Romania for the first time, as well as: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, India, China, Thailand and Russia (Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk), with the finish line in Maui, Hawaii. In an interview, executive producer Bertram van Munster revealed that the teams took a 13-hour train ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway, and got into a Siberian snowstorm with below-zero temperatures. He also revealed that the teams suffered extreme climates, intense Roadblocks, and less time in airports, which added up to an exhausting course for the racers. In addition, CBS revealed the Race included the world's second tallest bungee jump, suffocating heat in India, and an Olympic-themed challenge that left the teams "gasping for air."

The Race's route was updated via Google Earth, and according to Bertram van Munster prior to the show's debut, the season included new graphics, a new opening sequence (consequently, the team videos preceding a team's close up are updated throughout the season to reflect tasks that have already been completed), and a tuneup in the musical score (still keeping the key in B flat minor), as well as the use of a split screen to show several scenes at the same time. This season also changed its main team names and route info font from Microgramma to Bank Gothic.

Season 14 introduced a new twist to the U-Turn: the U-Turn in Leg 4 was a Blind U-Turn, in which the team electing to use it did so anonymously; other U-Turns (and the Yields that were replaced) required teams utilizing them to acknowledge their use to subsequent teams. The U-Turn in Leg 11 was a normal U-Turn.

Legs 10 and 11 formed a double-length leg which resulted in a combined "superleg", it was a surprise feature of every Race from Season 6 to Season 10 but has not been seen since. However, this double-length Leg was the first where it was revealed to the teams at a location that was explicitly called a Pit Stop; teams were not warned of an elimination in the clue. In previous seasons, teams were either given some implicit reference to a Pit Stop, such as "go and meet Phil Keoghan at the mat" and were handed their next clue by Keoghan, or were given a clue to continue racing at a clue box where a clue directing teams to the Pit Stop would have been expected.

Mel and Mike confirmed in a post-race interview that there was an unaired, unused, Fast Forward in Leg 7 that involved purchasing items for an orphanage using the team's own money. This was the first season ever where no team took the Fast Forward option throughout the race.

The Maui finish line was the southernmost finish location in the American version of the Race.

Cast

Applications were due on May 28, 2008. Semi-finalist interviews were held sometime in June 2008, and the final casting interviews were held in Los Angeles around late June or early July 2008. Scouting for locations was performed during August. Filming took place during November 2008.

One member of the cast, Luke Adams, is the first deaf contestant in the U.S. series; he relied on his mother Margie Adams to communicate in the race. (The Amazing Race Asia 2 winner Adrian Yap was the only other deaf Amazing Race contestant.) Margie and Luke had originally applied to be on The Amazing Race 8 (along with two other family members), but ended up being one of the last families cut. Mike White had originally been chosen to participate on The Amazing Race 13 with director Jon Kasdan, but the latter dropped out before filming. The show's casting director wanted White for Season 14 and he was ultimately paired with his father for the Race.

Amanda and Kris, Mel and Mike, Kisha and Jen, Margie and Luke, and Jaime and Cara raced again in The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business among a cast made up of returning teams from seasons 12–17. Margie and Luke also competed in the second All-Star edition.

As of 2013, Amanda and Kris were married, and Jen is married and has a daughter.

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, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.

1. "Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me" – Mel
2. "Your Target is Your Partner's Face" – Instructions for the "Austrian Folly" Detour option
3. "I'm Not Wearing That Girl's Leotard!" – Luke
4. "It Was Like a Caravan of Idiots" – Mike
5. "She's a Little Scared of Stick, But I Think She'll Be OK!" – Victor
6. "Alright Guys We're at War!" – Mark
7. "Gorilla? Gorilla?? Gorilla???" – Victor
8. "Rooting Around in People's Mouths Could Be Unpleasant" – Phil Keoghan
9. "Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death" – Victor in Mandarin Chinese
10. "Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This" – Cara
11. "No More Mr. Nice Guy" – Victor
12. "This is How You Lose a Million Dollars" – Jaime

Prizes

The prize for each Leg is awarded to the first place team for that Leg. All trips are sponsored by Travelocity.

Elimination Station

After elimination, the first six teams eliminated were sequestered at a villa in Ko Samui, Thailand to await the finale. CBS posted short videos on its website after each episode aired in the Pacific time zone to show the eliminated teams interacting at the villa.

Leg 1 (United States → Switzerland)

Airdate: February 15, 2009

At the starting line at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, teams opened their first clues and were given instructions for travel to their first destination of the Race: Switzerland. The clue instructed them to drive to Los Angeles International Airport with only six teams would be allow in the first flight to Zürich; a second flight was leaving via Milan, Italy 25 minutes later. On arrival in Switzerland, teams took a train to Locarno and headed to the Church of Sant'Antonio, where they signed up for one of three departure times, all of which were the following morning.

The next morning, teams received a picture from the priest, (similar to the one pictured at the right), and were left to figure out the location of the picture: Verzasca Dam. There they found the next clue, the first Roadblock of the Race asked "Who has nerves of steel?". One team member of the team had to bungee jump off the Verzasca Dam, the second highest commercial bungee in the world, at a height of 70 stories in order to obtain their next clue.

This clue instructed teams to travel by train to Interlaken and head to Kleine Rugen Wiese for their next clue. This instructed them to transport four 50-pound (23 kg) wheels of cheese from a shed to the bottom of a hill using traditional Swiss cheese carriers. Once the cheese was stacked, they got the next clue. This task would be featured in The Amazing Race 22 as a Switchback. The clue directed teams to the Hotel Stechelberg in Stechelberg which featured a group of yodelers they could listen to as they walked to the Pit Stop.

Leg 2 (Switzerland → Germany → Austria)

Airdate: February 22, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told to fly to Munich, Germany, the capital of the state of Bavaria. On arrival, they had to drive to the village of Ruhpolding and ride a cable car to Rauschberg for their next clue which they soon discovered was for the Roadblock, asking "Who's ready to fly like an eagle?". One team member had to choose an instructor and, tandem paraglide off a mountain 6,000 feet (1,800 m) below to a landing area, where their partner was waiting. In the event of unfavorable winds, they had a choice between waiting an undetermined amount of time for optimal weather conditions or taking a 60-minute hike down the mountain before receiving their next clue.

The next clues teams received instructed them to travel to Schönau am Königsee and to locate the next clue, which was for the Detour: a choice between Balancing Dolly or Austrian Folly. In Balancing Dolly, teams had to ride Segways over a 2-mile (3.2 km) road obstacle course an then obtain their next clue. In Austrian Folly, teams had to enter a party tent and throw Bavarian pies at a target. What they did not know was that their target was their partner's face. They had to take turns smacking each other in the face until they found a pie with cherry filling and were then able to obtain their next clue.

The clue teams received at the Detour directed them to a woodcutter workshop, known as Holzsäger. Teams had to wait for the Tyrolean woodcutters to cut a piece of wood. Once teams had their wood, it would be stamped with their next destination. They were left to figure out that it told them that the Pit Stop was Schloss Hellbrunn in Salzburg, Austria.

Leg 3 (Austria → Romania)

Airdate: March 1, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told to travel to Bucharest, the capital city of Romania. They first had to travel by train back to Munich, Germany and then fly to Bucharest. On arrival, they had to head to Lia Manoliu National Sports Complex to find their next clue, the Roadblock with teams asked "Who's ready to access their inner Nadia?". One team member from each team had to go through a series of moves for three gymnastics disciplines: the balance beam, the parallel bars, and floor exercises before receiving their next clue.

The next clue teams received instructed them to travel to the city of Braşov, in the heart of historical Transylvania. They made their way to Biserica Neagră to locate the next clue, which was a cultural-themed Detour: the choice of Gypsy Moves or Vampire Remains. In Gypsy Moves, teams had to travel to a gypsy encampment and help a family of gypsies move from one camp to another by loading their belongings on a traditional horse-drawn cart and unloading them at another location. Once all of the belongings were stacked, the head of the family handed the team their next clue. In Vampire Remains, teams had to drag a chained coffin to a field of stakes on the land of Bran Castle. Once there, they had to undo the coffin's chains to find several antique frames which they then had to smash against stakes (i.e., impale them, a reference to Vlad the Impaler, inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula) until they found one containing a flag that they could trade for their next clue. The clue instructed them to travel to the Pit Stop at Vila Panoramic in Bran.

Leg 4 (Romania → Russia)

Airdate: March 8, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were instructed to travel to Krasnoyarsk, Russia, deep in the heart of Siberia via a connecting flight from Moscow. On arrival, teams were only given a 10 Russian ruble note and were told to figure out that their first location was illustrated on the bill: the Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Dam.

At the Hydroelectric Dam, teams picked up their clue and were instructed to travel to the Church of Saint Innokenty to find their next clue, which was for the Detour: the choice between Stack or Construct. In Stack, teams had to stack wood into a large wall formation in front of an existing stack. If their wall collapsed into the existing one, they would have to rebuild both. Once the wood was properly stacked, a lumberjack would give them their next clue. In Construct, teams had to travel to a workshop and assemble a local-style window frame, then look for a house marked with a "Repairs Needed" sign and install the window there. Once the window was installed, a carpenter would provide their next clue.

The clue teams received sent them to the Museum of the Last Bow for the U-Turn point, which turned out to be a new Blind U-Turn twist. Teams picked up their next clue, directing them to Bobrovy Log Park to find their next clue: the Roadblock with teams asked "Who's ready to speed read?". One team member had to complete a lap on a bobsled roller coaster in under four minutes while looking for seven letters scattered around the track. They then had to arrange the letters correctly (CHEKHOV) in order to receive their next clue. This clue directed the team to the Pit Stop at Krasnoyarsk Theater of Musical Comedy.

Leg 5 (Russia)

Airdate: March 15, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told to head to the city of Novosibirsk on a train via the Trans-Siberian Railway. On arrival, they had to head to Punkt Tekhnicheskogo Osmotra for a Detour clue, giving them a choice between Russian Bride or Russian Snowplow. For both detours, teams chose a Lada car. In Russian Bride, teams drove themselves to a Soviet-era apartment – apartment building 4 on Komsomolskaya Street, fetched one Russian bride, and brought her to the Voznesensky Cathedral, where her groom was waiting. Once the team had a picture taken with the couple, the groom handed them their next clue. In Russian Snowplow, teams headed to Stadium Spartak, where each team member took turns driving a snowplow through a marked course while being directed by their partner.

The next clue teams received instructed them to go to Gosudarstvennaya Publichnaya Nauchnaya Tekhnicheskaya Biblioteka where they encountered the Roadblock, which asked "Who has stamina and absolutely no shame?". One team member had to choose two Russian marathon runners who would help them warm up, before they stripped down to their underwear to run a 1.4-mile (2.3 km) course toward the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, where their partner, who was transported there separately, joined them in heading to the Pit Stop.

Leg 6 (Russia → India)

Airdate: March 22, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams opened their next clue, which instructed them to travel to the city of Jaipur, India. On arrival, they had to travel to the Sacred Tree at Dhula Village. Teams were left to figure out that their next clue would be revealed to them by picking up one of two telephones and calling one of the four telephone numbers provided. The person on the line then told them the location of their next clue: Amber Fort.

At the Amber Fort, they discovered the clue was for a Roadblock which asked teams: "Who is the better caregiver?". One team member had to choose a group of herding camels belonging to a Maharaja and by using traditional tools, had to load and carry enough hay to the camels so it reached a designated marking line, and also fill a trough with water until it spilled out of the trough. They then received their next clue. This clue instructed them to head to Johari Bazaar Road and to obtain their next clue. For the Speed Bump, Christie and Jodi proceeded to Kala Hanuman Temple and had to decorate an elephant's face with various paints. When the mahout was satisfied with their work, they were able to continue the Race with the others.

The next clue turned out to be for the Detour. Teams had to choose between Movers or Shakers. In Movers, teams headed to the Sanganeri Gate, chose two rickshaws loaded with barrels of hay, and transported them 1.5 miles (2.4 km) along the City wall of Jaipur. When they reached the Zorawar Singh Gate, they had to search through the hay for a small metal elephant charm which they could then trade for their next clue. In Shakers, teams went to a junction (called Badi Chopar, intersection of Johari Bazar, Tripoli Bazar, Ramganz Bazar and Sireh Deori Bazar Roads) and dressed in traditional costumes and joined a local dance troupe to collect ₹100 (around US$2) worth of tips. They then gave the money they had earned to the band leader to obtain their next clue. The clue told them to head to the Pit Stop at Jaigarh Fort.

Leg 7 (India → Thailand)

Airdate: March 29, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told to head to their next destination Phuket, Thailand. The picture on the clue, in particular, depicted a view of gorilla statue and teams were left to figure out that the statue was located at Phuket Zoo. On arrival at the Phuket Zoo, teams picked up their clue and had to take a picture with Zoo's main mascot, Esso the tiger, then participate in an elephant show, which involved being lightly stepped and squatted on by elephants. When the elephant show concluded, the tiger handler handed them their picture, which contained their next clue.

There was a Fast Forward which involved going to a market and buying items for a local orphanage using the team's own cash resources. Once a team bought enough items, they would win the Fast Forward award. However, it went un-aired. The clue teams received instructed them to travel to Nguan Choon Tong Herbs Shop at Old Phuket. They were directed by a shopkeeper to search through ninety-nine boxes of herbs. Once a team correctly guessed the right box, the shopkeeper handed them one of six boxes that contained the next clue. If the team guessed incorrectly, they had to try again.

The next clue was for a Detour, giving teams a choice between 100 Barrels or 2 Miles. In 100 Barrels, teams had to travel to Pae Yod to prepare a fishing boat for ten days out at sea. They chose one of six fishing boats, filled forty-seven barrels with water, and loaded fifty-three on the upper deck. Once the fishing boat was properly prepared, they received their next clue. In 2 Miles, teams had to transport a rickshaw (with one team member sitting in it) 2 miles (3.2 km) from Wat Phutta Mongkhon Nimit to King Rama IX Park to find the next clue. Bike pumps were provided with the rickshaws in the event of a flat tire. The clues sent teams to the Pit Stop at Wat Thep Nimit Temple.

Leg 8 (Thailand)

Airdate: April 12, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed they were to travel to the capital city of Bangkok. On arrival, they had to head to Chareonyont 007 Boat Yard and open the Roadblock clue, where teams were asked, "Who's ready to propel their team forward?". One team member had to put a propeller on a traditional Thai long-tail boat properly in order to receive the next clue.

This clue instructed teams to navigate the waterways of Bangkok in the long-tail boat using the map provided to find the Peninsula Pier to obtain their next clue: the Detour. Teams were given a choice of Broken Teeth or Broken Record. In Broken Teeth, teams headed to the "Street of Happy Smiles" where they had to match five patients with their dentures, after which the teams received their next clue. In Broken Record, teams had to travel to Bangkok's Chinatown at Yaowarat Road - Wat Samphantawong and choose a group of kathoeys and a "party taxi"; then sing karaoke, entertaining the other travelers, as the taxi driver drove them 5 miles (8.0 km) through the Bangkok traffic to their next destination where they received their next clue. The clues teams received directed them to the Pit Stop at Phaya Thai Palace.

Leg 9 (Thailand → China)

Airdate: April 19, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were instructed to travel to Guilin, China. Upon arrival, teams made their way to Folded Brocade Mountains. In an un-aired segment of the Race, teams had to climb to the Peak of the Luminous Moon and strike the "Drums of Life" before receiving their next clue.

This clue sent teams to Qing Xiu Lu Hair Salon for their next clue. However, Mark and Michael encountered a Speed Bump. They had to go to a stylish hair salon and then wash and dry the hair of two waiting women before they could continue with the Roadblock, which asked teams "Who's ready for some fowl play?". One team member had to direct a cormorant to retrieve fish they had thrown in the Li River. Once they retrieved ten of the fish, they received their next clue.

The clue teams received directed them to Ancient South Gate to find their next clue which was for the Detour, a choice of between Choreography or Calligraphy. In Choreography, teams had to perform a traditional dance routine. If their dance won the approval of two judges, they received their next clue. In Calligraphy, teams had to copy Chinese characters written by a calligrapher at four stations. Once the calligrapher was satisfied with the teams' calligraphy, he stamped their paper, and they proceeded to find the next station, which was named in the characters they had just copied. Once they received all four stamps, they were given the next clue. This clue instructed teams to travel by foot to Sun and Moon Pagodas in Banyan Lake for the Pit Stop.

Leg 10 (China)

Airdate: April 26, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were told they were to head next to the capital city of Beijing. On arrival, they had to head to the Liangzi Foot Massage Palace at Jianguomen to find their next clue: the Roadblock, where teams asked "Who's feeling manipulative?". One team member had to drink a cup of Chinese medicinal tea, then endure a traditional therapeutic foot massage for ten minutes. After the massage and another cup of tea, they received their next clue. In case teams were unable to bear the painful part of the massage, they would tap one side of their chair and say "uncle" to signal the masseuse to stop. Doing so, however, meant restarting the massage from the beginning.

The clue teams received at the Roadblock sent them to Guangcai Natatorium to find their next clue, which they eventually discovered was a Detour - a choice between Sync or Swim. In Sync, teams jumped off three-meter springboards and attempted to touch the water in unison. Teams had to score a five from the judges in order to obtain their next clue. In Swim, teams donned a pair of Speedo LZR Racer suits, the same type of suit worn by Michael Phelps in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, and then teams had to swim eight lengths of the pool (400 meters) with each team member alternating after two lengths (100 meters). When they swam the whole eight lengths, they received their next clue (Phelps' world record time of 4:03.84 at the 400m individual medley from the 2008 Summer Olympics was shown for comparison, but teams were not required to beat it). The clues teams received instructed them to make their way to the North Gate at Drum Tower for the Pit Stop. However, Phil give the teams their next clue and told them that the leg was not over.

Airdate: May 3, 2009

The clue teams received from Phil at the midpoint instructed them to travel to Beihai, where they had to find a street mall and search several stores for a Travelocity Roaming Gnome, which had their next clue written on the bottom of its base. This clue instructed them to travel to Gugong Xibei Jiao, and to locate electric bicycles and use them to transport themselves past the Forbidden City and across Tiananmen Square to Dongdan Station where they would find their next clue.

This clue instructed teams to travel to Dongdan Station and search for their next clue which was for the Detour: Beijing Opera or Chinese Waiter. With both Detours, teams traveled to Huguang Guild Hall. In Beijing Opera, teams had to travel to the Huguang Huiguan Opera House; once there, they had to apply make-up on each other exactly like the two models next to them. After the makeup was approved, they had to go to the stage and bow to the master, who handed them their next clue. In Chinese Waiter, teams had to travel to Huguang Huiguan restaurant; once there, they had to record four customer orders, spoken in Mandarin. Then, teams had to take their pad to a chef and pronounce the Mandarin orders correctly to have the chef prepare them. When teams served the plates to the customers, they received their next clue.

This clue sent teams to Wenchang Pavilion where they found the U-Turn board. Teams picked up their next clue, and were instructed to go to the Donghuamen Night Market for the Roadblock asking: "Who's got a taste for adventure?". One team member had to eat a plate of four fried Chinese delicacies: a grasshopper, beetle larvae, a scorpion, and a starfish. After they finished, they received their next clue which directed teams to the Pit Stop at Beijing National Stadium.

Leg 11 (China → United States)

Airdate: May 10, 2009

At the start of the leg, teams were informed they were traveling to their final destination - the island of Maui in Hawaii. On arrival, they made their way to Beach Access 118. As part of a partially aired Detour, they had to season a 145-pound (66 kg) pig with island flavoring, then carry it suspended on a bamboo pole 200 yards (180 m) along the beach to a Hawaiian luau. At the luau, they had to properly cover the pig for traditional kalua cooking to obtain their next clue.

The clue received instructed them to go to McGregor Point where teams had to get on a personal water craft and ride 1 mile (1.6 km) along a marked path in search of a field of one hundred buoys. They then had to search the buoys for one of four that had their next clue attached.

This clue sent teams to Kaohu Farms for the final Roadblock asking "Who's ready to build something from memory?". One team member had to search through a pile of more than three hundred surfboards for eleven that displayed a picture depicting a task, location, or person related to the eleven previous legs of the race—one from each of the first eleven legs (the remaining surfboards had pictures depicting unrelated objects, some of which were pictures showing tasks from previous seasons). Then they had to arrange the surfboards along a fence in chronological order of their appearance during the Race. When all eleven surfboards were displayed in the correct order, they received their final clue, sending them to the Finish Line at King Kamehameha Golf Club. There was an unaired task before the Finish Line that required teams to search for a statue.