The Amazing Race 7

Development and filming

The Amazing Race 7 took place over 29 days and traveled nearly 40,000 miles (64,000 km). Filming began on November 20, 2004 and finished on December 19, 2004. The teams raced in ten countries; five of them were not previously visited in the series. The new countries were Peru, Chile, Botswana, Turkey and Jamaica. Puerto Rico, a US territory in the Caribbean, also appeared for the first time.

This was the first edition to not circumnavigate the world by traveling continuously either west or east while crossing each meridian. Once teams traveled as far east as India, they returned to the United States traveling westward through Europe and the Caribbean. However, the route does approach that of a great circle on the globe.

In this edition of the race, a change was made to the non-elimination leg penalty. In addition to being stripped of all their money and receiving no allowance for the next leg of the race, teams were forced to surrender all of their possessions, except for their passports and the clothes they were wearing, for the remainder of the race; this penalty came to be referred to as "mugging" by fans. They were also no longer allowed to beg for money prior to the start of the next leg (after the next leg started, they can beg for money). The racers could also receive or buy clothing or toiletries from other teams.

Leg 3 of this race featured a difficult Roadblock in which players had to eat 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of meat and organs. Four players quit this food-eating task: Rob, Meredith, Deana, and Patrick; the most to ever quit a task in a single leg. Although it was not aired on television or in the DVD, Patrick quit the Roadblock but later decided to complete it. The aired portion had Patrick eating and finishing the meat and never taking the four-hour penalty.

Host Phil Keoghan greeted teams at the check-in mat midway through Leg 8 to hand them their next clue, marking the first time on The Amazing Race that teams stepped on the check-in mat to be handed their next clue, and to have their next clue handed to them by Keoghan.

Controversy surrounded the final leg of the race: when Rob & Amber and Uchenna & Joyce arrived at the airport in San Juan, they were both sold tickets for a flight leaving later than one whose gate was about to close. While Rob & Amber managed to get on this earlier departing flight, Uchenna & Joyce were shown through the gate as the boarding corridor between the gate exitway and airplane began to shut. After a commercial break, the boarding corridor reopened to the gate to pick up Uchenna and Joyce. No explanation was given as to why the gate reopened, which has led to widespread speculation about intervention by the production staff. In the "Revisiting the Race" special feature on the Season 7 DVD, Uchenna, Rob, and Host Phil Keoghan deny the accusations of intervention by the production crew. Uchenna describes his experience with finding the same airline agent at the gate who had previously informed him that there was no earlier available flight. Rob describes Uchenna running around frantically trying to get onto the flight, which the final edited version of the show does not portray. Phil cites the fact that the decision to reopen the door rested solely with the pilot, and that intervention by the production crew would have resulted in someone leaking such information out.

Cast

Applications for The Amazing Race 7 were closed on August 11, 2004. Semi-finalist interviews were held in September 2004, and final casting interviews were held in Los Angeles between September and October 2004. Filming took place between November to December 2004.

Uchenna and Joyce were originally slated to be contestants on The Amazing Race 6. They were sequestered in Santa Monica, California but were cut at the last minute before the race began in Chicago.

Joyce Agu previously appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Ensign Gates (credited as Joyce Robinson), a background character who piloted the USS Enterprise. Amber Brkich originally appeared on Survivor: The Australian Outback and Rob Mariano appeared on Survivor: Marquesas; they were both called back to compete on Survivor: All-Stars where Rob finished second and Amber won. Rob was later called back for a third time to compete on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains and a fourth time to compete on Survivor: Redemption Island, which Rob went on to win. Rob and Amber's marriage was shown on CBS. Brian Smith would later appear on The Big Bang Theory as Penny's dim-witted friend, Zack.

Rob & Amber and Uchenna & Joyce were selected for The Amazing Race All-Stars among a cast of returning teams from seasons 1–10.

The Amazing Race 20 revisited the infamous shaving head Fast Forward of Leg 8 as a Switchback.

Awards

In September 2005, The Amazing Race 7 won the Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program", the third consecutive award for the television series. Although Seasons 5 and 6 were also eligible, producers chose Season 7 since it was the most recent installment of the show.

Marketing

Travelocity replaced the show's previous regular sponsors, American Airlines Vacations and Royal Caribbean International. In addition to trips, the company also provided a special prize of US$20,000 in vacation money, won by Ron & Kelly, in a random drawing on Leg 9 after matching the marking on the bottom of the company's mascot gnome.

The DVD for Season 7 was released on December 20, 2005. Lynn & Alex, Brian & Greg, Rob & Amber, and Uchenna & Joyce did commentary throughout the DVD, which is an optional feature.

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. "Courteous? This is a Race!" – Megan
2. "The Whole Country Hates Me" – Lynn
3. "Do You Need Some Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation?" – Gretchen
4. "What A Gaucho You Are!" – Gretchen
5. "I've Been Wanting A Face-Lift for A Long Time" – Gretchen
6. "Houston, We Have An Elephant" – Uchenna
7. "They Saved The Eyeball" (recap episode) – Gretchen
8. "Mow 'Em Down, Like Grass" – Ron
9. "We Have A Bad Elephant" – Gretchen
10. "We Got a Gnome! We Got a Gnome!" – Joyce
11. "The Devil Made Me Do It" – Kelly
12. "Five Continents, 25 Cities, And More Than 40,000 Miles" – Phil Keoghan

Prizes

Individual prizes were awarded to the first team to complete a leg unless otherwise noted. The prizes awarded were:

Leg 1 (United States → Peru)

Airdate: March 1, 2005

The seventh season of The Amazing Race started at Shoreline Aquatic Park, near the Queen Mary. Teams were instructed to open their clues and travel to their first destination: Lima, Peru. To get there, they had to drive to Los Angeles International Airport and book one of two flights to Lima, arriving 1 hour and 25 minutes apart. Once in Lima, teams took buses to Plaza de Armas to find their next clue.

Teams then took another bus to the city of Ancón and rode a rickshaw to Playa Hermosa. On the beach, teams had to search through three sand piles for one of three LAN airline tickets to Cuzco, leaving the next morning at 6:00, 7:00 and 7:40 a.m.

Upon arrival at Cuzco, teams went outside the airport to find their next clue. It instructed teams to take a taxi from the marked taxi stand to the town of Huambutio, and receive another clue from the owner of a marked kiosk. From there, teams continued by taxi across a bridge to the top of a gorge, where they rode two ziplines to the bottom of the gorge to receive the next clue.

At the bottom was the first Detour, a choice between Rope a Llama or Rope a Basket. In Rope a Llama, teams had to lead two llamas to a nearby pen to receive their next clue from the herder. In Rope a Basket, teams had to dress in hats, capes and ties; they then had to carry a basket of alfalfa, weighing 35 pounds (16 kg), two-thirds of a mile (1.1 km) to a store called Tienda Victoria Valdivia. There, they received their next clue.

After the Detour, teams made their way to Huambutio Police Station to board a marked delivery truck; these trucks departed every 20 minutes with no more than three teams per truck. When the trucks brought them to Pisac, teams searched the local market for their next clue, which directed them to the first Pit Stop: Convento de la Merced in Cuzco.

Leg 2 (Peru → Chile)

Airdate: March 8, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams traveled by bus to Arequipa. Once there, they made their way to Sindicato Unico de Lustradores de Calzado (English: union of shoe-shiners) where they found the first Roadblock, which asked "Who loves shoes?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to shine five pairs of shoes on the street for a fee of one Peruvian nuevo sol per pair. Once they had 5 soles (currency), they would return to the shop to receive their next clue.

After the Roadblock, the teams flew to Santiago, Chile. Upon arriving in Santiago, teams went to the Virgin Mary Statue at San Cristóbal Hill where they found the next Detour, a choice of Shop or Schlep. In Shop, teams headed to Mercado Central to find the Donde Augusto restaurant where the chef gave them a shopping list. Teams then had to buy the five ingredients on the shopping list for the chef. Once they had the proper quantities of each ingredient, the chef would hand them their next clue. In Schlep, teams went to Libreria Chilena and received a cart loaded with 180 books which they had to deliver to Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (Library of Congress of Chile). When all the books were placed on a shelf, teams would be handed their next clue. After the Detour, teams were directed to the Pit Stop at the Neptune fountain at Santa Lucía Hill (Cerro Santa Lucía).

Leg 3 (Chile → Argentina)

Airdate: March 15, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams chose a marked car in Paseo Bulnes and drove themselves to the Andes Mountains in Argentina. Once they reached the Mendoza, they had to find Puente Viejo, the location of the first Yield and the Detour. The Detour was a choice between Pedal or Paddle. In Pedal, teams had to pedal a bike 7 miles (11 km) down a railroad track in order to receive their clue waiting at the end. In Paddle, teams had to white-water raft 7 miles (11 km) down the river near the same track to receive their next clue.

After the Detour, teams headed next to Camping Suizo for the Roadblock, which asked "Who's not a vegetarian?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to eat a four-pound (1.8 kg) traditional Argentinian feast containing cow rib, pork sausage, blood sausage, cow intestine, cow udder, cow kidney, and part of a cow's salivary gland. When they finished eating, teams would receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams were instructed to head to the Pit Stop at Estancia San Isidro.

Leg 4 (Argentina)

Airdate: March 22, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams were informed to head to Cabaña La Guatana Gaucho ranch in Lunlunta to find the next clue. At the ranch was the Roadblock, which asked "Who's ready to horse around?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to complete a traditional gaucho challenge in less than 40 seconds: riding a horse through a barrel racing course, then using a stick to spear a ring. After the Roadblock, the next clue directed teams to drive to Mendoza Airport and take one of the two flights to the national capital of Buenos Aires.

Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, teams made their way to English Clock Tower in Plaza de la Fuerza Aérea, where they found their next clue. From there, teams traveled by train to Tigre and searched the docks for their next clue, which was the Detour, a choice between Shipwreck or Island. In Shipwreck, using only a 30-year-old picture as a reference, teams had to find an abandoned ship within a seven-square-mile (18 km²) area to receive their next clue. In Island, teams used a map to travel 4 miles (6.4 km) to San Antonio River and find the marked island for their next clue. After the Detour, the teams were sent to the next Pit Stop at La Martina Polo Ranch in Vicente Casares.

Leg 5 (Argentina → South Africa)

Airdate: March 29, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams were instructed to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa. Upon arrival, teams found a clue inside a marked car with both the Fast Forward and Detour. For the first of two Fast Forwards, one team was required to go to the Orlando Power Station in Soweto, climb to the top of the Cooling Station, and walk across a suspension bridge 30 feet (9.1 m) above the ground to win the Fast Forward.

The other teams took the Detour, a choice between Tunnels or Tribes. In Tunnels, teams went to Wild Caves in Krugersdorp where they had to rappel 45 feet (14 m) into a dark cave and search for their next clue. In Tribes, teams traveled to the Lesedi Cultural Village in Broederstroom. Once there, teams had to deliver items representing the five tribes: Basotho, Ndebele, Pedi, Xhosa, and Zulu. Each correct item delivered to the corresponding tribe would be exchanged for a necklace, and the teams could exchange all five necklaces for their next clue.

After the Detour, teams traveled to Baragwanath Market and found the Roadblock, which asked "Who likes to shop?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to search a marketplace to find the vendors for five items (one toy, ten diapers, one backpack, two shirts, and one blanket). Once these items were obtained, they delivered them to Orlando Children's Home to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams were directed to the Pit Stop at Ngakane Street, overlooking Soweto.

Leg 6 (South Africa → Botswana)

Airdate: March 29, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams headed to Rhino & Lion Game Reserve in Krugersdorp where teams signed up for one of two van rides. After the ride through the reserve, teams had to feed the lions a meaty breakfast to receive their next clue. From there, teams had to fly to Gaborone, Botswana, take a train to Francistown, and bus to Gweta.

Upon arriving in Gweta, teams made their way to Giant Aardvark statue for the next Roadblock, which asked "Who's got good aim?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to do a traditional bushman hunting activity by throwing a spear 20 feet (6.1 m) into a swinging bag to receive their next clue.

After the Roadblock, teams drove themselves to Xau Xarra and followed the marked path to Cattle Post and the next Detour, a choice between Food or Water. In Food, teams used a device called a Kika to pound corn into powder. Once they made enough powder to fill a basket to the marked line, the supervisor would hand them their next clue. In Water, teams had to fill 12 ostrich egg shells with water from an underground spring using a reed straw, then bury them to receive their next clue. After the Detour, teams were told to drive to Makgadikgadi Pans, past the Kalahari Desert, for the Pit Stop.

Leg 7 (Botswana)

Airdate: April 6, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams had to drive to Sankuyo Village through Maun to the Sankuyo Water Tower to find their next clue. At the water tower, teams found the Detour, a choice between Carry It or Milk It. In Carry It, teams had to carry 3 items on their heads (a bucket of water, a basket of corn and a bundle of wood) to an area 75 yards (69 m) away, without using their hands, to receive their next clue. In Milk It, teams had to select a goat from a pen and milk it until they reached a marked line in a cup, at 10 US fluid ounces (300 ml), to receive their next clue.

After the Detour, teams traveled to Khwai River and found the Roadblock, which asked "Who's ready for a real Roadblock?" For this Roadblock, the team must navigate a marked vehicle across a crocodile-infested river through the marked paths, with the selected team member having to remove two marking posts from a bush area filled with fallen trees that have been knocked down by elephants. Once done, they had to remove trees at the end of their path to find their next clue. After the Roadblock, the teams were instructed drive themselves to the Pit Stop at the Khwai River Lodge.

Leg 8 (Botswana → India)

Airdates: April 13 & 20, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams were told to travel to Lucknow, India. To do this, they had to sign-up for one of three charter flights to Francistown Airport. They then received tickets to Mumbai and later booked flights to Lucknow. Upon arrival in Lucknow, they had to find the Bouli at the Bara Imambara for their next clue.

From there, teams were sent to Kohinoor Steel Emporium where they found the next Yield and the first Roadblock, which asked "Who has a lot of patience?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to search among the 600 metal boxes in the emporium for the one that contained their next clue.

After the Roadblock, teams were directed to Indane Bhushan Gas Service in Aishbagh where they found the first Detour, a choice between Solid or Liquid. In Solid, teams traveled to a coal depot and had to break up 175 pounds (79 kg) of coal, load it onto flatbed tricycles, and then deliver it to K.K. Jaiswal Charcoal Merchants to receive their next clue. In Liquid, teams traveled to the Sharma Tea Corner, picked up a tea cart, searched a 3-story office building for five people on a list, and exchanged cups of tea for business cards. When they received all five business cards, teams returned the carts to the tea shop, and exchanged the cards with the owner for their next clue. After the Detour, the teams were directed to the rooftop of Charbagh Multistory Flats for the Pit Stop. However, Phil told them the leg was not over and handed teams another clue.

From the flats, teams were told to travel to the Charbagh Railway Station and pick up the next clue at the end of platform 2. At the station, teams boarded an overnight train to a mystery destination. While on the train, a porter delivered the next clue, which told them to travel to the city of Jodhpur where they had to search for the next clue. From there, they were told to travel to Sardar Market where they had to find the next clue at the top of the tower.

At the tower was the last Fast Forward and the Detour. For the Fast Forward, one team had to participate in a traditional Hindu ritual at Kailashoham Gaure Shwar Mahadev Mandir, Kaylana Lake: completely shaving their head. Once all of both team members's hair had been removed, the team would win the Fast Forward award. (This Fast Forward reappeared in season 20.)

The other teams took the second Detour of the leg, a choice between Trunk or Dunk. In Trunk, teams had to travel to Jodhpur's old city, then ride a 600-pound (270 kg) elephant in Khanna Niwas through the streets to the Shri Kunj Bihari Temple, where they received the next clue from the temple priest. In Dunk, teams made their way to a dyeing house in Panna Niwas, then dye 25 sheets of fabric from a basket until they found the one with their next clue printed on it.

After the second Detour, the teams traveled to Deora Krishi Farm and found the second Roadblock, which asked, "Who's ready to steer their team in the right direction?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to complete two laps of a course in a camel-driven cart to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams headed to the Pit Stop at Jaswant Thada.

Leg 9 (India → Turkey)

Airdate: April 27, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. Once there, teams took a train and ferry to Kız Kulesi (Maiden's Tower), where they had to search for one of four Travelocity roaming gnomes. Teams had to carry the gnome during the leg, needing it to check-in at the Pit Stop. (They were not told that the team carrying a gnome with an airplane marking on the bottom would receive a prize.)

From there, teams had to search the top of Galata Kulesi for the next clue. At the top of the tower was the Detour, a choice between Columns or Kilos. In Columns, teams traveled to Binbirdirek Cistern and find four columns using a map with coordinates. On the columns were numbers for the combination to open a padlocked box which contained their next clue. In Kilos, teams traveled to the Yeni Mosque, located at the old Jewish quarter of Eminönü, and found a man with a box of scales. Using one of the scales, teams had to weigh enough people on the street until they reached a total of 2,500 kilograms (5,500 lb). Once done, teams had to return their scale and show their weights to the man to receive their next clue.

After the Detour, teams were sent to Rumeli Hisarı to find the next Roadblock, which asked "Is climbing your forté?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to climb a 25-foot (7.6 m) ladder up the side of Halil Paşa Kulesi. Once at the top, team members then climbed to the top of a tower to retrieve a key, then rappelled down the side of Sarlica Paşa Kulesi. Once at the bottom, that team member then used the key to open a book which contained their next clue. After the Roadblock, the guard would open the gate to allow the other team member to enter the castle to reach the Pit Stop.

Leg 10 (Turkey → United Kingdom)

Airdate: May 3, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams traveled to Sirkeci Train Station and had to walk through a group of whirling dervishes to find a dervish escort who showed them their next clue. From there, teams flew to London, England. Upon arrival, teams had to find the zebra crossing made famous by The Beatles album cover – which they had to figure out was Abbey Road, named for the street where their next clue was found.

From there, teams headed to London Eye. Once there, teams then had to scan the city from the Ferris wheel to locate an Amazing Race flag and their next clue, which was at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. At the hall was the Detour, a choice between Brains or Brawn. In Brains, teams had to take the London Underground and solve a series of three riddles. First, teams had to find the luggage left in Waterloo station for their first item (a magnifying glass). Second, they had to find the three naked men statue in Hammersmith tube station and find the second item (a magnifying glass, tobacco and pipe). Third, they had to find the Baker Street tube station to receive the third item (a deerstalker hat). Teams then had to take the items to 221B Baker Street, home of the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and find the detective to exchange the items for their next clue. In Brawn, teams made their way to Battersea Park where they had to transport five 160-pound (73 kg) boats from a lake to the storage area, 500 yards (460 m) away, to receive their next clue.

After the Detour, the teams were directed to the Millennium Dome and found the last Yield and the Roadblock, which asked "Who's got the drive to win?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to drive a Double Decker bus through a marked course; if they hit any cones, the bus driver would reset the bus back to the beginning of the course so they could try again. Once they completed the course, the team member had to park the bus in the designated parking area to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams made their way to the Pit Stop at Potters Fields Park.

Leg 11 (United Kingdom → Jamaica)

Airdate: May 10, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams were told to head to Kingston, Jamaica. Upon arrival, they made their way to Port Antonio and had to find Frenchman's Cove to receive the next clue. At the resort was the next Roadblock, which asked "How low can you go?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to do the limbo to determine their departure time from Frenchman's Cove. For every level they passed, they could depart 15 minutes earlier the next morning, starting at 9:45 a.m. with the earliest departure at 8:15 a.m. After eight attempts at the limbo, teams would receive their next clue instructing them to spend the night and then depart at the time they earned.

The next morning, the teams traveled to Grant's Level High in Rio Grande where they picked up their next clue. There, teams found the next Detour, a choice between Raft It or Build It. In Raft It, teams traveled 8 miles (13 km) up the Rio Grande on bamboo rafts with only a pole to steer, to retrieve their next clue. In Build It, teams had to build a bamboo raft using the tools provided. When the raft was deemed completed by their supervisor, teams then sailed across the river to find their next clue on top of a hill. After the Roadblock, teams were directed to the next Pit Stop at Round Hill in Montego Bay.

Leg 12 (Jamaica → Puerto Rico, US → Florida, US)

Airdate: May 10, 2005

At the start of the leg, teams were instructed to head to Lucea and find Cool Breeze House Onion Shack where they had to pick up a sack of fifty onions, then travel to 3 Dives Jerk Shack to chop the onions. When the chef was satisfied, he would hand them their next clue. From there, teams traveled to Rose Hall where they found the final Detour, a choice of Pony Up or Tee It Up. In Pony Up, teams had to ride a horse into the ocean then hang onto its tail as it went around buoys to receive their next clue. In Tee It Up, teams had to dress in proper golfing attire, go out to the driving range, and hit a golf ball onto the 16-foot (4.9 m) green, 140 yards (130 m) away. Once one of the team members put a ball on the green, the team would receive their next clue.

After the Detour, teams traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Upon arrival, they had to pick a marked vehicle and head to Castillo de San Felipe del Morro Fort for their next clue. From there, the teams headed to Aguadilla to reach an abandoned sugar factory where they found the final Roadblock, which asked "Who's ready to take the plunge?" For this Roadblock, one team member had to jump off a 30-foot (9.1 m) pier then swim 90 yards (82 m) to a buoy where they would find their next clue. After the jump, they went to the waiting boats that returned them to shore.

After the Roadblock, the teams traveled to their final destination city: Miami, Florida. Once there, they made their way to Rickenbacker Causeway to find the clue beneath a bridge. From there, teams were sent to Little Havana where they had to find a cigar shop called "The King of the Havanas" – which they had to figure out from its Spanish name "El Rey de los Habanos" – to find their final clue. From the shop, the teams made their way to the finish line at Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale.