The Amazing Race 25


The Amazing Race 25 is the twenty-fifth installment of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. It featured eleven teams of two in a race around the world for a grand prize.
The season premiered on September 26, 2014 on CBS for the 2014–15 television season, moving to Friday at 8:00 pm, with the season finale on December 19, 2014.
Food scientists Amy DeJong and Maya Warren were the winners of this season of The Amazing Race. They became the third all-female team to win in the American series.

Production

Development and filming

Filming began in the early morning of May 31, 2014 at Times Square in New York City. In contrast to the starts of previous races, which were typically held in private or restricted-access locations to prevent potential spoilers, CBS invited fans to appear at the Starting Line and see the teams off. The publicity of the Times Square start led CBS to announce the identities of the competing teams the same day. It was revealed at the public start that instead of the Express Pass, teams would be awarded a new immunity from elimination pass called "The Save" for coming first in the first leg. This could be used by that team if they came in last place on an elimination leg before Leg 9.
This season spanned through eight countries, including first time visits to the United States Virgin Islands, Malta, and the Shetland Islands of Scotland.
At various points throughout the filming of the Race, teams encountered host Phil Keoghan on the course where he explained a task to the home audience while the Race continued behind him. This new tradition has thus far continued in each season that has succeeded this one.
Melody Chen from The Amazing Race Asia 1 was the Pit Stop greeter in Leg 9.
For the first time in Amazing Race history, four teams competed in the final leg of the Race. However, Phil eliminated one team in the middle of the final leg, leaving only three teams racing to the Finish Line for the $1 million grand prize.
This was the very first season in which all eleven teams finished legs in last place at one time or another.

Casting and contestants

The cast included married professional surfers Bethany Hamilton—a shark attack survivor whose story was told in her memoirs and the film Soul Surfer—and Adam Dirks, former contestants and engaged couple Whitney Duncan and Keith Tollefson, and TNA Wrestling stars Brooke Adams and Robbie Strauss.
Contestant Jim Raman died on March 11, 2019 at the age of 42.

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, each listed along with their placements in each leg and their "Team Name" as identified by the program. Unlike previous years, the production team provided teams with hashtags for use on social media; modifications of these are given below rather than their relationship to each other. 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:
  1. ^ Keith, Scott, and Lisa elected to quit the Roadblock. Keith & Whitney and Michael & Scott were issued 4-hour penalties for their forfeits that were applied at the start of the next Leg. However, Lisa & Michelle were the last team to arrive and were eliminated from the Race.
  2. In an unaired segment shown on the CBS website but not on the episode, Keith & Whitney used their U-Turn on Amy & Maya; however, Amy & Maya had already passed the U-Turn point and were therefore unaffected by it.
  3. Adam & Bethany used the Express Pass to bypass the Detour on Leg 8.
  4. Amy & Maya used their U-Turn on Adam & Bethany; however, Adam & Bethany had won the Fast Forward to bypass all the tasks of this leg and were therefore unaffected by it.
  5. Brooke & Robbie were last to arrive at the Southwest Marine Warehouse and were eliminated in the middle part of the final leg during the first Roadblock.

    Prizes

The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg. Trips are sponsored by Travelocity.
Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.
  1. "Go Big or Go Home" – Shelley
  2. "When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go" – Nici
  3. "Get Your Sheep Together" – Clue for the sheep-herding task
  4. "Thinly Sliced Anchovies" – Ingredient recited by racers in Roadblock
  5. "Morocc'and Roll" – Te Jay
  6. "I Feel Like I Just Kissed a Goat" – Robbie
  7. "Pretty Fly For a Food Scientist" – Maya
  8. "Hot Sexy Knights" – Kym
  9. "You're Taking My Tan Off" – Brooke
  10. "Smells Like Dirty Tube Socks" – Robbie
  11. "Hooping It Up" – Adam
  12. "All or Nothing" – Maya

    Race summary

Leg 1 (United States → United States Virgin Islands)

Airdate: September 26, 2014
In the first Roadblock, one racer from each team started at one of four landmarks on the beach, and had to use a traditional liquid compass, in which the direction they are traveling faces them on the compass, a shovel with a marking indicating, and a unique set of directions, to search the beach for a treasure chest buried in the sand that held their next clue.
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Airdate: October 3, 2014
The Detour on this leg of the Race was a choice between About Face and Pancake Race. In About Face, teams traveled to Somerset House, where they dressed up as members of the Queen's Guard and learned the complex steps of the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Once the parade captain was pleased with their performance, he would hand teams their next clue. In Pancake Race, teams traveled to the Victoria Tower Gardens, where they participated in a recreation of the annual Parliamentary Pancake Race. Each teammate had to dress up as a chef and then bake a pancake to the head chef's satisfaction. Once done, teams had to complete one lap around the course, constantly flipping their pancakes, finishing within one minute and fifteen seconds. If either teammate dropped the pancake on the ground, ran out of time, or were judged to not be flipping the pancake enough, both team members would have to start over, baking new pancakes before being allowed to race again.
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Airdate: October 10, 2014
The Detour was a choice of Pony Up or Light My Fire. In Pony Up, teams traveled to the Peats of Scalloway, where they had to cut 50 blocks of peat from a peat bank using a special spade called a tusker. They then loaded up a Shetland pony with two loads of peat, which they had to deliver up the hill to a farmer, who would give them their next clue once both trips were made. In Light My Fire, teams participated in an Up Helly Aa, building a traditional viking torch. After performing each step of the torch-making process, they had to have their work approved by a judge before moving onto the next step. Once done, they traveled from the workshop to Hay's Dock where they presented the torch to the guizer jarl, who would light their torch and then award them their next clue.
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Airdate: October 17, 2014
The Detour in Copenhagen was a choice of Parking Space or Wedding Cake. In Parking Space, teams traveled to Sankt Jørgens Allé, where they had to set up a parklet. Teams only had 30 minutes to set up one of two possible parklet designs in a parking space, and if it was set up exactly as the photograph guides, the judge would give them their next clue. If they were incorrect, they could use up the remaining time to make corrections, but once the 30 minutes were up they had to move over to a new parking space and start over. In Wedding Cake, teams traveled to the Det Franske Conditori bakery, where they had to put together a traditional wedding cake known as a kransekake with all of the necessary tiers and tiny Danish flags. They then had to transport the cake across town via Bullitt freight bicycle to the Allegade 10 restaurant. If the cake was correctly made upon arrival, the maître d'hôtel would approve the delivery and sign the team's receipt that they had to return to the head baker Henrik for their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to take a smørrebrød order from two patrons of the restaurant, remembering the menu number of the two sandwiches they each ordered, and then use a menu to memorize the four sandwiches' contents. They then had to relay the order to Ida Davidsen herself, and if they were correct, they had to deliver the sandwiches to the customers, who would give them their next clue.
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Airdate: October 24, 2014
For their Speed Bump, Misti & Jim had to travel to Le Cadeau Berbère and pick up ten Moroccan rugs. They then had to hang these rugs on a wall outside the Riad Monceau hotel to prepare them for sale before they could continue racing.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to go into the tannery and collect three unfinished goat skins from a pool. They then had to remove the remaining hairs from the skin to a judge's approval. Once done with this, they loaded up three finished skins onto a bike and delivered the tanned hides to an address elsewhere in Marrakesh. After getting a receipt from the customer, they headed back to the tannery to trade it for their next clue.
The Detour was a choice of Twirl Time and Tea Time. In Twirl Time, teams participated in a gnawa dance. They had to head to Bob Magic Music to pick up their costumes and instruments, as well as receive instruction on how to play them. While one team member played a drum to keep up a rhythm, the other played the krakebs while using their head to continuously twirl a tassel on their hat around for one minute to receive their next clue. In Tea Time, teams had to properly serve Moroccan mint tea. After picking up a traditional tea set from Le Paradis du Thee, which included a sugar box, mint tea, green tea, and a samovar, they then made their way to the Palais Gharnata where they got into costume and observed how to properly serve the tea. While one team member held the serving tray steady with one hand, the other had to ceremonially pour the tea into two cups at once, making sure to lift the kettles up to a particular height, to receive their next clue.
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Airdate: October 31, 2014
The Detour was a choice between Camp or Cream. Both Detours took place at Oumnasse Casbah. In Camp, teams had to set up a traditional Berber tent, making sure to furnish it with the provided rugs and tables. Once the judge was satisfied with their work, he would hand them their next clue. In Cream, teams had to milk a nanny goat to fill up a milk pail. They then had to use a goat skin to traditionally churn the goat milk into butter. Once they had of butter, they would receive their next clue.
The Roadblock required one team member to cross a series of rope-and-plank bridges and zip lines across a canyon in the Atlas Mountains. Once across to the other side of the canyon, they had to put together a wooden puzzle, making sure to match both the beveled edges and the painted designs. Once the puzzle was correct, they could receive their next clue and then join their partner on the other side of the canyon.
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Airdate: November 7, 2014
The leg's Roadblock required one team member to drive a go-kart along the old route of the Targa Florio auto race around Mount Pellegrino. If they could complete the course within 4 minutes and 7 seconds, they would receive their next clue from racing legend Nino Vaccarella. If not, they would have to follow the pace car back to the starting line and try again, around a 20-minute wait. Once the racers got their next clue, they would be driven back down the mountain by a retired race car driver to join their teammate at the Antico Stabilimento Balneare.
The Detour was a choice of Painters and Posers. In Painters, teams traveled to the Tonnara Florio, where they had to restore a fresco while lying on their backs on a high scaffolding, as Michelangelo did according to legend when painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Once the restoration artist was pleased with their work, a priest would give teams their next clue. Teams were warned that there were only 4 available spots at the Painters Detour, leaving the others to wait or switch tasks. In Posers, teams traveled to Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, where they watched a series of opera performers. They then had to head back stage and match the performers to their costumes, characters, and plays in the order the performers sang by writing down the answers in a playbook. Once the costumista judged their playbook correct, teams would receive their next clue.
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Airdate: November 21, 2014
The leg's Roadblock required one team member to rappel down into the Blue Grotto, and, once in the water, swim into the cave to pick up their next clue. They then rejoined their teammates in waiting boats and were taken ashore.
For their Speed Bump, Tim & Te Jay had to travel to Saint Lawrence's Church Oratory and find two shields on which they had to paint the Maltese cross before they could perform the Detour.
Teams faced their first Blind Detour with a choice between Flag or Shine and would learn more about the task once they got there. In Flag, teams headed to Birgu Harbour and found that they had to participate in the traditional Maltese game of ġostra, which involved running up a greased log over the harbor to grab flags. Once one team member managed to get a yellow flag and the other got a red flag, they would be given their next clue. In Shine, teams went to the Gate of Provence, where they each had to polish a set of armor. After each getting a helmet and chestplate down from a wall, team members had to put on the armor pieces and polish each other's armor while wearing it. Once the knights were pleased with their work, they would award teams with their next clue.
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Airdate: November 28, 2014
For the Fast Forward, teams had to surf on an artificially-generated wave at Sentosa's WaveHouse. The first team that could both stay on their surfboards for two minutes without falling would win the Fast Forward award.
The Roadblock required one team member to tightrope walk between the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands hotel to the second tower of the hotel. Once they crossed to the other tower and picked up their clue, they had to return to their teammate at the original tower before they could continue racing and read their clue.
The Detour was a choice of China Cups and Chili Crabs. In China Cups, teams headed to the Hong San See temple, where they had to undergo a session of cupping therapy. After a painful back massage, skin scraping, and then fire cupping, all of which are said to increase blood flow and remove toxins, teams would receive their next clue from their masseuses. In Chili Crabs, teams headed to the Red House seafood restaurant at The Quayside, where they had to prepare Singapore's most popular dish of chilli crab. Teams had to crack open crab claws smothered in hot chili sauce and collect of crabmeat to receive their next clue from a man dressed as a crab.
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Airdate: December 5, 2014
For the leg's Detour, teams faced a choice of Catch or Coach. In Catch, teams had to wade into Manila Bay to a pump boat offshore. They then had to fill up a bucket with fish and then transport it back to shore to fill up three buckets. Once teams filled all three buckets, the broker would give them their next clue. In Coach, teams had to properly assemble and attach a side car onto a motorcycle using the provided tools, making sure to match the motorcycle to their provided side car. Once the head mechanic was pleased with their work, he would give them their next clue.
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Airdate: December 12, 2014
For their Speed Bump, Brooke & Robbie had to unload the items from a man's broken padyak and load them onto a second padyak before they could continue racing.
The second Blind Detour of the Race was a choice of This or That. In This, teams traveled on foot to the intersection of Bocobo and Malvar Streets, where they found that they had to play street basketball against a neighborhood team. Once they scored 21 points, they would get their next clue. In That, teams found that they had to race padyaks around a marked course starting at the intersection of Pedro Gil Street and Pilar Hidalgo Lim for four laps with each teammate pedaling the bicycle for two laps each. If teams could finish four laps of the course within 17 minutes and 55 seconds, they would receive their next clue.
In the Roadblock, one team member to deliver specified quantities of two coconut-based products, bunot and walis tingting, to three different addresses within Divisoria Market and collect receipts confirming their delivery. Once they returned all three receipts, they would receive their next clue.
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Airdate: December 19, 2014
In the first Roadblock of the final leg, after picking a stunt coordinator, one team member trained to jump out of a third story window. When ready, they had to pick up a satchel and then break through a window made of breakaway glass to land safely on a pile of boxes below, making sure to land on their back. Once done, they would receive their next clue, which was in their satchel, making sure to take off their safety gear first. The first three teams to reach the task were permitted to perform it, while the last team to arrive here was eliminated from the Race at this point.
In the final Roadblock of the Race, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to search among shipping containers to find nine with the names of the cities visited on the Race and remember a color-coded digit from that container. The correct order of numbers for each team was:
Without using notes, they then had to write these numbers down on a clipboard in the order they visited these cities to get their final clue.
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U.S. Nielsen ratings

U.S. DVR Ratings

Canadian ratings

Canadian broadcaster CTV also airs The Amazing Race on Fridays. Episodes air at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Central.
Canadian DVR ratings are included in Numeris' count.
No.AirdateEpisodeViewers
Rank
Ref
1"Go Big or Go Home"2.07215
2"When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go"2.20610
3"Get Your Sheep Together"1.97113
4"Thinly Sliced Anchovies"2.10113
5"Morocc'and Roll"2.13511
6"I Feel Like I Just Kissed a Goat"1.93316
7"Pretty Fly For a Food Scientist"1.9866
8"Hot Sexy Knights"1.99411
9"You're Taking My Tan Off"2.10111
10"Smells Like Dirty Tube Socks"2.0927
11"Hooping It Up"1.9668
12"All or Nothing"2.0595