The Amazing Race 9

The Amazing Race 9
Presented by	Phil Keoghan
No. of teams	11
Winners	B. J. Averell & Tyler MacNiven
No. of legs	12
Distance traveled	59,000 mi (95,000 km)
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	12
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	February 28 (2006-02-28) – May 17, 2006 (2006-05-17)
Additional information
Filming dates	November 7 (2005-11-07)[1] – December 3, 2005 (2005-12-03)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 8 Next → Season 10
List of episodes

The Amazing Race 9 is the ninth installment of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. The season featured eleven teams of two, all with pre-existing relationships, in a race around the world for a US$1 million grand prize. The show premiered on Tuesday, February 28, 2006, and concluded on May 17, 2006.

Best friends B. J. Averell and Tyler MacNiven were the winners of this season.

Production[]

Development and filming[]

The Amazing Race 9 lasted 27 days during which participants traveled over 59,000 miles (95,000 km). Filming ran from November 7 to December 3, 2005. This season visited ten countries on five continents, three of which were new: Greece, Japan, and Oman. Previously visited destinations included Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Thailand. This season of The Amazing Race had the second longest course, behind The Amazing Race 5.

Additionally, this season of The Amazing Race was the first (and so far, currently the only) one to start and end at the same location: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the world-famous outdoor concert venue outside Denver. Other seasons have started and ended in the same city (Season 1 in New York City and Season 6 in Chicago), but the location of the Starting and Finish Lines were different.

As a result of scheduling conflicts after the season finale aired, runners-up Eric & Jeremy were unable to attend the premiere of The Da Vinci Code, which had moved from Hollywood to the Cannes Film Festival and was their prize for securing first place in Leg 6.^[2] They later announced that CBS had given them a different prize as compensation.

Cast[]

Applications for The Amazing Race 9 were closed on July 26, 2005 (a day after the original deadline). Semi-finalist interviews were held sometime in September 2005. Final casting interviews took place in October 2005.

Following the Family Edition, which featured teams of four family members racing in the United States, Canada, and Central America, this season returned to the traditional format of eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world. The teams included hippie best friends, a couple married for 40 years, and sisters living in different states.^[3]

After the season finale, Eric announced that he was dating Danielle and had planned to move to New York to be closer to her. After the two participated in the All-Star season in 2007, Eric & Danielle said in a post-show interview that they were no longer dating due to distance and were now just friends.^[4][5]

Ray proposed to Yolanda on The Early Show the morning after the season finale, and she accepted. This episode also showed their full progress on the final leg of The Amazing Race, including Yolanda's progress on the Roadblock.^[6]

Joseph & Monica got married a few years after the season ended, but it ended in divorce. Monica remarried Green Bay Packers long snapper Brett Goode.^[7]

Lisa Hinds died on August 22, 2017, following a battle with cancer, at the age of 59, one day before her 60th birthday.^[8]

Future appearances[]

Eric Sanchez and Danielle Turner were also selected to race in The Amazing Race: All-Stars among a cast of returning teams from seasons 1-10. Jeremy Ryan was featured in the closing minutes appearance of the season finale on that season.^[9]

Awards[]

On August 27, 2006, Season 9 won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, the fourth consecutive award for the series. Producers nominated this season instead of the critically lambasted Family Edition, which was also eligible for the award.

Results[]

The following teams participated in the season, 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 of the content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Team	Relationship	Position (by leg)													Roadblocks performed
		1	2	31		4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
BJ & Tyler	Best Friends	2nd	1st	4th	2nd	1st	2nd	5th2	5th	3rd	4th>	1stƒ	1st	1st	BJ 6, Tyler 5
Eric & Jeremy	Friends	1st	2nd	1st	1st	2nd	1st	1stƒ	4th	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	Eric 6, Jeremy 5
Ray & Yolanda	Dating	7th	5th	3rd	7th	7th	6th	3rd2	3rd	4th	1st	3rd	3rd	3rd	Ray 6, Yolanda 63
Joseph & Monica	Dating	6th	3rd	8th	6th	3rd	3rd	2nd	2nd	2nd	3rd<	4th			Joseph 5, Monica 5
Fran & Barry	Married 40 Years	8th	9th	5th	4th	4th	4th	4th	1st	5th					Fran 4, Barry 4
Lake & Michelle	Married Parents	5th	7th	2nd	3rd	5th>	5th	6th2							Lake 4, Michelle 2
Dave & Lori	Dating	4th	4th	9th	5th	6th	7th								Dave 3, Lori 2
Danielle & Dani	Childhood Friends	9th	8th	6th	8th	8th<									Danielle 1, Dani 3
Wanda & Desiree	Mother/Daughter	3rd	6th	7th	9th										Wanda 1, Desiree 2
Lisa & Joni	Sisters	10th	10th												Lisa 0, Joni 1
John & Scott	Lifelong Friends	11th													John 0, Scott 0

Key

• A red team placement indicates that the team was eliminated.
• An underlined blue team placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg. Teams were forced to relinquish all of their money and belongings (except for passports and the clothes on their back) for the remainder of the season. In addition, they were not allotted money for the next leg and were not allowed to collect money until the next leg started for them.
• A green ƒ indicates that the team won a Fast Forward.
• A yellow > indicates that the team chose to use the Yield; < indicates the team who received it.
• Italicized results indicate the position of the team at the midpoint of a two-episode leg.

Notes

Episode title quotes[]

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.^[10]

1. "Here We Go, Baby, Off to Win a Million Bucks!" – John
2. "I'm Filthy, and I Love It" – Monica
3. "I'm In Russia Playing With Dolls" – Jeremy
4. "It's Not Over Until the Phil Sings" – Tyler
5. "Good Thing I Took That Human Anatomy Class in High School" – Tyler
6. "Sleep Deprivation Is Really Starting to Irritate Me" – Lake
7. "Herculean Effort for Some Herculean Dudes" – Tyler
8. "Here Comes the Bedouin" – Fran
9. "Do You Know How Much Running I Did Today, Phil?" – Jeremy
10. "Man, They Should Have Used Their Fake Names" – Eric
11. "I Think This Monkey Likes Me" – Eric
12. "5 Continents, 9 Countries, More Than 59,000 Miles" – Phil Keoghan

Prizes[]

Individual prizes were awarded to the first team to complete a leg unless otherwise noted. Excluding Leg 6's prize, trips were provided by Travelocity. The prizes were:

• Leg 1 – US$10,000 each.
• Leg 2 – All expense paid trip to Tahiti.
• Leg 3 – All expense paid trip to Africa, including whitewater rafting down the Zambezi, an elephant-back safari, and visit to Victoria Falls.^[a]
• Leg 4 – Digital imaging package from Duracell.
• Leg 5 – Cruise for two to Mexico.
• Leg 6 – Trip to The Da Vinci Code movie premiere in Hollywood, California.^[b]
• Leg 7 – All expense paid trip to Rome.
• Leg 8 – All expense paid trip to Hong Kong.
• Leg 9 – Two, one-year leases for Mercedes ML350s like the ones driven on the leg.
• Leg 10 – Cruise around Sydney Harbour with visits to the Hunter Valley wine district and the Great Barrier Reef as well as a stay at a luxury hotel for the time that they would be at the Pit Stop.^[c]
• Leg 11 – Two T-Mobile Sidekicks, each with three years of free service.
• Leg 12 – US$1,000,000

Race summary[]

Destinations	Air travel    Rail travel    Water travel    Bus travel Helicopter travel    Bicycle travel    Gondola travel
Route Markers	Detour    Roadblock    Fast Forward    Yield    Pit Stop
Icons placed after a location indicate the clue was picked up at this location, while icons placed before a location indicate that the clue was picked up at a prior location.

Leg 1 (United States → Brazil)[]

Airdate: February 28, 2006

• Morrison, Colorado, United States (Red Rocks Park – Red Rocks Amphitheatre) (Starting Line)
• Denver (Denver International Airport) to São Paulo, Brazil (São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport)
• São Paulo (Hotel Unique (in Portuguese))
• São Paulo (Viaduto Santa Efigênia (in Portuguese))
• São Paulo (Caverna Moto Peças or Campo de Marte Airport)
• São Paulo (Santa Cecília – Vavá Artigos Religiosos E Esotéricos) (Unaired)^[12]
• São Paulo (Santa Cecília – 114A Rua Frederico Abranches)
• São Paulo (Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho)

This season's first Detour was a choice between Motor Head or Rotor Head. In Motor Head, teams had to travel to a motorcycle shop named Caverna Moto Peças and assemble a motorcycle using the parts provided with a finished model for reference. When the motorcycle is properly assembled and the mechanic could start the bike, the team would receive their next clue. In Rotor Head, teams had to travel to Campo de Marte Airport, where they had to use a flight directory to locate one of three buildings from a helicopter; each location varied in distance with only a limited number of tickets provided for each. The options were: Edifício São Luís Gonzaga (2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi)), Atrium V (5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi)) and Hotel Meliá (6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi)). Once teams found their destination, the pilot would land the helicopter on the rooftop of that building so they could search a designated area for their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Denver International Airport, teams had to book one of the three provided flights to São Paulo: the American Airlines flight leaving at 1:25 p.m., while the Continental Airlines flight at 2:30 p.m. and the United Airlines flight leaving last at 3:31 p.m.^[d]
• Upon arrival in São Paulo, teams had to make their way to the rooftop of Hotel Unique to find their next clue.
• After the Detour, the clue instructed teams to travel to the district of Santa Cecília and find the Vavá store to purchase a white candle, which went unaired in the episode.^[12] Then, teams had to find the sanctuary at 114A Rua Federico Abranches and light their white candle as part of a traditional ceremony known as Candomblé to receive their next clue.

Leg 2 (Brazil)[]

Airdate: March 7, 2006

• São Paulo (Edifício Copan – Bloco F)
• São Paulo (Terminal Rodoviário Barra Funda – Terminal Turístico) to Brotas (Terminal Rodoviário de Brotas)
• Brotas (Camping Bela Vista or Usina Jacaré)
• Brotas (Fazenda Primavera da Serra)

In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to climb one of three stairwells on the building's fire escape. Once at the top, they would put on a harness and rappel 400 feet (120 m) down the building to receive their next clue. The order which they arrived at the top determined the order of descent.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Press It or Climb It. In Press It, teams had to drive to Camping Bela Vista to process raw sugar cane and distill its juice. Then, teams had to make 500 milliliters of ethanol to fuel their cars as an alternative fuel source. After completing the task, teams poured the newly created ethanol into their cars and the chemist handed them their next clue. In Climb It, teams traveled to Usina Jacaré and hiked to a nearby waterfall. Once there, they climbed 90 feet (27 m) up a waterfall using mechanical ascenders to the top to receive their next clue

Additional tasks

• At the start of the leg, teams had to travel to Edificio Copan and search for Bloco F to find their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams traveled to Terminal Rodoviário Barra Funda and had to find tickets for one of three charter buses to Brotas departing at 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., or 12:15 p.m. Upon arrival, teams would find a Volkswagen Beetle and their next clue.

Leg 3 (Brazil → Russia → Germany)[]

Airdate: March 14, 2006

• Brotas (Kilometer 114 Highway SP-225)
• Brotas (Terminal Rodoviário de Brotas) to Guarulhos (São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport)
• São Paulo (São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport) to Moscow, Russia (Sheremetyevo International Airport)
• Moscow (Chaika Bassein (in Russian))
• Moscow (Novodevichiy Monastery – Smolensk Cathedral)
• Moscow (8 Trolley Park or Dubrovka Theatre (in Russian))
• Moscow (Red Square overlooking Saint Basil's Cathedral)

In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to put on a bathing suit, dive off a 10-metre (33 ft) diving platform into the pool below, and then swim to retrieve their next clue.

This leg's first Detour was a choice between Scrub or Scour. In Scrub, teams had travel to a trolley bus depot at 8 Trolley Park and had to thoroughly wash a Russian public trolleybus inside and out to the satisfaction of the trolleybus attendant to receive their next clue. In Scour, teams had travel to Dubrovka Theatre to search among 1,500 pieces of Russian nesting dolls to find one of 10 with a microscopic clue hidden inside a doll.

Additional tasks

• At the start of the leg, teams had to head to a marked entrance near kilometer 114 Highway SP-225, then ride a 300-foot (91 m) zipline from the top of the hill to the bottom before receiving their next clue.
• At the Brotas Bus Depot, teams had pick up a ticket for one of three buses departing forty-five minutes apart to São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport.

Airdate: March 21, 2006

• Moscow (Sheremetyevo International Airport) to Frankfurt, Germany (Frankfurt International Airport)
• Frankfurt (Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbahnhof) to Stuttgart (Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof)
• Stuttgart (Mercedes-Benz Headquarters – Mercedes-Benz Werk Untertürkheim)
• Bad Tölz (Ellbach Field (in German))
• Grünwald (Bavaria Film Studios)
• Munich (Siegestor)

In this leg's second Roadblock, one team member had to search among 150 hats and feet scattered across a large field for one of eleven hidden Travelocity Roaming Gnomes containing their next clue.

This leg's second Detour was a choice between Break It or Slap It. In Break It, teams broke stunt bottles over each other's heads until they found prost, the German word for cheers, written on the back of the label to receive their next clue. However, they could only smash one bottle per cuckoo from a traditional German cuckoo clock. In Slap It, teams had to learn and correctly perform a traditional Schuhplattler dance to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At the flagship Mercedes-Benz headquarters, teams found a clue instructing them to choose a Mercedes-Benz E-Class car and a driver that would take them on a thrilling ride through a test course known at the factory as the Wall of Death. After riding the high-speed course at over 170 kilometers per hour (110 miles per hour), teams would receive their next clue.
• After completing the second Roadblock, teams have to drive to Grünwald and find Bavaria Film Studios to retrieve their next clue at the gate.
• After completing the second Detour, teams had to drive to the city of Munich and park their cars at Leopoldstraße to find the next Pit Stop, the Siegestor.

Leg 4 (Germany → Italy)[]

Airdate: March 28, 2006

• Munich (Munich Airport) to Palermo, Sicily, Italy (Falcone Borsellino Airport)
• Palermo (Teatro Massimo)
• Castellammare del Golfo (Seaside Terrace overlooking Castello Normanno Lighthouse)
• Castellammare del Golfo (Premiata Fonderia Birrione Campane and Via Don Leonardo Zangara or Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi)
• Calatafimi-Segesta (Segesta – Ancient Amphitheater)
• Calatafimi-Segesta (Segesta – Ancient Temple)

This leg's Detour was a choice between Foundry or Laundry. In Foundry, teams had to walk a nearby metal works called Premiata Fonderia Birrione Campane at 8 Via Renda to pick up a 110-pound (50 kg) iron-cast bell. Then, teams had to load the bell onto an Ape, drive to Via Don Leonardo Zangara, and deliver the bell to a priest at Chiesa Maria SS. Del Soccorso to receive their next clue. In Laundry, teams had to find Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi and search through over 2,400 items of laundry for one of sixteen items of clothing bearing a red and yellow tag that they had to give to a laundry lady for their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to correctly piece together a classical Greek statue, excluding two extra pieces that did not belong unbeknownst to the racers, to receive their next clue from an archeologist.

Additional tasks

• At Teatro Massimo, teams had to search the grounds for their next clue, which instructed teams to travel to the town of Castellammare del Golfo to find the Seaside Terrace and their next clue.
• The post-Detour clue instructed teams to travel to the ancient city of Segesta and find the Amphiteater with the Yield board and their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams had to travel on foot to the Ancient Temple to find the Pit Stop.

Leg 5 (Italy)[]

Airdate: April 5, 2006

• Catania (Anfiteatro Romano)
• Catania (Il Mercato Storico la Pescheria (in Italian))
• Siracusa (Ponte Umbertino (in Italian))
• Siracusa (Fonte Aretusa)

This leg's Detour was a choice between Big Fish or Little Fish. In Big Fish, teams had to travel by foot to a street vendor in Via Alessi and pick up a 32-pound swordfish, then carry it for another third of a mile to Il Mercato Storico la Pescheria. At the market, teams had to find Jagino, the fish market vendor, to receive their next clue. In Little Fish, teams had to travel by foot to the same fish market and sell 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) of a small fish known as triglia to receive their next clue from a vendor.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to participate in a popular Italian sport: kayak polo. They would join a professional team and participate in an ongoing match. When the team member scored one goal, a coach would give them their next clue.

Additional task

• At the start of the leg, teams had to drive to the city of Catania. There, they had to find Anfiteatro Romano and search within the ruins of this amphitheater to receive their next clue, which instructed teams to count the statue heads on the fence posts surrounding its grounds. Once teams counted the heads, they had to find the groundskeeper and provide the correct number (41) to receive their next clue.

Leg 6 (Italy → Greece)[]

Airdate: April 12, 2006

• Siracusa (Siracusa Railway Station) to Rome (Roma Termini Station)
• Rome (Trevi Fountain)
• Rome (Spanish Steps)
• Rome (Leonardo da Vinci International Airport) to Athens, Greece (Athens International Airport)
• Athens (Ancient Agora)
  • Athens (Plaka – Stamatopoulos Taverna)
• Athens (Agioi Anargyroi Railway Station) to Corinth (Isthmos Railway Station)
• Corinth (Corinth Canal – Zulu Bungy)
• Nemea (Ancient Stadium)
• Rio (Fortress of Rion overlooking Rio–Antirrio Bridge)

This season's first Fast Forward had teams travel on foot less than a mile to Stamatopoulos Taverna and take part in a traditional Greek method of dispelling mischievous spirits: plate breaking. Teams had to break plates to find a route marker flag baked into only one of hundreds of plate. The first team to find the flag would win the Fast Forward award.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to bungee jump 240 feet (73 m) into the Corinth Canal to receive their next clue from the bungee master. This task was later revisited on Season 29 as a Switchback.

For the Ancient Greek-inspired Detour, teams chose a marked Kia Sorento and drove to the Ancient Stadium in Nemea and chose either Herculean Effort or It's All Greek To Me. In Herculean Effort, teams had to complete three events from the Ancient Olympic Games. One team member had to throw the discus a competitive distance, while the other team member had to do the javelin throw the same distance. Finally, both team members had to participate in Greco-Roman wrestling and push an opponent out of a 20-foot (6.1 m) circle to receive their next clue. In It's All Greek To Me, teams entered an archaeological site to search a specific section for nine pieces of pottery containing Greek letters. Then, teams had to translate from Greek to English letters and unscramble them to spell a location on a Greek map, Dimitsana (Δημητσανα), to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Trevi Fountain, teams had to find a man with a yellow and red scooter, who would give them their next clue and one half of a Leonardo da Vinci Vitruvian Man drawing in a manila envelope. Teams were then instructed to travel to the famous Spanish Steps where they found horse carriages with a black leather portfolio containing their next clue and the other half of the Vitruvian Man.
  • In the spirit of the movie based on The Da Vinci Code, teams had to figure out how to arrange the two parchments of the Vitruvian Man to reveal a message that stated that the first team to bring the solution to the Pit Stop would win the leg's prize.
• Teams who chose not to compete for the Fast Forward had to travel by train from Agioi Anargyroi Railway Station and exit at the correct station at Isthmos Railway Station in Corinth and not at nearby Corinth Railway Station to find their next clue.

Leg 7 (Greece → Oman)[]

Airdate: April 19, 2006

• Antirrio (Antirrio Visitor Center) to Spata-Artemida (Athens International Airport)
• Athens (Athens International Airport) to Muscat, Oman (Seeb International Airport)
• Muscat (Riyam Park)
• Sur (Baith Al Battha)
• Al Hawiyah (Shuwa Area)
• Jabrin (Jabreen Castle)

This leg's Detour was a choice between Camel or Watchtower. In Camel, teams first had to make their way across the creek on a ferry to opposite bank, where they had to lift a camel into a pickup truck using a winch. Then, they had to use a map to drive 1 mile (1.6 km) to a Bedouin camp and deliver the camel to receive their next clue. In Watchtower, teams had to cross the river and search in three watchtowers for an Arabian message box scroll. However, not every watchtower had a scroll. After they found it, they had to travel 1 mile (1.6 km) to Al-Sayegh Gold and Silversmith to exchange their scroll for their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to dig into 117 sand dunes to find one of 6 Omani underground ovens with a shuwa, a woven pouch with a meal of lamb wrapped in a dried palm leaf bag and steamed in the oven, which they would have for dinner, to receive their next clue from a Bedouin.

Additional tasks

• After departing, teams had to cross the Rio–Antirrio Bridge on foot, go to the visitor center, and sign-up for one of two charter buses to the airport that departed an hour apart starting at 9:00 a.m.
• Once in Muscat, teams had to go to Riyam Park and find the giant incense burner to find their next clue.

Leg 8 (Oman → Australia)[]

Airdate: April 26, 2006

• Muscat (Seeb International Airport) to Perth, Western Australia, Australia (Perth Airport)
• Perth (City Centre – Kings Park War Memorial and Eternal Flame)
• Fremantle (Fremantle Harbour) to Rottnest Island (Rottnest Island Ferry Jetty)
• Rottnest Island (Wadjemup Lighthouse)
• Rottnest Island (Salmon Bay)
• Rottnest Island (Rottnest Island Ferry Jetty) to Fremantle (Fremantle Harbour) or Perth (Hillarys – Hillarys Boat Harbour)
• Fremantle (Fremantle Prison)
• Fremantle (Fremantle Sailing Club – South Breakwater)

This leg's Detour at Salmon Bay was a choice between Sand or Sea. In Sand, teams had to drag 40 branches 126 yards (115 m) to a marked sand dune, an activity known as "brushing the beach" which helps to prevent erosion, to receive their next clue. In Sea, teams had to dive in the waves and search among 50 underwater crayfish traps on the ocean floor for those with live Western rock lobsters. Each team member had to retrieve one rock lobster and deliver them to a fisherman to receive their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search a block of Fremantle Prison for one of several cells within Division 4 that contained Duracell CopperTop batteries and a flashlight. They then had to search for an entrance to a darkened cavern, descend underground, and use the flashlight to search a set of either wet or dry tunnels for their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Kings Park War Memorial and Eternal Flame, teams had to search the grounds of the monument for their next clue.
• Once on Rottnest Island, teams had to pick up a tandem bicycle from a bike shop and rode themselves from Wadjemup Lighthouse for their next clue.
• After the Detour, teams had to ride the tandem bikes back to the bike shop, travel by ferry back to the mainland, and travel to Fremantle Prison to find their next clue.

Leg 9 (Australia)[]

Airdate: May 3, 2006

• Perth (City Centre – Swan Bells Tower)
• Perth (Perth Airport) to Darwin, Northern Territory (Darwin International Airport)
• Darwin (Berrimah – Crocodylus Park)
• Batchelor (Batchelor Airfield – Darwin Parachute Club)
• Litchfield National Park (Magnetic Termite Mounds)
• Litchfield National Park (Buley Rockhole or The Lost City)
• Lake Bennett (Lake Bennett Wilderness Resort)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to choose a plane that would climb to an altitude of 12,000 feet (3,700 m) before they would perform a tandem skydive. Once on the ground, the instructor would give teams their next clue.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Wet or Dry. In Wet, teams drove 6 miles (9.7 km) to a swimming hole called Buley Rockhole, then hiked and swam 1 mile (1.6 km) down a river infested with "spiders and poisonous plants" to retrieve their next clue. In Dry, teams drove 6 miles (9.7 km) on-road, then another 6 miles (9.7 km) off-road to a rock formation known as The Lost City. Once there, teams had to select a didgeridoo and follow the sound of music in the air to locate a nearby Aboriginal musician with a matching didgeridoo, who would teach each team member to play a note so they could receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Swan Bells Tower, teams had to climb to the top of the building to find their next clue.
• Upon arrival in Darwin, teams picked up a marked Mercedes-Benz GLE vehicle and drove to Crocodylus Park, where they had to wade into a pond full of crocodiles to retrieve their next clue above.
• At the Batchelor Airfield, teams would find the Yield board and their next clue.
• At Litchfield National Park, teams had to search among the Magnetic Termite Mounds to find their next clue.

Leg 10 (Australia → Thailand)[]

Airdate: May 10, 2006

• Darwin (Darwin International Airport) to Bangkok, Thailand (Bangkok International Airport)
• Bangkok (Mo Chit Bus Terminal) to Lopburi (Lopburi Bus Station)
• Lopburi (Prang Sam Yot)
  • Pho Kao Ton (Bo Ngoen Pla Pao Restaurant)
• Pak Kret (Wat Sanam Nua Pier) to Ko Kret Island (Wat Poramaiyikawas Pier)
• Ko Kret Island (Buddha Garden)
• Ko Kret Island (Jom Jam Pottery Factory or Wat Chimphli)
• Bangkok (Marble Temple)

This season's second Fast Forward required teams to travel to a restaurant outside of Lopburi to complete a favorite local after-school activity, which they would discover was eating a bowl of fried crickets and grasshoppers. The first team to clear the bowl would win the Fast Forward and the right to go directly to the Pit Stop.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to recreate a properly carved and arranged fruit ceremonial feast and give it to monkeys at Prang Sam Yot, much like locals do during an annual festival, to receive their next clue.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Move It or Altar It. In Move It, teams made their way on foot to Jom Jam Pottery Factory to transport clay pots through the streets of a market to a docked boat. Teams had to carry these clay pots on wooden boards balanced on their shoulders. Once teams delivered 72 clay pots, a merchant would give them their next clue. In Altar It, teams made their way by foot to Wat Chimphli temple, where they had to properly assemble a shrine then apply gold leaf to a statue of Buddha to receive their next clue.

Additional note

• The clue at Prang Sam Yot contained an additional envelope inside that informed teams to not open it until they reached the Pit Stop. The team whose envelope contained a golden gnome would win the leg's prize.

Leg 11 (Thailand → Japan)[]

Airdate: May 17, 2006

• Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (Royal Elephant Kraal)
• Bangkok (Bangkok International Airport) to Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport)
• Narita (Narita International Airport to Hotel Nikko Narita)
• Tokyo (Shibuya – Shibuya Scramble Crossing)
• Tokyo (Shibuya – Hachikō Statue)
• Tokyo (Chūō – Hama-rikyū Gardens or Shibuya – Sankusu Street)
• Tokyo (Shibuya – Capsule Land Hotel) (Overnight Rest)
• Fujiyoshida (Fujikyu Highland)
• Yamanakako (Lake Yamanaka – The Big Swan)

This leg's Detour was a choice between Maiden or Messenger. In Maiden, teams had to travel to Hama-rikyū Gardens and carry a traditional Japanese palanquin with a young Japanese woman 1⁄3 mile (540 m) to a tea ceremony pavilion to receive their next clue. In Messenger, teams had to travel by foot 200 yards (180 m) to a parking lot and pick up a pair of folding bicycles as well as messenger bags each containing a parcel. Teams then had to assemble the bikes and ride them through the streets of Tokyo to deliver the packages to Shinjuku Park Tower and Shinjuku Chuo Koen buildings in Shinjuku. When they were done, teams returned to the bike parking lot to receive their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to ride on three extreme rides in the following order: The Pizza, Dodonpa, and Fujiyama. While riding, they had to spot a man holding a message somewhere along one of the rides. After their third ride, they had to tell the park manager what message they saw to receive their next clue; if not, they would have to go on all three rides again.

Additional tasks

• At the Royal Elephant Kraal, teams received T-Mobile Sidekicks from the elephants that would display their next clue.
• Upon arrival in Japan, teams had to make their way to the parking lot at the Hotel Nikko Narita, search for a marked Daihatsu Boon, then drive through the streets of Tokyo to the Sakamoto Building in Shibuya. They then had to walk to a scramble crossing and scan the big flashing screens to find their next clue "Find Hachiko!". They had to figure out that they had to find a statue of the namesake dog, where they would find a man wearing a red and yellow scarf with their next clue.
• At Capsule Land Hotel, teams received one of three departure times fifteen minutes apart for the next day, based on the order in which they arrived. Upon departure, teams received their clue that told them to drive their car nearly 80 miles (130 km) to Fujikyu Highland in Fujiyoshida to find their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams had to drive to Lake Yamanaka and pedal a swan boat to the Pit Stop.

Leg 12 (Japan → United States)[]

Airdate: May 17, 2006

• Narita (Hotel Nikko Narita to Narita International Airport)
• Tokyo (Narita International Airport) to Anchorage, Alaska, United States (Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport)
• Anchorage (Mirror Lake)
• Anchorage (Kincaid Park)
• Anchorage (Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport) to Denver, Colorado (Denver International Airport)
• Golden (Clear Creek History Park)
• Morrison (Red Rocks Park – Red Rocks Amphitheatre)

This season's final Detour was a choice between Drill It or Deliver It. In Drill It, teams had to drill 10 holes in the ice, push an ice fishing shack to their holes, and properly position the shack over at least two of the holes. Once completed, the ice fisherman would hand them their next clue. In Deliver It, teams had to load a bush plane with medical supplies, fly with a pilot over 75 miles (121 km) to Girdwood to deliver the supplies, receive their next clue and fly back.^[e]

In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to retrieve one of 285 flags for each of the nine foreign countries they visited and place them in chronological order: Brazil, Russia, Germany, Italy, Greece, Oman, Australia, Thailand, and Japan. Teams had a reference board with the correct flags along with the flags of India, Benin, and Tuvalu as decoys. Their teammate could guide them but were not allowed to physically assist. Once teams got the correct order of flags, they could run to the Finish Line.

Additional tasks

• After arriving in Anchorage, teams chose a marked car with their next clue instructing teams to drive to Mirror Lake, where they could find their next clue.
• After completing the Detour, teams had to travel to Kincaid Park, where they had to search the park's chalet for snowshoes and hike to their next clue using the directions provided.
• After arriving in Denver, teams made their way to Clear Creek History Park in Golden and searched the grounds to find their next clue, which instructed teams to "Go Back to Where You Started" leaving them to figure out that their next destination was the Starting Line: Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Reception[]

Critical response[]

The Amazing Race 9 received mixed reviews. Linda Holmes of Television Without Pity was negative towards this season due to it being dominated by two "obnoxious" teams writing "Dear This Season: Boo."^[13] Andy Dehnart of reality blurred wrote that this season rebounded from the previous "lame" Family Edition.^[14] Heather Havrilesky of Salon wrote "all in all, this was a really lively, fun season of 'The Amazing Race,' the kind that strengthens my undying commitment to watch every second of every hour of every season of this show".^[15] In 2016, this season was ranked 21st out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.^[16] In 2021, Jane Andrews of Gossip Cop ranked this season as the show's 10th best season.^[17]

Ratings[]

Canadian ratings[]

Order	Episode	Viewers (millions)	Rank
1	"Here We Go, Baby, Off to Win a Million Bucks!"	2.32	#6[18]
2	"I’m Filthy, and I Love It"	2.08	#9
3	"I’m in Russia Playing with Dolls"	2.55	#3
4	"It’s Not Over Until the Phil Sings"	2.55	#3
5	"Good Thing I Took That Human Anatomy Class in High School"	2.26	#7
6	"Sleep Deprivation Is Really Starting to Irritate Me"	2.15	#5
7	"Herculean Effort for Some Herculean Dudes"	2.22	#7
8	"Here Comes the Bedouin"	2.35	#4
9	"Do You Know How Much Running I Did Today, Phil?"	1.97	#10
10	"Man, They Should Have Used Their Fake Names"	2.09	#9
11	"I Think This Monkey Likes Me"	2.18	#8
12	"5 Continents, 9 Countries, More Than 59,000 Miles"	2.45	#4

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

• Official website