All the Reasons We Love Amazing Race Canada...in Gifs [Reposted from June 2015]

[TBT - reposted June, 2016]

Season 3 of Amazing Race Canada is almost upon us. I mean, it's so close it's almost time to meet this year's teams. It's just so darn AMAZING, isn't it? As if you need any more inspiration to get you pumped for the Race, here are some of the things that make it so Canadian...and that is always amazing.

Amazing Race Canada 3 Episode 9 "Take Your Clue and Goooo!" OR Nick & Matt's Delhi Market Tour '15

Humayan's Tomb*

It's off to Delhi this week. I learned one thing from this episode. There sure are a lot of markets in Delhi, and I think The Amazing Race Canada hit them all. In fact, I think a more appropriate episode title may be Delhi Market Tour '15. I wonder if Nick was disappointed he couldn't find a single sandwich.

Amazing Race Canada 3 Preview of Episode 9 "Take Your Clue and Goooo!"

The final five remaining teams who will fly from Kolkata to Delhi, India are:

• Dujean and Leilani
• Nick and Matt
• Brent and Sean
• Ope and Simi
• Gino and Jesse

Amazing Race Canada 3 Episode 8 "All of These Are the Same" OR The One With All the Namas and Lakshmis

Sorry, this recap is late this week, but it IS the last week of August and a late-summer, mid-week getaway was in order. So I said, "Screw it" and went to the cottage for a few days. Besides, I already knew what was going to happen...at least the bigger picture.

Amazing Race Canada 3 Preview of Episode 3 "I Said Straight, You Gorilla!"

Don't you love that title? It's pretty close to TAR season 1's Kevin and Drew - remember, "Swing you fat bastard. Swing!"?

Warning: There are spoilers ahead! If you don't want to know, then get outta here right now!!!

Amazing Race Canada 3 Episode 2 "We're Going to Dance!"

Season 3 has jumped right into International travel...as it should. And if you are one of those poor, misguided, casual fans who think the "CANADA" part of the show's title means it should stay in Canada....just turn around and leave this place. I really don't have patience for you. You are nothing more than trolls to me! Trolls, I say!

Okay, so now that those annoying complainers are gone, was that a good episode or what? It was one of those episodes we all love. You know what I mean. The kind of episode filled with people saying ridiculous things, making dumb mistakes and bad choices, and even a few bad cab drivers thrown in just for the heck of it.

AND IT IS EXACTLY THE REASON WHY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL HAS TO BE A PART OF THE SHOW.

It's the uncertainty of foreign travel, new customs and different languages that puts the "Amazing" in the race. It's what makes them do and say the most ridiculous things, things they wouldn't normally do amid the comfort of "home."

Jon does the intro from The Toronto Railway Museum (but we knew that already) but the teams actually read their first clues from Canoe Landing Park (we knew that too). They must make their way to Santiago, Chile. Here are the departing times of each team:

Gino and Jesse   1:32 PM
Nic and Sabrina   2:51
Brent and Sean   3:34
Hamilton and Michaelia 3:40
Simi and Ope 3:54
Nick and Matt   4:05
Dana and Amanda   4:11
Dujean and Leilani   4:20
Brian an Cynthia   4:22
Neil and Kristen   4:27
Susan and Sharnjit   4:41

Usually those departing times are important. But with only one possible flight to Santiago, everyone is starting off on an equal footing. At the very least, they tell us how far the teams placed behind the winner. Once in Santiago, teams must make their way to Geoaventura Park. There are two Express Passes up for grabs at some point during the leg. No time is wasted, as the episode immediately jumps into a few "stupid moments".

Stupid Moment #1:
Teams were given $275 on their BMO card for this leg of the race. Okay...now for the ridiculous part. The Air Canada agent at Pearson asks them how they will be paying. Susan and Sharn use the card. I just want to know one thing...was there some kind of Super Seat Sale going on at Air Canada? Because if so, sign me up!

Stupid Moment #2:
In the cab on the way to the airport, Jesse asks Gino, "Is Chile in Europe?" Gino doesn't know. DING, DING, DING! We have a winner! I think this may just be the best line in the whole episode. But don't worry, the cabbie tells them it's in South America. Still...something tells me these two won't fair well on international legs. Just saying.

No wonder they thought it was in Europe.

Stupid Moment #3:
How do you spell "Santiago"?
S-A-N-T-I-G-A-G-O
Ooopsie. I think it's safe to say this production error may be a bad omen of more stupid things to come.

The task at Geoaventura is a Roadblock called, "Who wants a better view?" One person from each team must paraglide in tandem with a guide, taking a running jump off a very tall cliff. Okay, so the teams find themselves at a place with "aventura" within it's name, and they are given THAT clue. I think it's a pretty safe bet there is going to be some altitude involved in the task. Which leads us to...

Oh...wait! It's paragliding? What?

Stupid Moment # 4:
Sean volunteers to do this, without noticing all the paragliders circling like vultures overhead. It was at that moment he decides to panic. Sean, you need to understand the show you are on. Geesh.

From here the teams must make their way to the San Miguel district and search for their next clue at a mural called "Sanacion Equilibrio". This is a two part challenge. First, they must locate 5 murals and take selfies in front of each. When they have completed this, they are given a wooden case (it's full of art supplies) and told to volunteer helping kids paint murals at Centro Cultural Angela Davis, Recoleta. A little backstory. The San Miguel district has dozens upon dozens of murals. This outdoor art exhibit began as a means to revitalize the neighbourhood. So locating 5 specific murals is no easy task. Something else that some teams found difficult? Apparently, selfies. Nick & Matt, Brian & Cynthia and Susan & Sharnjit have no experience taking pics of themselves.

Stupid Moment #5
Nick says, "I'm 35. I don't think I've ever selfied before." Well, thanks Nick for putting it that way. And thank you also for that image I now have thoroughly engraved in my mind.

However, they were given cameras - not cellphones, and these things don't even have a preview screen. No wonder some teams found this part of the task difficult - it was pretty much hit or miss. And if it wasn't a proper "selfie" they had to go back and take the picture again. Hamilton and Michaelia are the first to finish, while Susan and Sharnjit's inexperience with selfies drop them to last place. The best part of this task goes to...Dujean and Leilani.

While frantically searching for the 5 murals, Dujean complains that he is doing all the work. Bam. There it is. We knew this was coming. We knew these two were going to get into it sooner or later - that's probably why they were cast, but the second episode? Anyway, Leilani begins a rant that culminates in a good old "Shut up!" Oh yeah, we are SOOO going to see more of this in the next few episodes.

The second part of this challenge was so heart-warming. When each team finishes the mural with the child they were assigned, they give them the case of art supplies. Lots of hugs all around. And a few tears too.

The clue received here offers the teams a choice. They can either go directly to the Detour or try for the two Express passes first. To claim the passes, they must find two dancers performing the national dance "La Cueca" at Patio Bellavista. And yes, that's all they had to do...just find them. There was no task given to earn the passes, so we were denied the drama of teams battling it out. Nick & Matt and Brian & Cynthia race to get the Express Passes, but are beaten there by Hamilton & Michaelia.

The Detour was called "Motion or Emotion". In Motion, teams had to go to Plaza de Armas where they had to learn and perform a traditional Rapa Nui (Easter Island) dance...in full costume. Perhaps I should say in LESS costume, because there was a lot of exposure. For Emotion, teams had to make their way to the Chilean National Library where they were given the poem, "Valle du Chile" by Nobel Prize winner Gabriela Mistral. They must memorize and recite this poem, and of course it is in Spanish. So this one would be easy for a team like Nic and Sabrina, who just happen to speak the language. And all of this leads to...

Stupid Moment #6:
Hamilton and Michaelia decide to dance, but when Hamilton sees the skimpy outfits he (understandably) says there is no way he can do it. BUT instead of attempting the other side of the Detour, they cash in that Express Pass they just earned. I think they may have panicked. You may disagree with me, but it was a stupid move. They were in first place!!!

Stupid Moment #7:
Gino and Jesse decide to memorize the poem, but after going over it a couple of times decide to switch to the dance. They head back out to the cab that they asked to wait there while they went inside, but lo and behold...he's gone. Cabbies. The scourge of the Race! Yes, the stupid moment was depending on the cabbie, but then Gino and Jesse decide to run to the Rapa Nui dance. Wow!

Hamilton and Michaelia head to the Pitstop at Jardin Botanico Mapulemo atop San Cristobal Hill. They win two Premium Economy tickets to Delhi, India and 6 months of free gas from Petro Canada.

Nick & Matt and Brian & Cynthia are the first ones to successfully perform the dance, while Nic & Sabrina correctly recite the poem. Now everyone else is scrambling to do the dance, except Susan and Sharnjit who are still at the Cultural Centre painting with the kids. Oh, oh.

Brent and Sean's ITM comments on seeing the scantily clad Gino and Jesse, "Abs are not going to win you this clue!" rang true for this task. But those marvellous, beautiful abs sure will come in handy in a strength challenge somewhere down the line, won't they?

Stupid Moment #8:
Dana and Amanda leave the dance Detour and head off to the Pitstop firmly in 4th place, but encounter some cabbie troubles of their own. He drops them off at the bottom of the hill...far, far, far from where they need to go. So I have to ask why they didn't direct the driver to the botanical gardens - not just the hill, and why they didn't question him about their whereabouts before leaving the frigging cab?

Bad Idea: Running 2 km to the Pitstop when you're tied for last place.

In the end it turns into a showdown between Gino & Jesse and Susan & Sharnjit and it's starting to get dark. The boys finish first but can't hail a cab. They decide to run the 2 km then notice it's on top of a hill. They change their minds and get a cab. Maybe there's hope for them yet.

Yes, Susan and Sharnjit are the last to arrive at the Pitstop and they are eliminated from the race. They later said they couldn't get the knack of taking those selfies, but it also could have been their warm hearts that kept them from rushing through their time with the kids.

Check out my Leg by Leg Results to see the complete team placements by CLICKING HERE

Next week the ten remaining teams head to Buenos Aires, Argentina where I am sure these guys will run into more troubles.

Amazing Race Canada 3 Preview of Episode 2 "We're Going To Dance!" in Santiago, Chile.

Yes, they are leaving the country early this season, but don't worry all you pro-stay-in-Canada fans out there! This season is not going to see Amazing Race Canada circumnavigating the globe. It didn't happen last year and it's not happening this year. It will still follow the same format we saw last season - that is, the in/out/in/out/in route.

To that I say BAH. After all, it's Amazing Race Canada as in Canadian version of an amazing race around the world...NOT Amazing Race CANADA as in stay in Canada.

Don't get me started! Oh well, maybe next year? I guess I just have to deal with it, but mark my words people...its GOT TO HAPPEN before the show resorts to a pitstop at the Tim Hortons in the Ingersoll Rest Stop on the 401.

Amazing Race Canada 3, Episode 1 "Who's Feeling Sporty Now?" OR Jon Tries This Chris-Pratting Thing.

NO SPOILERS HERE! Unless of course you believe if YOU haven't seen an aired show, it's a spoiler! If that's the case, I really can't help ya.

The third season premiere of Amazing Race Canada won the night with 2.03 million viewers and quickly began trending on Twitter. One thing is for sure, Canada loves its very own version of the franchise.

The start line for the twelve teams - up one from last year, was the Dufferin Terrace beside one of the most beautiful hotels in the world, The Chateau Frontenac. And they arrived in the only way anyone has ever visited Quebec City knows...by caleche of course. The twelve teams are:

Neil & Kristen, father and daughter from Burlington, Ontario. Neil is a former CFL player and a Hall of Famer.
Dujean & Leilani, dating-exes from Toronto, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Gino and Jesse, brothers from Hamilton, Ontario.  
Max & Elias, dating couple from Toronto, Ontario. Elias is a UFC fighter. 
Dana & Amanda, friends & co-workers with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary from St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador. 
Ope & Simi, father & daughter from Burnaby, British Columbia, originally from Lagos, Nigeria. 
Susan & Sharnjit, friends and co-workers with Federal Corrections, Vancouver, British Columbia.  
Brent & Sean, brothers originally from Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia, now living in Toronto, Ontario.
Nic & Sabrina, dating couple from Montreal, Quebec. 
Nick & Matt, friends and pro-wrestling partners from Newmarket and Stouffville, Ontario.  
Brian & Cynthia, married couple from Winnipeg, Manitoba - they both work for the Winnipeg Police.
Hamilton & Michaelia, engaged couple from Centreville, Nova Scotia. Hamilton is a transgender male.

Just one question. How may bikes WERE there?

Jon advises the teams to READ THE CLUE CAREFULLY or they could be left behind. Always good advise. It's probably the number one mistake made by teams on this show. When Jon gives his GO, they race to their backpacks located in front of the Samuel du Champlain statue. The clue tells them to make their way to Quay 22 (below Cap Diamant) to find their next clue. That clue tells them to find the pair of bicycles that the enclosed 4-digit code will unlock. Not an easy task because there are hundreds upon hundreds of bicycles awaiting them there.  Once unlocked, the teams must ride their bikes to the ferry to Levis. across the St. Lawrence. Here, they must find one of twelve numbered cars. The lower the number on the car, the earlier their flight to their next destination - Toronto and the St. Lawrence Market.

The First Leg Barf. Is this a thing?

Gino & Jesse, Hamilton & Michaelia, Dana & Amanda, Simi & Ope, Max & Elias, and Brent & Sean all make the first flight to Toronto, working their way through these directions without incident. Well, except Sean whose excitement overtakes him on the ferry and has to make an unscheduled stop in the bathroom to vomit. He didn't even have to skydive like Nat Spooner last year. Geesh. Calm down. Breathe deeply. It's only the Amazing Race for crying out loud. Meanwhile, Nic and Sabrina get themselves lost right off the bat, unable to find their way down to the lower town and the quay. Why they didn't just follow everyone else is beyond me. But at least they are holding hands. That's sweet. Firmly in last place, they eventually catch up with the remaining teams and all are on the second flight to Toronto.

The St. Lawrence Market task turns out to be an equalizer - that is, it doesn't open until 8 A.M. the next morning, allowing all the teams a chance to catch up. This is a Route Marker task. The market aisles are laid out in "streets", with road signs marking the intersections. They are given an anagram of "Market Street" and "Centre Street" which they must unscramble to find the location of their next clue (as well as their BMO Mastercard). Brent and Sean give up figuring out the anagram and decide to just go inside looking for the streets that match. Susan & Sharnjit and Max & Elias follow suit. Max seems to think she sees the word "dessert" in the anagram, even though there is no letter D. Maybe it's just the power of persuasion. All the yummies in the market working their charm on her weak will. You know, like some kind of carbohydrate Jedi mind trick.

The clue directs them to the TSN studios way out in Agincourt. Brent and Sean don't know what TSN is...and guess it to be the Toronto Stock...?...whatever. They are at the mercy of their taxi driver and find it hard to believe the race would direct them all the way out to the boondocks.

Oh, dear! OR Oh...deer! 

The task at TSN - which for you non-Canadians stands for "The Sports Network", is a Roadblock. "Who's Feeling Sporty?" One team member must co-anchor with James Duthie and deliver the sports news and scores, properly reading from the teleprompter and making the transition between cameras. Proper pronunciation counts and they must nail some difficult names that were deliberately thrown in to give them a hard time. 

Gino & Jesse arrive in first place. Jessie takes this one. Apparently several teams didn't quite put two and two together when they read the clue and thought the task was going to involve playing some sort of sport, not anchoring the news. So some of them picked the wrong teammate to do the task. For instance, Susan, who is afraid of public speaking and tells us she would rather take a puck in the face than speak in front of people. At one point, the poor girl looked like a deer stunned by a car's headlights. My sympathy. Really, I've been there and it's a terrible feeling. Max and Elias made the same mistake when Elias (who suffers from dyslexia) volunteers. Meanwhile, Neil believes he was made for this Roadblock, but soon learns the jinx put on racers who "choose their own profession." And I really must say, these guys were not given any favours by the TSN Directors. They were practically thrown right in the mix with little or no explanation or stage direction. Yikes. Kudos to Nic who was the first to figure out he could read from the paper copy rather than the teleprompter when he was doing the voice-over. Then there was poor Brian, who was dressed in a shirt clearly 4 sizes too big, with the collar making him appear a little too Don-Cherry-ish. Jesse is the first done, while Elias and Susan are battling it out for last place. 

Gee. Ummn. That's a hard one. Ummn.

The next task is another Roadblock at Ontario Place, but this must be done by the teammate who did not do the TSN task. It's an obstacle course consisting of: crossing a rope web between the Atlantis Pavilions; a jump from a platform into the lagoon; and then cross a deliberately wobbly log. This task is called "Now Who's Feeling Sporty?" and it's a deliberate switch-up of the previous task. Those production types are pretty tricksey. They figured the more sporty team members would jump on the TSN task, leaving their not-so-athletic team-mates to do the one that actually required physical talent. Sabrina has a hard time because of her fear of water. She complains that she is so out of her element...she just stays at home and bakes cookies. When she finally finishes, Nic tells her she didn't even get wet. These two are great! Ope has never swam without a life-jacket and hesitates taking the jump into the lagoon. But the Timex Award goes to Cynthia who took a beating but kept on ticking. I really think she bruised every part of her body when she repeatedly slipped and fell on the log.

Jon doesn't even have to face the dinosaurs. Now that's talent.

From here it was GO GO GO to the Pitstop at centre court at the Air Canada Centre, where Jon waited along with the Toronto Raptors mascot...you know who I mean. That Barney wannabe. That Jurassic World reject. 

Gino and Jesse pretty much dominated this leg, coming in first and winning two round-trip tickets to Rio de Janeiro along with 2.5 million Petro-Canada points redeemable for 6 months of gas. I have a feeling this won't be their first win either.

Max and Elias were the first team eliminated in season 3. They just couldn't make up the time after that TSN task. The problem was Elias' dyslexia, and although I am sympathetic with his condition, I really have to say I am relieved. First of all, they broke the two season record of all-female first-outs. But also because of the stunt-casting of which I am usually not a fan. And this team really was the worst yet.

To see how the other teams finished, check out by Leg-by-Leg Results HERE 

Next week the teams travel to Santiago, Chile. If you care to get a heads up on the spoilery stuff, I will be posting my preview on the weekend.

So what did you think of the first leg? Did it live up to the Season 2 start? Are you liking the teams this year?

Amazing Race Canada 3: Preview of Episode 1, "Who's Feeling Sporty Now?"

There are BIG SPOILERS AHEAD. Please proceed with CAUTION!

Bam! Hold onto your Muskoka chairs people. Here we go again. Another exciting season of Amazing Race Canada will start on Wednesday, and it looks like it will be just as action-packed as the Season 2 premiere.

Amazing Race Canada 3 Leg by Leg Spoilers

I just want to know one thing, Jon. Where can I get that T-Shirt?

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

There are SPOILERS ahead.

If you don't want to know the locations in Season 3 of The Amazing Race Canada, then turn around and leave the way you got here. 
Oh, and stop searching for "Amazing Race Canada 3." It will only cause you great sadness.

You see, if you're like me and enjoy spoilers for your favourite shows, you realize they don't deter you from watching the show you love. I can read an entire plot synopsis for an episode of The Big Bang Theory OR The Walking Dead, know exactly what will happen and still can't wait to watch. That's because the spoilers are no substitute for the actual show. The only time I ever regretted reading a spoiler was for that preposterous LOST series finale. I mean really! They were all dead? Come on.

This is your last warning!

Are you absolutely sure???
But before you go... 
Just one wee little tease:
Will we see Jon recreating his famous
beer walk this season?

Amazing Race Canada 3 Team Leg by Leg Results

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Leg 1:
For my Preview (with spoilers) click HERE
For my Recap click HERE
Leg 2:
For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE
For my Recap click HERE    
Leg 3:
For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE   
For My Recap click HERE    
Leg 4:
For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE   
For My Recap click HERE   

Leg 5:

* KOR - Keep-on-Racing (no elimination/no Speedbump on next leg)
For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE 
For My Recap click HERE    

Leg 6:

For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE   
For My Recap click HERE   

Leg 7:

For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE   
For My Recap click HERE    

Leg 8:

For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE   
For My Recap click  HERE   

Leg 9:

*NEL Non-Elimination Leg (Speedbump on next leg)
For My Preview (with spoilers) click  HERE 
For My Recap click HERE    

Leg 10:

For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE   
For My Recap click HERE   

Leg 11:

For My Preview (with spoilers) click HERE 
For My Recap click  TBA  

Leg 12:

For My Preview (with spoilers) click  TBA 
For My Recap click TBA   

Amazing Race Canada Season 3 Grand Prize Announcement!

See...I told you so. This year there will be 12 teams racing! The new batch of teams racing to win prize packages valued at $1 Million will be announced Monday to Thursday of next week. Also note...there are 12 legs! Here is the Bell Media press release, with the highlights added by me:

Amazing Race Canada 3 Team Spoilers (UPDATED)

Once again

There are SPOILERS here!!!

Do I REALLY need to warn you?

[Update June 18: The official team announcements were made Monday, June 15 to Thursday, June 18 as follows: Monday, June 15 on eTalk; Tuesday, June 16 on CanadaAM; Wednesday, June 17 on The Marilyn Denis Show; and Thursday, June 18 on The Social. 

The Amazing Race Canada: Locations Visited (Aired Shows Only)

Amazing Race Canada 3 What the Hell Just Happened??????

Shhh. Don't tell anyone!

The chess pieces have assembled and are now in place to begin filming the third season of The Amazing Race Canada.


There were some sightings today in Toronto, and Jon was seen with his wife in the Distillery District. Did they begin filming? Is the start line in Toronto?

I can't say for sure just yet, BUT the same thing happened last year. Several sightings were made in the same area of Toronto about three to five days before the teams flew out to Alberta. So for now, I am just going to say, "On your mark"....but probably not "Go" ...YET.

And does this mean the start line will be in Toronto? Nah. Before you start complaining about this, let me just say that TPTB are very much aware of how ravenous the fans can get about the show concentrating on certain areas of the country. If I was a betting woman I would put money down on the third season start line being nowhere near Toronto. In fact, I actually have a few theories. I am predicting it will be east of Ontario...

Nuh uh. Not so fast.

But check back here, I will let you know. In the meantime, if you would like to take your own stab at predicting where the start-line will be, or where this season's legs will visit, take a look at my Amazing Race Canada Locations chart HERE and feel free to leave your thoughts in a comment.

UPDATE Friday, May 1: The real race began today. The startline was Quebec City, just behind the Chateau Frontenac. Looks like a great assortment of teams that I can't wait to get to know - and I hope there isn't a single <ahem>  "blind-dating <ahem> couple among them.


To see my current leg by leg spoilers for Season 3, click HERE