The Amazing Race Asia 1 - Harris Resort Kuta Beach

The Amazing Race Asia is a reality television game show based on the American series, The Amazing Race. The first season of the show features ten teams of two, with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around Asia and the Pacific Rim to win US$100,000. Applications were accepted through 31 March 2006. The season began on 9 November 2006 and the season finale aired on 1 February 2007.

Malaysian workers Zabrina Fernandez & Joe Jer Tee are the winners of the race. They were the first all female team to win in the "The Amazing Race" franchise and at the time were the first team to win without relying on a Fast Forward or a Yield and also the first winners to win only the final leg of the race.

Production

Development and filming

In October 2005, Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific and Sony Pictures Television International's AXN Asia announced that it had earned the right to produce the first localised production of The Amazing Race. AXN Asia, which airs the original American series, had received many written requests for an Asian production from local viewers.

Casting

In July 2006, Singaporean television personality Allan Wu was introduced as the host of The Amazing Race Asia. Ricky Ow, General Manager of SPE Networks Asia described Wu as "a big fan of The Amazing Race" and felt that "his good looks and natural charisma will offer a different appeal from the US version."

Over 1000 teams across Asia applied for the series, with registration accepted through 31 March 2006. Ultimately, ten teams were selected to participate in the race; the cast included expatriates in Thailand and Hong Kong and Indian models. Host Allan Wu commented that "the producers definitely took the time and did their homework to select the most diverse, entertaining, and controversial batch of contestants for our first season."

The cast consisted of a few local media representatives or their relatives. Zabrina is a Ntv7 and Channel V television producer, as well as the sister of Malaysian film director Joshua Fernandez and Hitz.FM DJ JJ Fernandez. Aubrey is a filipina actress who acted in local movies such as Prosti, Xerex, Sanib, A Beautiful Life and Gagamboy; she is also the co-host of noontime show Masayang Tanghali Bayan. Prashant is an Indian actor who starred in the Bollywood movie Aag; he was also the runner-up of Mr. India 2004. Melody is a Singaporean TV and movie actress, having starred in local movies such as Street Angels and The Teenage Textbook Movie; she also played a supporting character in long-running drama Love Blossoms and its sequel, Love Blossoms II.

This season consists of five non-Asians; Andy, Francesca, Howard and Laura are from United Kingdom, both of them have separate representatives in Asian countries (as Andy and Laura representing Thailand), and Sandy is from New Zealand, is representing Hong Kong.

Melody Chen later appeared in The Amazing Race 25 as a Pit Stop greeter in Singapore's Leg 9.

Marketing

The first season of the show was supported by the following regional sponsors: Sony Electronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, AirAsia, Caltex, MSN, Nokia, and Bintan Lagoon Resort. Ford was a local sponsor, while the series was also supported by Tourism Malaysia. The sponsors played a major role in the series by providing prizes and integrating their products into various tasks. In addition, AirAsia was the sole airline used by racers, while Bintan Lagoon Resort was the sequestered location for eliminated teams.

To introduce the new series to an Asian audience, a promotional tour visited Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Delhi prior to the series premiere. An additional episode, subtitled Memories was an after-race interview special that aired one week after the season finale.

Results

The following teams participated in the race, with their relationships at the time of filming. Placements are listed in finishing order:

• 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 of the race. The teams were forced to relinquish all of their money and were not allotted money for the next Leg, nor were they allowed to acquire money until they started the next Leg.
• A green ? indicates that the team won a Fast Forward clue.
• A yellow > indicates that the team chose to use the Yield; < indicates the team who received it; <> around the Leg number indicates that the Yield for that Leg was available but not used.
• Italicised results indicate the position of the team at the midpoint of a two-episode Leg.

Episode title quotes

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

1. I Don't Think I Can Do This - Sahran
2. They're Speedy, They're Fast And They're First - Howard
3. Give Me The Strength, Give Me The Strength - Howard
4. Just Shut Up And Do It - Mardy
5. It's Blowing Like Your Mum's Pants On A Windy Day - Howard
6. What Have You Been Eating! - Zabrina
7. Don't Stand There Doing Nothing! - Andy
8. My Legs Are Shaking Like Jelly - Andrew
9. This Is Totally, Totally Out Of This World! - Marsio
10. War Has Begun! - Andy
11. This Is Going To Be Embarrassing! - Zabrina
12. Oh My Goodness, I Have To Eat A Brain! - Syeon
13. 24 Days, 15 Cities, 39,000 Kilometres And It Comes Down To This - Allan Wu

Prizes

Individual prizes were awarded to the first team to complete a leg.

• Leg 3 - Each member won a Sony High-Definition Handycam
• Leg 7 - A year's supply of an engine-cleaning fuel, Caltex.
• Leg 9 - A holiday to Langkawi, Malaysia, courtesy of AirAsia.
• Leg 11 - A holiday to Gold Coast, Australia, courtesy of Caltex.
• Leg 12 - US$100,000

Array

Race summary

Leg 1 (Malaysia)

Airdate: 9 November 2006

• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Independence Square) (Starting Line)
• Kuala Lumpur (Berjaya Times Square)
• Kuala Lumpur (Kompleks Kraf)
• Shah Alam, Selangor (Shah Alam Stadium - City Carting Enterprise)
• Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur Tower)

The Detour for this Leg was Paint or Pot, which describes two craft techniques. In Paint, members of each team would work together to make a batik painting based on the design shown to them. In Pot, one team member would make a pot from clay using a pottery wheel while the other member controlled the wheel's spin. In both cases, teams would receive the next clue if the person in charge of the Detour option selected was satisfied with the result.

• At Berjaya Times Square, teams had to rappel down from the 8-story level of the shopping mall. It was mentioned that it was optional but teams would face a time penalty.
• At Shah Alam Stadium, team members must each complete four consecutive laps around the circuit in go-karts before receiving their next clue.
• On the way to the Pit Stop, teams were instructed to follow a certain trail in the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve to the top of the Kuala Lumpur Tower.

Leg 2 (Malaysia -> Indonesia)

Airdate: 16 November 2006

• Sepang, Selangor (Low Cost Carrier Terminal, Kuala Lumpur International Airport) to Jakarta, Indonesia (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport)
• Jakarta (Ragunan Zoo)
  • Jakarta (SMA Negeri 60 High School) (Indonesian)
• Jakarta (Taman Mini Indonesia Indah - West Sumatera Pavilion)
• Jakarta (National Monument)

The first Roadblock in the race was that a team member must retrieve the clue in a box located inside a snake pit containing dangerous species second to anaconda in size, within 2 minutes. The teams received a Fast Forward clue after the completion of the Roadblock. In this Leg's Fast Forward, teams must search among students at the school's courtyard listening to a Sony Walkman MP3 player that plays the "Fast Forward Award" message. In this Leg's Detour teams must choose between Push or Sell. Both Detours were located at Panglima Polim Street. In Push, teams had to push their bakso carts 500 metres (0.31 mi) along a marked route, without spilling any soy sauce, while singing a traditional child song, "Abang Tukang Bakso". In Sell, teams had to sell (or eat) 15 bowls of bakso, each with a minimum selling price of Rp 2,000 to get their next clue.

• At Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, teams must perform a native Minangkabau plate dance called Tari Piring (Indonesian) correctly before they received their next clue.

Leg 3 (Indonesia)

Airdate: 23 November 2006

• Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport) to Denpasar, Bali (Ngurah Rai International Airport)
• Kuta (Kuta Beach) (Indonesian)
• Kuta (Internet Outpost Travellers Lounge)
• Ubud (Ubud Monkey Forest)
• Ubud (Bali Adventure Rafting or Elephant Safari Park)
• Pecatu Village (Uluwatu Caves)
• Tabanan (Tanah Lot Temple)

This Leg's Roadblock required a team member to dig in a marked area of sand on the beach for a small wooden surfboard token hidden up to 40 cm beneath the sand. In this Leg's Detour was Wet or Dry. In Wet, teams had to traverse down 500 steps to the Ayung River, ride through the white water rapids and complete a two-mile course on the water. In Dry, teams had to ride on an elephant and go through a course after which they will be given the next clue.

• At the cybercafe, teams must access the MSN Search website at the internet cafe's computers and search for the words "Amazing Race Asia" to find their next clue, which they may print out or received from an attendant.

Leg 4 (Indonesia -> Australia)

Airdate: 30 November 2006

• Denpasar, Bali (Ngurah Rai International Airport) to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Sydney Airport)
• Dawes Point (Pier 1)
• Sydney (Sydney Harbour Bridge or Doyle's at the Quay)
• Sydney (Mrs Macquarie's Chair)
• Sydney (World Square - SonyCentral)
• Sydney (Circular Quay wharf) to Manly (Manly wharf) via Sydney Ferries
• Manly (Oceanworld Manly)
• Manly (Manly wharf) to Sydney (Circular Quay Wharf)
• Sydney (The Tall Bounty)

In this Leg's Detour, teams had to choose between Elevation and Crustacean. In Elevation, teams climbed up a large number of steps to get to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where they received their next clue. In Crustacean, teams made their way on foot to Circular Quay, where they searched for the seafood restaurant Doyle's at the Quay. Once there, they shelled 14 kilograms of cold prawns. They had to ensure that the tail, the head and the back were properly removed. Once the restaurant chef/waiter gave his approval, they received their next clue, on a silver platter. In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member had to dive into the Aquarium in Oceanworld Manly, where they had to swim with sharks, stingrays, turtles, fishes, etc. Once inside, they had to look for their clue underwater and swim to it in order to retrieve it.

• At the SonyCentral store, teams had to take a Sony HD Camera and use it to record a video of someone singing a local bush ballad, titled "Click Go the Shears". Once they were done, they had to go back to SonyCentral and have the video be played on a television. If the person they filmed had sung the lyrics to the correct tune, the staff at SonyCentral would hand them their next clue. If not, they would have to re-do the task.
• Teams must take a water taxi to the Pit Stop.

Leg 5 (Australia -> New Zealand)

Airdate: 7 December 2006

• Sydney (Sydney Airport) to Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland Airport)
• Auckland (Auckland Ferry Terminal) to Devonport, Auckland (Devonport Ferry Terminal) and back
• Auckland (Victoria Park or Westhaven Marina)
• Auckland (Sky Tower)
• Auckland (Auckland Museum)

In this Leg's Detour, teams have to choose between Rugby or Rigging. In Rugby, teams have to take a taxi to Victoria Park. Once there, they will have put on rugby jerseys and kick rugby balls to score 3 goals. The goals would only be counted if the rugby ball is kicked into the enclosed posts and is 22 metres and above. In Rigging, teams would have to travel to Westhaven Marina and find the yachts. Once there, the instructor will give the teams instructions on how to use ropes and knots to get the sail up. Once everything is done correctly and the instructor is happy, teams will receive their next clue. In this Roadblock, that person has to jump 192 metres off the Sky Jump while their teammate, who is below, uses a Sony Ericsson Cybershot camera to take a picture of them doing this task.

• After alighting from the ferry from Auckland, teams had to search near the Devonport Terminal for a child on a swing. She would hand them their next clue.
• At the Sky Tower, teams had to put on orange jumpsuits and perform the Sky City Vertigo Climb. This task involved teams having to climb up a ladder to the top of the Sky Tower where they would have the nicest view of Auckland. Their next clue will be handed to them only after they have completed the climb. Teams then make their way to a platform on level 53.

Leg 6 (New Zealand)

Airdate: 14 December 2006

• Auckland (Auckland Airport) to Dunedin, Otago (Dunedin International Airport)
• Queenstown (Caltex Petrol Kiosk)
• Queenstown (Skyline Gondola - Bob's Peak)
• Arrowtown (Chinese Settlement)
• Queenstown (Offroad Adventures) (Overnight Rest)
• Nevis River (Nevis Highwire Platform)
• Gibbston, Queenstown (Chard Farm Winery)

In this Detour, teams can choose between Ledge or Luge. In Ledge, each team member will take turns performing the ledge swing, which hurls them 400m above Queenstown. In Luge, each team member must complete an 830m circuit on a luge 4 times before getting their next clue. In this Leg's Roadblock one team member will have to bungee jump 134 metres (440 ft) over Nevis Valley, reputedly the world's wildest bungee jump. They only have 2 minutes after they step on the platform to do so, or forfeit their turn.

• Teams had to go to a Caltex Petrol Kiosk and fill up their vehicles with fuel and pay for it using a Caltex Cash Card.
• At Offroad Adventures, teams had to drive in Quad Bikes around a tricky and muddy course to get to their next clue.

Leg 7 (New Zealand -> Singapore -> Thailand)

Airdate: 21 December 2006

• Queenstown (Queenstown Airport) to Singapore (Singapore Changi Airport)
• Singapore (MacPherson - Caltex Petrol Station)
• Singapore (Suntec City - Fountain of Wealth)
• Singapore (Singapore Changi Airport) to Bangkok, Thailand (Don Mueang International Airport)
• Ayutthaya Province (Wat Niwet Thamaprawat)
• Bangkok (Golden Mount)
• Bangkok (Memorial for People Born in the Year of Pig or Egg market)
• Bangkok (Wat Pho)

In this Roadblock, one member of each team has to climb to the top of the temple and then search through 560 golden bells for 100 clue capsules containing silver slips of paper. Out of the 100 silver slips of paper, only 6 would contain the correct slip of paper. They would have to show it to a temple worker, who will give them the teams their next clue if it is indeed the correct clue. In this Leg's Detour, teams had to choose between Bacon or Eggs. In Bacon, teams would have to find marked Tuk-Tuks on Larn Luang Road and then direct their Tuk-Tuk drivers to drive them to the Memorial for People Born in the Year of Pig (called Pig Monument by the racers). Teams are allowed to seek directions from locals, but must not get assistance from the driver. In Eggs, teams would have to travel to an egg stall and using a trolley, deliver 26 trays of eggs to a nearby egg market. However, if any eggs are delivered broken, the stall owner would instruct the teams to re-deliver that number of unbroken eggs.

• At the Caltex station, each team had to clean up an extremely dirty Ford Focus car until the Caltex employee in charge is satisfied.
• At Wat Niwet Thamaprawat, teams had to take a cable car over the river and then search the temple grounds for several clue boxes. Only one of these clue boxes would contain the right clue. Teams then had to figure out that their next destination is the Golden Mount, by finding out the monument on the Thai 2 Baht coin enclosed in their clue envelope.

Leg 8 (Thailand)

Airdate: 28 December 2006

• Bangkok (Southern Bus Terminal) to Krabi City, Krabi (Krabi Bus Terminal)
• Krabi (Hat Nopparat Thara National Park)
• Ao Nang, Krabi
  • Krabi (Pranang Bay)
• Krabi (Koh Poda/Poda Island)
• Krabi (Railay)
• Krabi (Koh Hong Lagoon)
• Krabi (Koh Pak Bia)

The Fast Forward in this Leg involved teams having to find a kayak on Pranang Bay and then using it to look for a Fast Forward clue in one of the many hidden caves near the area. In this Leg's Detour, teams had to choose between Smash or Grab. In Smash, teams would have to smash 75 coconuts with a hammer to find one with red ink inside it. In Grab, teams would have to snorkel and swim around 100 buoys which contain 100 clues, only ten of which are the correct clue. In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member will have to climb up the face of Railay East 123 Wall in order to retrieve the next clue.

Starting at Hat Nopparat Thara National Park, teams will take a long-tail boat to their next destinations for the rest of the Leg.

Leg 9 (Thailand -> India)

Airdate: 4 January 2007

• Krabi (Krabi Airport) to Kolkata, West Bengal, India (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport)
• Kolkata (St. Teresa of Avila Church)
• Kolkata (Tollygunge Metro Train Station)
• Kolkata (Peerless Inn Hotel - Aaheli Restaurant)
• Kolkata (Kanishka's Sari Boutique)
• Kolkata (West Bengal Kabaddi Association or Maniktala Bazar)
• Kolkata (Kolay Market - Indian Overseas Bank in Bepin Behari Ganguly Street)

Airdate: 11 January 2007

• Kolkata (Sealdah Railway Station) to Delhi (New Delhi Railway Station)
• Delhi (Red Fort)
• Delhi (Sunny International Spice Shop in Gadodia Market, Khari Baoli or Chandni Chowk and Lahore Gate Crossing, Red Fort)
• Delhi (Tibetan Monastery Market - Garib Guashala)
• Delhi (Jain Mandir Dada Bari)

The Roadblock of the first half of the Leg was to have one team member polish 7 bystanders' shoes and charge at least 5 for their service. Once they are done, the professional would hand them their next clue. The Detour in the first half of the Leg was to choose between Carry or Count. In Carry, teams would have to deliver 80 litres of milk by carrying the jugs on their heads and pour them into a metal bucket a distance away. Once all the milk have been delivered, teams would receive their next clue. In Count, teams would have to go to a market and then count the number of betel nuts in a basket. Teams can only guess once per time they are seen counting the entire basket of nuts.

The Detour of the second half of the Leg was Deliver or Donkey. In Deliver, teams would have to carry sacks of spices and deliver them to a spice shop which they only have a picture for reference. In Donkey, teams would have to transport onions using a donkey and walk it to the onion store before the vendor will hand teams their next clue. In the Roadblock for the second half of the Leg, one team member from each team had to carry pails of cow manure and then use it to make dung cakes by adding water and sticking them onto the wall. If they drop, teams would have to re-do that one.

• At St. Teresa of Avila Church, teams were given the option to also light a candle.
• At Aaheli Restaurant, teams had to eat a traditional Bengali Indian meal. Only when they have eaten it the waiters/chef would hand them their next clue.
• Teams had to search for Kanishka's Sari Boutique for their next clue hidden amongst hundreds of saris and silks.

Leg 10 (India -> United Arab Emirates)

Airdate: 18 January 2007

• New Delhi (Indira Gandhi International Airport) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Dubai International Airport)
• Dubai (Abra Station)
• Dubai (Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club)
• Dubai (Dubai International Marine Club - Leopard of Dubai)
• Dubai (Mall of the Emirates - Ski Dubai)
• Deira, Dubai (Gold Souk - Modern Jewellery Shop)
• Margham (Margham Desert Camp)

The Roadblock required one team member to complete a 9-hole golf course using only a putter and a club. A lost ball or a broken club requires the player to return to the first tee for a replacement. In the detour, teams had to choose between Hack or Hike. In Hack, teams had to chisel their way through a 150 kg block of ice to release their next clue, using only a chisel and a hammer. In Hike, teams had to climb the steepest slope in Ski Dubai while carrying 25 kg worth of skiing equipment. Their next clue would be collected at the top of the slope.

Leg 11 (United Arab Emirates)

Airdate: 25 January 2007

• Margham (Big Red Al Hamar - Desert Area 53)
• Sharjah, Sharjah (Eye of the Emirates)
• Dubai (Raghdan Restaurant)
• Dubai (Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum's house)
• Jumeirah, Dubai (Wild Wadi Water Park - Jumeirah Sceirah)
• Jumeirah, Dubai (Mina A' Salam Beach)

Teams had to choose between Ride or Seek in this Leg's detour. In Ride, the Team members had to sit on a camel and guide it through a marked course and collect five flags while using only a camel stick. In Seek, Teams must find a souvenir in a marked plot of sand, using a metal detector. The roadblock called for one team member to eat an Arabian specialty dish, which consisted of brains and bread.

• Teams had to choose one of the 42 cabins on the Eye of the Emirates that held a clue, with only five of the cabins containing their actual correct clue. The other cabins held clues that read "Sorry, Try Again" and teams had to complete one revolution of the ferris wheel before they could pick again.
• Upon arriving at the Wild Wadi Water Park, team members had to take turns to ride the Jumeirah Sceirah, the tallest and fastest free-fall water slide outside of North America.

Leg 12 (United Arab Emirates -> Malaysia)

Airdate: 1 February 2007

• Dubai (Mina A' Salam Beach)
• Dubai (Dubai International Airport) to Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur International Airport)
• Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur Tower)
• Sepang (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) to Kuching, Sarawak (Kuching International Airport)
• Kuching (Kuching South City Council Cat Statue)
• Kuching (Old Courthouse)
• Kuching (Sarawak Cultural Village)
• Kuching (Permai Rainforest Resort)
• Kuching (Bako National Park)

Teams had to choose between Brain or Brawn in this Leg's detour. In Brain, teams had to assemble a bench using only a Sony Cybershot picture as reference. In Brawn, teams had to go to a wet market and use traditional methods to carry 30 kg of fruits a certain distance. The roadblock required one team member to complete a rope-based obstacle course.

• Prior to departure from the Pit Stop at Min A' Salam Beach, teams had to complete a jigsaw puzzle to reveal the country of their next location.
• In Kuching, teams had to find a specific cat statue.
• Teams had to search the Sarawak Cultural Village for their next clue hidden inside one of the longhouses. Their next clue instructed each team member must hit three coloured pineapples each using darts and a blowpipe.

Array

References

Array

External links

• Official Website
• Official Teams Blog

Interesting Informations

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