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This occurrence had to be greeted by the producers with hosannas and praise to the reality TV gods, especially when teammate Brook, matter-of-factly tells her you have to finish and “they don’t call it the Amazing Race for nothing.” Thanks for the promo soundbite, Brook, I’m sure CBS will be cutting you a check for your efforts.

Connor mounts up for Team Glee and joins Rachel and freshly injured Claire at the Roadblock. Claire gets it done next and they leave for the Pitstop but Team Glee and volleyballers are all sprinting to the mat. Connor & Jonathan get the number three spot and Brook & Claire claim fourth. That means that Katie & Rachel take fifth place. To recap, Connor and Jonathan went from sixth at the castle to third at the pitstop. I think I and everyone else may have underestimated them. Bet they’re glad they decided against a potty break.

Chad is undoubtedly exerting this ever-present frustration toward the Roadblock and trying to not let anyone else pass them up but two parent/child teams are right behind them - Michael & Kevin at the river and Gary & Mallory at the castle wall.

Reunited Andie & Jenna have finally got a map and a clue, but not the one at the castle. Rather, the lightbulb seems to have lit up for them and are on the right path. They are faring better than Nick & Vicki and Ron & Tony.

Chad defeats his warrior and with the Pitstop directions not being specific, Chad declares, “I guarantee it’s on the other side of the castle.” It astounds me that they are the only ones that had any difficulty finding the mat.

Mallory & Gary pass Michael & Kevin, who have taken the boat-sinking mantle from Chad & Stephanie at this point. Andie & Jenna are at the castle and blow past the ladder and take on the river just as Nick & Vicki get there. Fortunately for the mom and daughter, Nick & Vicki can’t figure out where to find their flag on the battlement (or what a battlement is), even though it was literally right in front of them, as were the boats they are supposed to use, which look like turtle shells. Man, these guys are letting me down and I am not enjoying their mistakes as much as Chad & Stephanie wandering aimlessly about the castle grounds looking for the Pitstop. I think it is because Nick & Vicki seem to be more good-natured about their mistakes.

Jenna heads to the Roadblock for her team and Kevin & Gary are already there for their teams. Securely in last place we have Ron & Tony, who are heading to the moat crossing that Nick & Vicki are doing pretty well at now that they've found the boats.

Gary makes short work of the Roadblock as does Kevin, and that is the order they get to the mat. After squandering a good lead, Chad & Stephanie hit the pitstop with a Phil-endorsed eighth place. They tried really hard to prove me right in predicting they would be the first ones eliminated but it wasn’t meant to be. Luckily, they lived up to my dysfunctional assumption even though Chad declares they have to change their negative ways.

Jenna gets it done for her team and she and her biological mom have another leg to get reacquainted as they check in as team number nine. With little drama, it is easy to tell that Nick & Vicki will take number ten and Phil happily mocks their mental mess ups by asking Vicki what country they are in. Her answer: London. Yes, they are in the country of London. It was all in good fun and Nick & Vicki seem to be the first to laugh at themselves.

Ron & Tony are last place and the first team to be eliminated from Season 17 of the Amazing Race. I had higher hopes for these guys and thought they would be a bigger factor, but it won’t be the last time I am wrong.

Until the next episode, when the teams fight the streets and tasks in Ghana, have a great week.

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