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For the first time this season, there is discord among the tight-knit women. Alli states that she “knew they shouldn’t have done this” and that “I didn’t want to do this at all” while Kym grows annoyed. She knows all too well that after being damned impressive throughout the race, they just took a chance for no good reason when they were already in first place. They will need a miracle to survive this leg. The good news is that The Amazing Race ordinarily employs the non-elimination tactic when good teams finish last.

The soul surfers finish first, earning a trip to Bali in the process. Are there sharks in Bali? Bethany notes the chaotic nature of this leg. They started in first place, screwed up at the travel agency, fell to last place, took a calculated risk, were a minute away from losing it, and wound up in first place, headed to Bali. What an amazing journey. I smell Soul Surfer sequel!

The dentists select the lobster side. Humorously, they complain about the heat of the lobsters. If only they knew that miles away, their friends are having flamed cups embedded on their backs. By the time they finish, Amy’s back looks like she lost a fight with a flaming puma. In order to distract themselves, they talk to the recently arrived wrestlers about the U-Turn. Everyone agrees to pick the cyclists.

Way behind, Kym & Alli start ripping through the challenges. Kym quickly finishes the tightrope. Little does she realize that her fate is being determined elsewhere. Amy & Maya…U-Turn Adam & Bethany. I should note that they have already finished the leg by the time the U-Turn is used against them.

The wrestlers arrive and…turn heel. They choose not to U-Turn anyone despite their earlier promise. The explanation for this is base petulance. They’re mad at Mara for having the audacity to have her hands full when they needed her to figure out their clue for them.

The sweet scientists bump into the wrestlers and query them about their misstep. Brooke & Robbie lamely explain that they were confused, promising to go back to fix the mistake. Then, they absolutely do not go back to fix their mistake. They even gloat about their behavior. Meanwhile, Amy & Maya spend the cab ride discussing the stupidity of the wrestlers. It’s the jocks against the nerds for the rest of The Amazing Race!

Kym & Alli choose the China Cups, which I think is the slower of the two options. They should be choosing the fastest one at every turn. They are relieved to see that they have not been U-Turned (way to go, Robbie’s Hat!), and the editing tries to convince us that the scientists are in jeopardy. It’s a ridiculous attempt, though. The best case scenario is that they are a half hour behind the scientists, who are in turn behind the wrestlers (second place) and dentists (third place).

Kym and Alli cry when they drive to the finish line, knowing that they are in last. The only question is whether this is a non-elimination leg. Since the cyclists are the best team this season (at worst, they are top three), I hope for what I expect. To my surprise and frustration, this IS an elimination leg. Kym and Alli’s greed has cost them any chance of winning The Amazing Race this season. I hope they return for an All-Star season, because they are a fun tandem who should learn from their (epic) blunder.

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