The Amazing Race 6 is the sixth season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world to win US$1,000,000. This season visited four continents and ten countries and traveled over 40,000 miles (64,000 km) during twelve legs. Starting in Chicago, racers traveled through Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Senegal, Germany, Hungary, France, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, and Hawaii before finishing in Chicago. New twists introduced in this season include uniting teams for a task, the double-length leg, and limits on team members' Roadblock performances. The season premiered on CBS on November 16, 2004, and concluded on February 8, 2005.
Engaged couple Freddy Holliday and Kendra Bentley were the winners of this season, while dating couple Jon Buehler and Kris Perkins finished in second place, and exes Adam Malis and Rebecca Cardon finished in third place.
In May 2004, CBS ordered the sixth season of the show, despite the fact that The Amazing Race 5 had not yet aired. Early renewal was likely due to the success of the changes made in season 5.[1] CBS also delayed the airing of season 6 until late in the fall and moved it out of its proposed Saturday timeslot in order to create a "cool down" period between races, in the hopes that this would help continue the newfound ratings success.[2]
The Amazing Race 6 spanned a total of 40,000 miles (64,000 km) over ten countries on four continents. The 30 days of filming began on August 13, 2004,[3] and finished on September 12. The Amazing Race made its first trip to seven new countries: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, and Senegal.
This season was the first in which team members had to complete an equal number of Roadblock tasks. No team member was permitted to complete more than six Roadblocks on the entire race. Throughout the season, host Phil Keoghan verbally stated this rule when introducing each leg's Roadblock. This season also reduced the number of times the Yield appeared to three, compared to the previous season, where the Yield had been featured in almost every leg. This trend would continue in subsequent seasons.
A task in the second leg marked the first time that teams were required to work with each other. The ten teams had to split themselves into two groups of five, each of which had to row a Viking boat across a fjord.
According to Aaron Crumbaugh, the sixth leg was originally planned as two separate legs with the first part being a non-elimination point, where the losing team would have been stripped of their money. However, those planned legs were combined into one after producers realized that begging was illegal in Hungary.[4]
This season featured a visit to Sri Lanka, where filming occurred just a few months before the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The episodes aired four weeks after the earthquake had devastated the locations the teams had visited. A special message was inserted at the beginning of the episodes in Sri Lanka, dedicating them to the victims and to those helping with the recovery.[5]
This season's cast included married professional wrestlers, dating actors, high school buddies, engaged models, and a team of married entrepreneurs.[6]Early Show hosts Harry Smith and Dave Price ran the season's first leg with the actual teams as part of a special segment on their morning show.[7]
The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.
A red placement with a dagger (†) indicates that the team was eliminated.
An underlined blue placement with a double-dagger (‡) indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg. As a penalty, they were stripped of all their money and were not given any at the start of the next leg.
An italicized placement identifies a team's placement at the midpoint of a double leg.
A green ƒ indicates that the team won the Fast Forward.
A brown > indicates that the team used the Yield and a brown < indicates the team on the receiving end of the Yield.
^This was a double leg with two Detours and two Roadblocks shown over two episodes. The placements listed for the first half are the order of the teams' arrival at the Net Klub Internet Kafé in Budapest.
^Freddy & Kendra initially arrived 6th, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for taking an extra clue from the clue box. Adam & Rebecca and Don & Mary Jean checked in during this penalty time, dropping Freddy & Kendra to 8th. However, due to a penalty received by Don & Mary Jean, Freddy & Kendra moved up to 7th.
^ abAdam & Rebecca chose to Yield Freddy & Kendra.
^ abFreddy & Kendra chose to Yield Adam & Rebecca.
^Hayden & Aaron initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 4-hour penalty for quitting the Roadblock. Adam & Rebecca checked in during this penalty time, dropping Hayden & Aaron to last.
^Don & Mary Jean arrived 7th in leg 2, but they had mistakenly driven the car that belonged to Adam & Rebecca. They left 8th at the beginning of leg 3 after they were issued a 30-minute penalty.
Race summary
The route of The Amazing Race 6.
Destinations
Air travel Rail travel Water travel Bus travel Helicopter travel Bicycle travel Gondola travel
At the base of Vatnajökull, teams had to sign up for a shuttle bus to take them 10 miles (16 km) to their next clue at the glacier's edge. Teams then had to drive a snowmobile across the glacier to a camp, where they had to choose a tent and a departure time for the next morning. The next morning, teams took a shuttle bus back down the glacier, where they retrieved their next clue, instructing them to drive to Breiðamerkursandur in order to find their next clue.
This season's first Detour was a choice between Ice Climb or Ice Search. In Ice Climb, teams had to travel to the Hótel Skaftafell and climb the face of an ice wall in order to reach their next clue at the top. In Ice Search, teams had to travel to a nearby glacial lagoon and use a boat to search the lagoon with thousands of icebergs for an orange buoy with their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Blue Lagoon in Grindavík.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Oslo, Norway. Once there, teams had to travel to the Holmenkollbakken in order to find their next clue.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to climb to the top of the ski jump and then ride a zipline to the bottom in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to the Viking village at Brandbu, where the ten teams were split into two groups and each group had to row a Viking ship across a fjord to their next clue. Teams were instructed to travel by train to Voss and then drive to a specific bridge, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Endurance or Accuracy. In Endurance, teams had to roller ski down a 1.75-mile (2.82 km) course in order to receive their next clue. In Accuracy, teams had to complete three Viking games – kubbs, axe throwing, and archery – in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Nesheimstunet in Voss.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to return to Oslo by train and then travel by bus to Stockholm, Sweden. Once there, teams had to travel to the Ice Bar of the Nordic Sea Hotel, where each team member had to slide ice shot glasses across the bar. If either team member landed a glass on a target at the end, they could receive their next clue, which directed them to the IKEA store in Kungens Kurva. If both members missed, they had to go back to the end of the line before trying again.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Count It or Build It. In Count It, teams had to count the number of cooking pots, frying pans, and stuffed animals in three large bins and give the correct number to the supervisor in order to receive their next clue. In Build It, teams had to properly assemble a desk using all of the provided parts in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel by train to Häggvik and then ride a tandem bicycle two miles (3.2 km) to Bögs Gård Farm in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to unroll and search through 270 hay bales in order to find one of the twenty bales that contained their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to ride their tandem bicycle back to the train station, travel by train back to Stockholm, and then check in at the Pit Stop aboard the af Chapman, moored at Skeppsholmen.
Additional notes
The hay bale task was later revisited in season 15 as a Switchback.[13]
Lena spent over eight hours unrolling hay bales, but was never able to find a clue envelope during the Roadblock. Two hours after all of the other teams had checked in at the Pit Stop, Phil came out to the farm to inform Lena & Kristy of their elimination.[14]
At the start of this episode, teams went to the Town Hall Tower, where they were instructed to fly to Dakar, Senegal. Once there, teams had to search outside the airport for their next clue, which included the poem "Femme noire", and instructions to find the author's grave. Teams had to figure out that the author was former Senegalese PresidentLéopold Sédar Senghor, whose grave was at the Bel Aire Cemetery. There, the teams' next clue directed them to the Vieux Ngom Carpenter Shop.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Stack 'Em Up or Pull 'Em Up. In Stack 'Em Up, teams had to carry baskets of fish to a drying table and properly stack enough fish in order to cover the table and receive their next clue. In Pull 'Em Up, teams had to use traditional fishing gear to catch four fish and then bring the fish to the shore, where they received their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Lac Rose, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use the tools provided to harvest enough salt from the bed of the lake and fill a 25-US-gallon (95 L) basket in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by ferry to Gorée Island and find the Pit Stop.
At the start of this leg, teams walked to the House of Slaves, where they learned about the history of the African slave trade on Gorée Island. Afterwards, each team laid a single rose at the historic archway known as the "Door of No Return" as a tribute to the victims before being given their next clue, which instructed teams to fly to Berlin, Germany. Once there, teams traveled to the East Side Gallery, where they searched a stretch of the former Berlin Wall for their next clue. From there, teams traveled to the Broken Chain Sculpture, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Beer or Brats. In Beer, teams traveled to the Brauhaus Spandau, where each team member had to search the tables at the bar for five coasters bearing their teams' names and pictures. They then had to trade two full beer steins to the patron in exchange for each coaster. Once both team members collected five coasters, they received their next clue. In Brats, teams traveled to the Zitadelle, where they had to use a hand-operated sausage maker to create one rope of five bratwursts in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to Teufelsberg in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb to the top of Teufelsberg and complete a soap box derby course in 37 seconds or less in order to receive their next clue.
In this double-length leg in Hungary, teams drove a classic Trabant 601 to Eger, and then traveled beneath Buda Castle for the Fast Forward, where one team drank a goblet of pig's blood.
Episode 6: "They Should Probably Have Some Counseling" (December 21, 2004) & Episode 7: "One of You, I'm Gonna Break in Half" (January 4, 2005)
Prize: A vacation to Europe (awarded to Lori & Bolo)
At the start of this leg, teams traveled to Checkpoint Charlie, where they received their next clue directing them to the Olympic Stadium.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member was strapped into a "hot rocket bungee" and launched 200 feet (61 m) into the air. After returning to the ground, they received their next clue.
This leg's first Detour was a choice between Catapult Crash or Cannonball Run. In Catapult Crash, teams had to use a catapult to hurl a watermelon onto a wooden target in order to retrieve the clue hidden within. In Cannonball Run, teams had to push a cannon up a hill to the castle courtyard, and then carry 55 cannonballs and stack them into a pyramid in order to receive their next clue.
After this first Detour, teams traveled by train back to Budapest and then traveled by taxi to the Net Klub Internet Kafé. Teams received their next clue via e-mail, which informed them that they were still racing.
Episode summary (Episode 7)
At the Heritage Rail Museum, teams had to ride a draisine at speeds up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) in order to retrieve their next clue.
For this season's first Fast Forward, one team had to travel to Buda Castle. There, they had to descend through a labyrinth and drink a goblet of pig's blood. Lori & Bolo won the Fast Forward.
This leg's second Detour was a choice between Swim or Paddle. In Swim, teams had to play a game of water polo and score one goal against a Hungarian water polo player in order to receive their next clue. In Paddle, teams had to inflate a raft with a hand pump and paddle across the Danube River to a flag on the other side in order to retrieve their next clue.
After the second Detour, teams were instructed to travel to the Gundel Restaurant, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's second Roadblock, one team member had to eat a 24-ounce (680 g) bowl of a traditional Hungarianspicy soup in order to receive their next clue.
After the second Roadblock, teams had to travel to Point Zero, and then either take the funicular or walk to the Pit Stop: Fisherman's Bastion.
Additional note
Leg 6 was a double leg and aired over two separate episodes.
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the Promontor Borudvar winery and follow a path toward a large wine cask, where they found their next clue, which instructed them to fly to Corsica. Once there, teams had to travel to Napoleon's birthplace and find the room where he was born in order to receive their next clue.
For this season's last Fast Forward, one team had to locate a harbor in Ajaccio, don old-style diving suits, and walk across the ocean floor to a lobster trap in order to retrieve the Fast Forward award. Adam & Rebecca won the Fast Forward.
Teams who did not attempt the Fast Forward had to drive to Camp Raffalli in Calvi in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Climb Up or Fly Behind. In Climb Up, teams had to use a mechanical ascender to climb a rock wall. Once at the top, teams had to find a French legionnaire, who gave them a medal, and then rappel back down in order to receive their next clue. In Fly Behind, teams had to choose a Zodiac boat and, with one member directing the pilot and the other trailing behind on a raft, search among 25 buoys for one with a clue attached.
After the Detour, teams were instructed to travel to the Domaine 'Alzipratu Winery in Zilia, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to stomp on 55 pounds (25 kg) of grapes in order to squeeze enough juice to fill five wine bottles, and then drink a glass of the squeezed juice, in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: La Pietra in L'Île-Rousse.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by ferry to Nice, and then travel to the city gardens, where they found their next clue at a bust of Albert I. Teams were instructed to fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Once there, teams had to sign up for one of two charter flights to Lalibela. There, teams found their next clue on vans outside the airport. Teams directed their drivers to take them to the overlook of Lewz Village.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Raise the Roof or Mud the Hut. In Raise the Roof, teams assisted a group of locals by carrying a roof 2⁄3 mile (1,100 m) and then placing it on top of a house. Once the roof was on, one team member had to place a jug on the roof in order to receive their next clue. In Mud the Hut, teams had to use a plaster made of dirt, water, and straw to cover an entire wall of a traditional Ethiopian house in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to take two donkeys and deliver them to a farmer three miles (4.8 km) away in order to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to enter the Church of Saint George, where they received a pendant from the head priest. They then had to search among hundreds of worshipers outside of the church for the one wearing the same pendant. They could trade the pendant for their next clue, which directed them to the nearby Pit Stop.
Additional note
Adam & Rebecca chose to Yield Freddy & Kendra.
Leg 9 (Ethiopia → Sri Lanka)
The Roadblock in Sri Lanka required one team member to climb the Lion Rock of Sigiriya and look for the Pit Stop.
Episode 10: "It Always Comes Down to Details" (January 25, 2005)
Prize: A vacation to Europe (awarded to Kris & Jon)
At the start of this leg, teams returned to Lalibela Airport and signed up for one of two charter flights back to Addis Ababa. Once there, teams had to travel to the Addis Ababa Stadium, where they completed a four-man track relay with two local runners before receiving their next clue, which instructed them to fly to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Once there, teams had to travel by train to Galle and find their next clue at Fort Galle.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Tree Trunks or Elephant Trunks. In Tree Trunks, teams traveled by tuk-tuk to a coconut plantation. There, each person had to climb to the top of a 50-foot (15 m) tree and retrieve a jug filled with tree sap, which they had to pour into a container in order to receive their next clue. In Elephant Trunks, teams traveled by tuk-tuk to an elephant polo field, where each team member had to ride an elephant down the length of the field, hitting a polo ball around a large pole and scoring a goal in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel by bus to Kandy and then find the Kandyan Art Association, where they had to purchase an offering, which they could exchange at the nearby Temple of the Tooth for their next clue. Teams were instructed to travel by bus to Dambulla and then travel to Lion Rock in Sigiriya.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to ascend more than 1,000 steps to the top of Lion Rock. Once at the top, they had to use a pair of binoculars to look through the jungle for a flag near the pool at the Hotel Sigiriya. Once they located the hotel, teams had to proceed there and swim the length of the pool before checking in at the Pit Stop.
Leg 10 (Sri Lanka → China)
After arriving in Shanghai, teams traveled to Yuyuan Gardens and searched for their next clue.
Episode 11: "You Deal with This Before I Hyperventilate" (February 1, 2005)
Prize: A vacation to Hawaii (awarded to Hayden & Aaron)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Shanghai, China. Once there, teams had to search the grounds of Yuyuan Garden for their next clue. Teams were then directed to the Huaneng Union Tower, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to wash a window on the exterior of the HuaXia Bank Tower in order to reveal a hidden message. Once they could read the message, they had to lower themselves to the ground and repeat the message to the supervisor, who then handed them their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Bricks or Ice. In Bricks, teams had to use a traditional device to transport 300 clay bricks off a barge while balancing on a narrow wooden plank. From there, they had to stack the bricks on a wooden pallet in order to receive their clue. In Ice, teams had to load two blocks of ice onto the back of flatbed tricycles and deliver them to a fish market four blocks away. Once there, they had to break them into smaller pieces and place them into a tub in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Peace Hotel South.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by train to Xi'an and then find their next clue at the Drum Tower.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Spray or Scroll. In Spray, teams traveled to a car factory and spray painted the shell of a Chinese-made car in order to receive their next clue. In Scroll, teams traveled to a textile factory and searched through ten bolts of fabric with a light table. When teams found and cut out the two Chinese characters stamped within two of the ten bolts, they received their next clue.
After the Detour, teams were instructed to travel to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, where they had to find the viewing platform of Pit 1 of the Terracotta Army in order to locate their next clue. Teams were directed to the base of Mount Hua, where they had to travel by shuttle bus and gondola to the North Peak.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search among 3,000 padlocks for the one that they could unlock using a provided key in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the South Gate of the Xi'an City Wall.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Honolulu, Hawaii. Once there, teams drove themselves to Puu Ualakaa State Park, where they found their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Outfits or Outriggers. In Outfits, teams had to drive to a tropical clothing distributor and search through racks filled with Aloha shirts for the match to one displayed on a mannequin in order to receive their next clue. In Outriggers, teams had to drive to a canoe club and, with the help of a provided assistant, paddle an outrigger canoe down a two-mile (3.2 km) course in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to drive to Kamaka Air in order to find their next clue.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to tandem skydive with an instructor and land on a sandbar in Kaneohe Bay, where they retrieved their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams were instructed to fly to Chicago, Illinois. Once there, teams had to travel by train to the Chicago Water Tower in order to find their next clue. They were directed to Gino's East pizzeria, where each team member had to eat two slices of deep dish pizza in order to receive their final clue, which directed them to the finish line at Ping Tom Memorial Park.
Additional notes
Legs 11 and 12 aired back-to-back as a special two-hour episode.
When Kris & Jon arrived at the park at the end of the leg, they were blocked by a moving train from continuing to the finish line. Jon estimated that the delay caused by the train lasted about ten minutes. Meanwhile, Freddy & Kendra were able to cross the finish line on the other side of the train.[15]
Reception
Critical response
At the time it aired, The Amazing Race 6 received negative reviews. Linda Holmes of Television Without Pity called this season disappointing.[16] Scott Pierce of Deseret News said that his immediate reaction after the season finished was "I'm never going to watch this show again."[17] Reece Forward of Screen Rant ranked this season as the show's second-worst, writing that it "is actively unlikable at points," but the season "escapes the bottom slot due to at least having a few teams that are likable or interesting".[18] Since its airing, this season was ranked 9th out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents in 2016.[19] In 2021, Val Barone of TheThings ranked this season as the show's 4th best season.[20] In 2022, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season as the seventh-best season.[21]
Controversy
The fifth episode featured two of the more controversial moments in the show's history. In Dakar, Senegal, Kendra Bentley, who had previously decried being in "ghetto Africa" complained, "This city is wretched and disgusting. And they just keep breeding and breeding in this poverty. I can't take it."[22] These comments were largely denounced as racist due to the equation of people in Africa as animals.[23][24] Bentley later claimed that her comments were taken out of context saying, "I was actually talking about the government and how they put people in these situations. They don’t give them opportunities for education or birth control."[25] Lesser outrage was also directed at Rebecca Cardon for similar insensitive comments. On the way to the House of Slaves on Gorée Island, Cardon commented, "I'd love to get out of Africa. I can see why so many people escaped." Kevin McDonough of The Spokesman-Review wrote, "Now that's a novel way to look at the Middle Passage."[26]
Later in the episode, Jonathan Baker, angry at his wife, Victoria Fuller, for picking up his bag which he had dropped during a footrace to the mat, shoved her. He was modestly rebuked at the mat by Phil Keoghan, who saw Jonathan berating his wife but hadn't witnessed the shove.[22] In response, critics and fans decried seeing possible domestic violence on television.[27][28][29] Baker later stated "[t]he shove in Berlin was wrong. It was wrong and I should not have done it. I can't apologize any more because I really felt that it hurt."[30]
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