The Amazing Race 35 is the thirty-fifth season of the Americanreality competition showThe Amazing Race. Hosted byPhil Keoghan, it featured thirteen 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 three continents and nine countries and traveled over 23,800 miles (38,300 km) during twelve legs. Starting inLos Angeles, racers traveled throughThailand,Vietnam,India,Germany,Austria,Slovenia,Sweden, andIreland before returning to theUnited States and finishing inGreater Seattle. Elements of the show that returned for this season include the use of commercial flights, the Express Pass, and the U-Turn. In addition, the U-Turn Vote returned with a private vote rather than a public vote, and the U-Turn was a Blind U-Turn. Unlike past seasons, the 35th season featured 90-minute-long episodes. The season aired on Wednesday nights onCBS beginning on September 27, 2023, and concluding on December 13, 2023.
For the first time in the history of the American version ofThe Amazing Race, the final three teams consisted entirely of male teams.[1] Brothers and computer scientists Greg and John Franklin were the winners of this season, while best friends Joel Strasser and Garrett Smith finished in second place, and father andson Rob and Corey McArthur finished in third place.
On February 21, 2023, two months after the34th season finale,CBS announced that no season ofThe Amazing Race would air in the first half of 2023. Instead the next season would air during the2023–24 television season.[2] On May 10, 2023, CBS announced that season 35 would air 90-minute episodes followingSurvivor 45 due to the2023 Writers Guild of America strike.[3] CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach stated, "[The Amazing Race andSurvivor] always have so much footage that we got left on the floor, and we felt like yes, it could potentially be great opportunity to be prepared in case of this strikes happening, but even more so to give the audience more of what they want — which is more 'Survivor,' more 'Race.' The producers loved the idea. It's given these shows the ability to work different things with the format, try new things."[4]
Location scouting for this season occurred in March 2023.[5] Filming began on June 13, 2023, inLos Angeles, California at theHollywood Sign.[6] From June 22 to 24, the show filmed inJaipur andAmber, India.[7][8] By June 30, the show was filming inEurope.[9] This season included a first-time visit toSlovenia.[5][10] This season also returned to using commercial flights instead of charter flights as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic on two previous seasons andseason 36,[11] which was the thirty-fifth season filmed in late 2022 and was pushed back following the decision to have 90-minute episodes.[5][12] Filming concluded in early July after traveling over 23,800 miles (38,300 km).[13][14] Elements of the show that also returned this season include the Express Pass (last seen inseason 29) and the U-Turn (last seen inseason 32) in the form of a voting U-Turn, which was previously utilized as a one off-twist onseason 31.[15][16] The Scramble, which was introduced in the 34th season, also returned but was included in the final leg rather than the first leg.[17]
The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.
Ared placement with a dagger (†) indicates that the team was eliminated.
Apurple ε indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks.
Anitalicized and underlined placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop, but there was no rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were instructed to continue racing.
Abrown ⊂ indicates the team on the receiving end of a U-Turn.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had towalk across a tightrope strung between the Millennium Biltmore Hotel and unscramble a word puzzle –CITY OF ANGELS – in order to receive their next clue fromseason 34 winners Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to theairport and obtain tickets for one of two flights toBangkok, Thailand. Six teams were booked on the first flight, which departed 90 minutes earlier than the second flight with the remaining seven teams. Once there, teams had to travel toWat Paknam, which had their next clue.
One team had the option of winning an Express Pass if both team members could eat a plate offried insects. Morgan & Lena won the Express Pass.
This season's first Detour was a choice betweenSword Play orSpa Day. InSword Play, both team members had to learn a 30-seconddaab routine in order to receive their next clue. InSpa Day, both team members had to endure a painful 30-minuteThai massage in order to receive their next clue. If either team member asked to stop the massage, the team had to go to the end of the line and restart the massage from the beginning.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel to Wat Suwannaram inSalaya in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to harvest 20lotus flower bulbs from a muddy pond. Racers then had to make two bundles arranged in a specific pattern and wrapped with leaves and bamboo ties in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel toWat Rai Khing, place a coin in a marked elephant, and walk under the elephant three times in order to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenStock Up orScoop Up. InStock Up, teams had to purchase eight food items of specified quantities atDon Wai Market using only a phonetically-spelled shopping list in order to receive their next clue. InScoop Up, teams had to load a boat withpomelos from canals and then unload them at a dock until they filled five baskets in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Suan Sampran.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly toHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Once there, teams had to travel by bus toNinh KiềuWharf inCần Thơ and choose one of three departure times for the morning, when they received their next clue. Teams then boarded asampan and had to deliver baskets of fruit –dragonfruit,tangerines, andgolden melons – to three marked boats. With each delivery, teams received a third of a photograph that, when combined, revealed the location of their next clue: Pier 20. Morgan & Lena used their Express Pass to bypass this task.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenPaper orPlastic. InPaper, teams had to make twelve sheets of ediblerice paper calledbánh tráng in order to receive their next clue. InPlastic, teams had to apply vinyl onto a motorcycle part in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery.
Additional note
There was no elimination at the end of this leg; all teams were instead instructed to continue racing.
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by taxi to Cafe Tư Điếc and ask abarista for their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenStand orDeliver. InStand, teams had to carry seafood through a market to a stall and set up the stall so that it matched a vendor's in order to receive their next clue. InDeliver, teams had to carry four 66-pound (30 kg) mattresses to a hotel in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Ong Pagoda and write a wish on a card before receiving their next clue, which directed them to travel by taxi to theHùng King Temple.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had search among thousands of tiles that adorn the temple grounds and find the one tile that matched the photograph in their clue before they could check in at the nearby Pit Stop.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly toJaipur, India. Once there, teams had to travel by taxi to theAmber Palace inAmber, and carry a bundle ofsugarcane up a path to amahout in order to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to perform aBhavai dance, which involved balancing a stack of three pots on their head without dropping them, in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel on foot toPanna Meena ka Kund in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenAll Dolled Up orThe Big Picture. InAll Dolled Up, teams had to assemble twoKathputlimarionettes in order to receive their next clue. InThe Big Picture, teams had to recreate aRajput painting by adding themselves in costumes and the correct cutouts to an incomplete mural in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Gatore Ki Chhatriyan in Jaipur.
At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by taxi to Famous Nagra Shoe Store №32 and ask the shop owner for their next clue. Teams then had to use atelescoping monocular to search the 953 windows ofHawa Mahal for the location of their next clue: Udai Poll №2 near Jalebi Chowk. There, teams had to get an electricauto rickshaw out of a lot by pushing surrounding rickshaws out of the way and then travel to SDMasala Spice Shop №49 in order to find their next clue and learn if they were U-Turned.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenBundles orBricks. InBundles, teams had to bundle four types of Navrang flowers, load an auto rickshaw with the flowers, deliver the flowers to two temples, and return to the flower market in order to exchange their receipts for their next clue. InBricks, teams had to load a cycling rickshaw with 50 bricks, one sack of sand, and two sacks of gravel, deliver the supplies to a construction site, and give their receipt to a supplier in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel by auto rickshaw to Garg Textile Wholesale Fabric Shop in order to receive a bolt of fabric and their next clue directing them to Jaipur Mahal.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use fourprinting blocks to properly print nineIndian peacocks on their fabric bolt in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop:Badi Chaupar.
Additional note
Before teams began this leg, they had to vote in secret for a team to be U-Turned. Steve & Anna Leigh received the most votes. The teams' votes were as follows:
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly toFrankfurt, Germany. Once there, teams had to drive to Fähre-Kaub and exchange fiveeuros for a bag of historical coins. Teams then continued on toBurg Rheinstein, which had their next clue.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to use a formula in order to give the equivalent of fivegroschen usingwitten to arobber baron. Once done, racers gained entry to the castle, received their next clue, and rappelled back down to their partner.
After the first Roadblock, teams had to drive toCologne and find their next clue at Gürzenich Köln. There, teams had to take part in aCologne Carnival with one team member pedaling ahussar bicycle and the other throwing roses to the crowd before receiving their next clue. Then, teams had to travel on foot to theHohenzollernbrücke, which had their next clue.
In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to find alove lock marked with anAmazing Race flag and unlock the combination lock with the numbers of theoldest cologne produced in Cologne in order to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenJust for Kicks orMatter of Taste. InJust for Kicks, teams had to kick four soccer balls onto a largedartboard and score exactly 66 points in order to receive their next clue. InMatter of Taste, teams had to sample ninemustards, memorize their German names, and then identify nine unmarked samples in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: theSchokoladenmuseum.
Additional note
Andrea & Malaina fell so far behind that Phil met them when they arrived at Gürzenich Köln to inform them of their elimination, as all of the other teams had already checked in at the Pit Stop.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to fly overLake Bled in aglider, spot four boats with large numbers, and then arrange the numbers to form theyear of Slovenian independence after returning to the airport before they could open up a clipboard with their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to thePlanica Nordic Centre and find their next clue. There, teams had to doncross-country skis, ski to the top of the indoor ski track, and retrieve their next clue.
One team had the option of winning an Express Pass if they could climb to the top of theLetalnica Bratov Gorišek and then ride azipline back down. Rob & Corey won the Express Pass.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenField Work orHouse Work. InField Work, teams had to place hay onto ahayrack in order to receive their next clue. InHouse Work, teams had to assemble anapiary in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to drive toNebotičnik in Ljubljana and then climb the staircase to the top of the building in order to find their next clue, which directed them to travel on foot to the Pit Stop: theDragon Bridge.
Additional notes
Teams were provided with airplane and train tickets to Ljubljana, but were under no obligation to use them.
Once in Ljubljana, teams had to search outside of thetrain station for their next clue. This task went unaired in the episode.[25][26]
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel on foot toCongress Square and find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to attach wooden kitchen utensils to a backpack called akrosnja and then deliver them to a judge in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to Pivka Jama, descend into the cave, and find their next clue. Teams then had to assemble adragon in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Fonda Fish Farm.
This leg's Detour was a choice betweenScrape Off orSwap Out. InScrape Off, teams had to use chains to scrape thebarnacles from the underside of a floatingfish farming container in order to receive their next clue. InSwap Out, teams had to paddle a kayak to two marked buoys, pull out nets filled withmussels, replace the buoys, and deliver the mussels to shore in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Grad Socerb inSocerb.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by bus toVienna, Austria, and then fly toStockholm, Sweden.[27] Once there, teams were instructed to travel by taxi to Stockholms Fallskärmsklubb and grab a number. The next morning, teams retrieved their next clue and were instructed to skydive 10,000 feet (3,000 m) over theBaltic Sea. After landing onDjurgården, teams found their next clue. They then had to travel on foot to Villa Källhagen and then by boat to the island ofTynningö in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to construct a flower ring, attach it to aMidsummermaypole, then raise the maypole and join thecircle dance around it in order to receive their next clue. Rob & Corey used their Express Pass to bypass this Roadblock.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by boat to Nybrokajen and then search theRoyal Dramatic Theatre for a violinist with their next clue. They then had to travel bysubway to theSolna centrum metro station, which had their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice betweenSort orServe. InSort, teams had to sort a pile of trash into the correct receptacles in order to receive their next clue. InServe, one team member had to memorize four three-courseNobel Banquet dinners and relay them to their partner, who had to find the correct dishes from a vast spread. Once all fourNobel laureates were served, teams received their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel by taxi to the Pampas Marina and search for their next clue by theM/YAlba II. Teams then had to travel by subway to the Pit Stop: Strömparterren.
During the Pit Stop, teams used amobile app in order to book a flight toDublin, Ireland. Once there, teams had to drive toForty Foot and swim in theIrish Sea to a buoy with their next clue. Teams then had to drive to theGaiety Theatre in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to perform thirty seconds of anIrish stepdance routine fromRiverdance in order to receive their next clue.
After the first Roadblock, teams had to drive toCroke Park in order to find their next clue.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member, regardless of who performed the first Roadblock, had to perform ahurling drill, which involved completing and catching a pass and then scoring a point in order to receive their next clue.
After the second Roadblock, teams had to drive toToner's Pub. There, both team members had to memorize and recite a passage fromJames Joyce'sUlysses in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to travel on foot to the Pit Stop:St Patrick's Cathedral.
Additional note
When teams arrived at Croke Park, they had to rappel down from the stadium'sjumbotron and onto the field before receiving their second Roadblock clue. This task went unaired in the episode.[28]
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly toSeattle, Washington. Once there, teams had to search theairport's parking garage for a marked car with their next clue: a miniature souvenirSpace Needle. Teams had to drive there and find their next clue. Teams then had to climb onto the roof of the Space Needle and retrieve their next clue, which directed them toChihuly Garden and Glass.
Teams encountered a Scramble and had to complete each of the followingSeattle arts tasks in any order so as to get three pieces of a clue which, when assembled, revealed their next destination.
For the task at the Seattle Glassblowing Studio entitledGlass, teams had to useglassblowing techniques in order to turn molten glass into aglass float before receiving a clue piece.
For the task atThe Showbox entitledGrunge, teams had to set up a stage for agrunge band in order to receive a clue piece.
For the task at the Emerald City Trapeze Arts entitledGrab, both teams members had to perform a knee hang catch on aflying trapeze in order to receive a clue piece.
The three clue pieces formed amodelseaplane that directed teams to drive to theKenmore Air Harbor, which had their next clue. There, teams had to arrangekayaks with the Roadblock prompts and Detour choices from the previous eleven legs in chronological order on storage racks and place kayak paddles displaying each country on the associated rack before receiving their final clue, which directed them to the finish line: theClise Mansion inRedmond, Washington.
The Amazing Race 35 received positive reviews.Andy Dehnart ofreality blurred wrote, "This season ofThe Amazing Race started slowly for me, with two episodes that couldn't really fill their 90 minutes. Starting with its legs inVietnam, though, it recovered, finding its way not only into a better use of the 90 minutes, but back to its old self."[29] Meghan Behnke ofCinemaBlend was positive with the use of 90-minute episodes for bothThe Amazing Race 35 andSurvivor 45.[30] Amanda Gardner ofScreen Rant wrote, "All the teams brought something unique throughout the race, making it an unforgettable season."[31] In 2024, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant placed this season within the bottom 13 out of 36.[32]
Air travel 
Rail travel 
Water travel 
Bus travel
Helicopter travel 
Bicycle travel 
Gondola travel
Detour 
Roadblock 
U-Turn 
Express Pass 
Scramble 
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