The Gauntlet
Season 7
Presented by	Jonny Moseley
No. of contestants	28
Winners	Adam Larson Cara Zavaleta Darrell Taylor Dave Giuntoli Rachel Robinson Roni Martin Sarah Greyson Theo Vonkurnatowski Veronica Portillo
Location	Telluride, Colorado
Opening theme	"It's" by Ill Kidd
No. of episodes	16
Release
Original network	MTV
Original release	September 29, 2003 (2003-09-29) – January 26, 2004 (2004-01-26)
Season chronology
← Previous Battle of the Sexes Next → The Inferno

Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet is the 7th season of the MTV reality game show, The Challenge (at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge). The season is directly subsequent to Battle of the Sexes. The Gauntlet featured 28 castmates competing in missions with an immunity life-saver awarded to the best individual performer. Each team would then select a player from their team to go into the Gauntlet elimination challenge. It was hosted by Jonny Moseley. This season was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding reality program.^[1]

Filming was originally planned to began in July 2003 in Middletown, RI, but in June a local judge blocked it at request of local residents who thought it would be "materially disruptive". The show instead ended up being filmed in Telluride, CO, and finished filming in August 2003.^[2][3] A casting special, Real World/Road Rules Corral: A Guide To The Gauntlet was aired on September 22, 2003. The season premiered one week later on September 29, 2003, and concluded on January 26, 2004, with the season in-review special. This is the first edition of the Gauntlet series, with The Gauntlet 2 following in 2005–2006 and The Gauntlet III following in 2008.

Contestants

Gameplay

Gauntlet games

• Ride 'Em Cowboy: Players have to hold on to a mechanical bull with just one hand. Whoever falls off first loses.
  • Played 3 Times: Katie vs. Montana, Rachel B. vs. Sarah, Cara vs. Theo G.
• Dead Man's Drop: Players are suspended 10 feet into the air on a pole. They have to hold on to the pole by hanging upside down with their legs.
  • Played 4 Times: David vs. Sarah, Coral vs. Tina, Matt vs. Sarah, Irulan vs. Sarah
• Hangman: Similar to Dead Man's Drop, players are still suspended 10 feet into the air, only they hang on the pole with their hands and are positioned right side up.
  • Played 1 Time: Katie vs. Rachel B.
• Perfect Fit: Players first must jump into a pool and pick up their respective puzzle pieces (which are scattered about the pool). The first player to solve the puzzle wins.
  • Played 3 Times: Steve vs. Tonya, Steve vs. Trishelle, Sarah vs. Trishelle
• Knock Your Block Off: Players joust on a beam right above a pool. Whoever gets knocked off first loses.
  • Played 2 Times: Cara vs. Elka, Abram vs. Mike
• Pole Climb: Players climb a 10-foot pole. Whoever gets to the top first pulls a lever that drops the opponent's pole into the pool.
  • Played 1 Time: Alton vs. Laterrian

Game summary

Bank Accounts

• Real World - $60,000
  • $12,000 each
• Road Rules - $230,000
  • $25,555 each

Gauntlet progress

Teams

  The contestant is on the Real World team

  The contestant is on the Road Rules team

Competition

  The contestant won the final challenge

  The contestant lost the final challenge

  The contestant won the Freshlook Eyesaver Winner and was safe from the Gauntlet

  The contestant was not selected to go into the Gauntlet

  The contestant won the Gauntlet

  The contestant lost the Gauntlet and was eliminated

  The contestant was removed from the final challenge due to illness

Episodes

After filming

Instead of a reunion special, Battle Scars - From the Gauntlet to the Inferno, a follow-up special aired on January 26, 2004 introducing the next season, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno with commentary by few of this season's contestants.^{[citation needed]}