The Amazing Race Australia 3 is the third season of The Amazing Race Australia, an Australian reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Officially titled The Amazing Race Australia v New Zealand and hosted by Grant Bowler, it featured ten teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship (five from Australia and five from New Zealand), in a race around the world to win the grand prize of A$250,000. This season visited six continents and ten countries and travelled over 90,000 kilometres (56,000 mi) during ten legs. Starting at Uluru, racers travelled through New Zealand, Cambodia, Thailand, Namibia, Russia, Portugal, Croatia, Argentina and the United States before finishing in Port Campbell. New twists introduced in this season include awarding the winners of the first leg a second Express Pass that they had to give to another team, the Nation vs. Nation task and the Speed Bump. The season premiered on Australia's Seven Network on 4 August 2014 after The X-Factor and on New Zealand's TV2 on 5 August 2014 after My Kitchen Rules 5. The season concluded in Australia on 25 September 2014 and in New Zealand on 7 October 2014.
Australian intensive care nurses Daniel Little and Ryan Thomas were the winners of this season, while dating turned engaged bodybuilders Sally Yamamoto and Tyson Smith finished in second place and newlyweds Ashleigh and Jarrod Jende finished in third place.
Production
Development and Filming
The Starting Line for The Amazing Race Australia v New Zealand took place near Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.
On 14 August 2012, Seven Network announced it was looking for contestants for a third series of The Amazing Race Australia.[1] Despite calling for contestant applications, the show was absent in the Seven Network's 2013 upfronts and was replaced by an unsuccessful revival of the Australian version of The Mole.[2]
The series was renewed again on 22 October 2013.[3] It was also announced that Seven's in-house production company, Seven Productions, would produce the series. ActiveTV, the production company involved in the show's first two series, would no longer be involved.[4]
Filming began in March 2014 at Uluru in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Production wrapped on March 30, 2014, in Port Campbell, Victoria.[5] This season travelled across six continents and ten countries, all of which were first-time visits, covering over 90,000 kilometres (56,000 mi).[6]
Instead of being marked for elimination for finishing last in a non-elimination leg, the Speed Bump was introduced on this series. It required the team that finished last in a non-elimination leg to perform an additional task at some point during the next leg. The Salvage Pass also returned; however, it was awarded to the team that arrived first in the sixth leg rather than the first.
Casting
Applications for the third edition originally opened during the second season, despite the show not being officially renewed by Seven Network.[7] When the show was officially renewed for 2014, applications opened again, including to citizens of New Zealand. Applicants who applied previously were given a chance to update their application. This second round of applications ended on 18 December 2013.[8]
The cast included Jesse O'Brien, who was previously a contestant on the first season of New Zealand Idol. He withdrew from the season to attend to the birth of his daughter. He then returned for the second season.[9] Well-known Australian anthropologist Elizabeth Grant participated with her son, Todd. During leg 6, Tyson Smith proposed to Sally Yamamoto on their fourth anniversary, and she accepted.
In 2019, Jonathan "Jono" Trenberth appeared on the third season of Married at First Sight NZ.[10]
Results
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 and had to perform a Speed Bump task in the following leg.
An italicized 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.
A green ƒ indicates that the team won the Fast Forward.
A purple ε indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks.
A teal x indicates that the leg included the Nation vs. Nation task.
A brown ⊃ indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a brown ⊂ indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn.
A violet + indicates that the teams encountered an Intersection.
A purple § indicates that the team used their Salvage advantage.
^This leg featured an Intersection. The teams were paired up thusly: John & Murray and Ashleigh & Jarrod, Daniel & Ryan and Sally & Tyson, and Carla & Hereni and Cat & Jesse.
^This team used their Salvage advantage on this leg.
^ abJohn & Murray chose to use the U-Turn on Sally & Tyson.
^ abThis team used their Express Pass to bypass one of the tasks on this leg.
^This team arrived last at the Pit Stop, but they were instructed to continue racing.
^John & Murray initially arrived 1st, but had not paid their tuk-tuk driver. They were required to settle the bill before being allowed to check in. Emily & Jono checked in during this time, dropping John & Murray to 2nd.
Race summary
The route of The Amazing Race Australia 3 (Australia v New Zealand)
Destinations
Air travel Rail travel Water travel Bus travel Helicopter travel Bicycle travel Gondola travel
Teams began the race at the Uluru in the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. In the series' first Nation vs. Nation task, the ten teams were divided into two groups based on their nationality to compete in a "Trans-Tasman tug of war". The first group to pull their opponents' flag past a marker was given a 10-minute head start to the airport. This task was won by the New Zealand teams.
Teams were instructed to fly to Christchurch, New Zealand. Teams had to drive to Ayers Rock Airport, where they booked one of two Virgin Australia flights to Christchurch, the first of which carried only four teams and arrived an hour before the second. Once in Christchurch, teams had to travel to the Cardboard Cathedral, where they had to choose one of three departure times for the following morning. The next morning, teams were given their next clue, had to find a marked vehicle and drove themselves to Rangitata Rafts on the Rangitata River. There, teams had to raft down grade fiverapids and find one half of a ring from The Lord of the Rings in order to receive their next clue directing them to Rata Peak Station.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to drive a tractor through a slalom course and move four hay bales into a marked area. They then had to go to a sheep paddock and find the sheep who had the other half of their ring.
The two halves of the ring told teams to "Continue west to the Pit Stop" in the Southern Alps.
Leg 2 (New Zealand → Cambodia)
For the Roadblock in Cambodia, teams visited Angkor Wat, where they counted the temple's monks.
Episode 2: "She's Got One Hell of a Body on Her and She Just Used It" (11 August 2014)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Once there, teams had to travel to the Old Market, where they had to eat seven fried tarantulas, with each individual team member eating at least three, in order to receive their next clue. Teams then travelled by tuk-tuk to the Tourist Information Center in order to buy entry tickets to Angkor Wat, where they found their next clue. They were also provided with step counters that they had to wear for the duration of the leg. At the end of the leg, Daniel & Ryan won a 30-minute time-credit (applied at the start of the next leg) for having the closest number of steps between team members.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to count the monks wearing red and yellow prayer beads. Once they had counted all of the monks, they had to collect an offering and find two other monks inside the temple. The racer had to pick one of the two monks to whom to give their answer and their offering, but one of the monks would lie even if the racer had the right answer. Once the truth-telling monk was given the correct answer, he gave racers their next clue. John & Murray used their Express Pass to bypass this Roadblock.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Tjoup Snae Restaurant, where they had to record the readings on their step counters before retrieving their next clue.
This season's first Detour was a choice between Shrimp or Shoot. In Shrimp, teams had to collect 750 grams (26 oz) of shrimp from fish traps in Tonlé Sap in order to receive their next clue. In Shoot, teams had to travel to the floating village of Chong Khneas and find the local pool hall, where they had to level out a pool table and then sink five balls while competing against a local player in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Baphuon in Angkor.
Leg 3 (Cambodia → Thailand)
The island of Ko Poda served as the Pit Stop for this leg.
Episode 3: "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance" (18 August 2014)
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by taxi to the Cambodia–Thailand border crossing in Poipet, cross on foot and then travel by bus to Bangkok, Thailand. Once there, teams had to find Now Travel in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to fly to Krabi. Once there, teams had to find Thai Thai Massage in Ao Nang, where they had to choose one of eight spa treatments written in Thai and without knowing how long the treatment would take. Once the treatment was complete, teams received their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Climb Up or Drill Down. For both Detour options, teams had to travel by long-tail boat to Phra Nang Beach. In Climb Up, both team members had to scale a sheer rock face to retrieve an Amazing Race flag, which they could exchange for their next clue. In Drill Down, teams had to first build a hand drill and then use it to extract enough coconut juice from a pile of coconuts so as to fill a container in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to East Railay Beach in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, teams had to travel to a marked area of the sea, where one team member had to dive down to the sea floor and retrieve a golden clam with a pearl, which contained their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the island of Ko Poda.
Additional note
John & Murray chose to use the U-Turn on Sally & Tyson.
Khomas Region (Na'an Kuse Wildlife Sanctuary – Bushmen Village)
Khomas Region (Na'an Kuse Wildlife Sanctuary – Watering Hole)
Episode summary
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Windhoek, Namibia. Once there, teams had to search the airport parking lot for a marked vehicle which contained their next clue. Teams were directed to drive to the Na'an Kuse Wildlife Sanctuary, where they had to lead two baboons along a marked path in order to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to cut up a pile of offal and prepare the correct quantity to feed to a pride of lions in order to receive their next clue. Carla & Hereni used their Express Pass to bypass the Roadblock.
After the Roadblock, teams had to go to the Clever Cubs School, where they had to learn a song in the local San language and perform it with the San children in order to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Pipe or Poo. For both Detour options, teams had to travel to a Bushmen village by donkey cart. In Pipe, teams had to use a traditional bush method to make a fire. Once the village chief was able to light his pipe, teams could receive their next clue. In Poo, teams had to play a local game called bokdrool, which required both team members to spit two dried springbok dung pellets across a line eight metres (26 ft) away in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop at a nearby watering hole.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Saint Petersburg, Russia. Once there, teams had to travel to the battleship Aurora and then search for their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to decipher a message communicated by the ship commander from the top of the battleship in flag semaphore and written in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet – Russian: Не́вский проспе́кт, tr.Nevsky Prospekt – in order to receive their next clue, which was a photograph of the Kazan Cathedral. Teams found their next clue at the cathedral.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Cossack or Coat Rack. In Cossack, teams had to perform a traditional Cossack dance to the satisfaction of the instructor in order to receive their next clue. In Coat Rack, teams had to search through a pile of over three hundred tags to discover the one that was missing. They then had to then search the coats in the coat room for the missing tag, which they could exchange for their next clue.
At the Taleon Imperial Hotel, teams encountered an Intersection, which required two teams to join together to complete all tasks until further notice. The teams were paired up thusly: John & Murray and Ashleigh & Jarrod, Daniel & Ryan and Sally & Tyson, and Carla & Hereni and Cat & Jesse. After pairing up, one team member from each of the two teams had to enter a vault full of highly sensitive lasers to retrieve a jeweled egg, which contained a small figurine of the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood as their only hint as to the location of the Pit Stop. At this point, teams were no longer joined.
Additional notes
Due to limited availability of flights out of Namibia, teams were provided tickets for a flight to Saint Petersburg, but were under no obligation to use them.
There was no elimination at the end of this leg; all teams were instead instructed to continue racing.
Leg 6 (Russia)
This leg's Nation vs. Nation task required teams to play with Russia's traditional doll, the matryoshka.
Episode 6: "I'm Not Going to Come Last, I'm Just Going to Die on The Amazing Race" (1 September 2014)
Teams were instructed to travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Kostroma. Once there, they had to travel to the Museum of Wooden Architecture in order to find their next clue.
In this season's final Nation vs. Nation task, teams from each country had to team up, select three matryoshka dolls and search among hundreds of other nesting dolls in five separate houses in order to find the four smaller pieces that belonged to each of the dolls that they had chosen. Once the three teams collected all twelve pieces, they all received their next clue.
After the Nation vs. Nation task, teams had to travel to Susaninskaya Square, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Boil or Build. In Boil, teams had to fill a Russian outdoor bathing kettle with water and use wood and paper scraps to light a fire underneath it. They then had to submerge themselves in the icy water in order to receive their next clue. In Build, teams had to stack a pile of firewood within a marked area so that it matched a sample pile in order to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, teams had to travel to the North Hope Sled Dog Center, where one team member had to ride a dog sled of Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes around a slalom course through the forest in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers, overlooking the Ipatiev Monastery.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Lisbon, Portugal. Once there, teams had to travel to the Belém Tower, where had to correctly sing the Portuguese lyrics of the song "Fado do Cansaço" in sync with the music in order to receive their next clue from Cuca Roseta. Teams then had to travel by tram from Fábrica Sant'Anna to Largo das Portas do Sol in order to find their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Wet or Dry. In Wet, teams had to travel to a section of the Lisbon streets celebrating the AgitÁgueda Art Festival, where thousands of umbrellas were hung above the streets, and count all of the yellow umbrellas. When teams wrote the correct answer on a chalkboard and presented it to a judge, they received their next clue. In Dry, teams had to find a group of women on the streets with laundry baskets that had their names attached. Teams then had to search among the washing lines above the nearby streets for the article of clothing with a tag naming their laundry lady in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Largo do Chafariz de Dentro in order to find their next clue, which directed them to drive to Fisherman's Beach in Cascais, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to carry a large fish, two kilograms (4.4 lb) of mussels and five kilograms (11 lb) of octopus across town to the Restaurante A Económica and then eat a traditional Portuguese fish stew called cataplana in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Pena Palace in Sintra.
Additional notes
Daniel & Ryan used their Salvage Pass to gain a one-hour time credit at the start of this leg.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Once there, teams had to travel to the Ploča Gate, where they had to carry two stones up to the Watchman's Keep atop Minčeta Tower. Once there, the city guard asked them, "How many stairs did you count to reach me?" If teams wrote the correct answer on a chalkboard, they received their next clue. Teams then had to make their way to the Old Harbour and sign up for one of three departure times the next morning.
In this season's only Fast Forward, teams had to travel to the Dominican Monastery, where they were instructed to collect a prayer card from three different churches and then deliver them to Muški Frizerski Salon, where they had to get a tonsure haircut for men or a nun haircut for women. Daniel & Ryan won the Fast Forward.
For their Speed Bump, Ashleigh & Jarrod each had to properly knot a necktie on the other before they could continue racing.
Teams who did not elect to pursue the Fast Forward had to travel to the Big Onofrio Fountain, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to abseil face-first down the side of Fort Bokar in order to receive their next clue.
After the first Roadblock, teams had to walk along the city walls and search for their next clue near the south harbour wall of Fort Saint John.
In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to climb up Fort Saint John using an ascender in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Fort St. Lawrence.
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Once there, teams had to travel to the Estancia Las Bétulas in Luján.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to navigate a sulky, a horse-drawn carriage, to a polo field, where they had to properly dress and saddle a polo horse for competition in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams were instructed teams to find Buenos Aires's "most dramatic bookstore," which they had to figure out was the El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a converted theatre, where they found their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Tango or Tribute. In Tango, teams had to search through Carlos Gardel's biography, Tangos Que Cantó Gardel, for a card directing them to Pasaje de la Defensa, where both team members had to perform a complex tango routine in order to receive their next clue. In Tribute, teams had to search Diego Maradona's biography, Cebollita Maradona, to find his home stadium La Bombonera, where a football player instructed them in Spanish, "Find in the book the hospital where Diego Maradona was born." Once teams found the answer in the book, teams were handed a picture of Eva Perón, which directed them to the site of her grave at La Recoleta Cemetery, where they found their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Argentina Rowing Club in Tigre in order to find their next clue, which instructed them to row a rowboat to the Pit Stop at the Tigre Club.
Port Campbell National Park (Loch Ard Gorge – Mutton Bird Island Lookout)
Episode summary
At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Los Angeles in the United States. Once there, teams had to search the airport parking lot for a marked car, which contained their next clue. Teams were instructed them to photograph themselves with three movie characters, who had been portrayed by Australian-born actors, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If their photographs were approved at Ray's Photo Lab, teams received their next clue, which directed them to Pink's Hot Dogs. There, both team members had to eat a traditional Pink's hot dog in order to receive their next clue, which instructed teams to fly to Melbourne, Victoria.
Once in Melbourne, teams had to travel to the Moorabbin Airport, where they were instructed to fly by helicopter to the Great Otway National Park. Once there, they had search the Otway Fly Treetop Walk for their next clue located on a cantilever. Teams were instructed to begin an "Air, Land & Sea" task. Firstly, teams flew past the Twelve Apostles and had to search Port Campbell for a boat on land with the word LOCH on it. When they found the word, they landed on Great Ocean Road and had to find a local fisherman at Port Campbell Jetty, who gave them their next clue. Their second task was to find their second word ARD in a sandcastle on Port Campbell Beach. Lastly, they had to paddle out to a buoy in Port Campbell Bay and collect their third word, GORGE. After returning to shore, teams had to present all three words to a lifeguard in order to receive their next clue, which directed teams to combine the three words to form the location of their next clue: Loch Ard Gorge.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to find the nine items worn or held by the Pit Stop greeters from a vast array of items and place the items in the correct order that teams encountered them atop barrels in order to receive their final clue, which directed teams to the finish line at the Mutton Bird Island Lookout.
On the flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne, all teams were given a free upgrade to business class. Along the way, teams were given a challenge to name the locations on the Virgin Australia route map. Daniel & Ryan won two additional business class tickets to Los Angeles for winning this task.
Sally & Tyson and Ashleigh & Jarrod received 1,000,000 Velocity Frequent Flyer points for finishing in second and third places.
All ratings data in Australia are taken from the five major metropolitan centres. Data from regional areas is not accounted for. Due to poor programming from Channel 7 there is no set time-slot, but the start time for the show was around 8:40 p.m. to 9:10 p.m. Times are taken from Electronic Programming Guides which still may not be accurate as to the real start time. Despite the lower ratings compared to the previous series, the show rated well in time shift, often being among the highest viewership gainers for the night.
^"Amazing Race...To Port". Cobden Timboon Coast Times. 2 April 2014. CRISS-CROSSING the world the Amazing Race Australian competitors have seen it all – including Port Campbell. Over the weekend an episode to feature in the current season was filmed in Port Campbell and at Loch Ard Gorge.
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