| Module1: |
| ||||||||
| Num Episodes: | 13 | ||||||||
| Network: | Discovery Latin America | ||||||||
| Film Start: | 27 May 2009 | ||||||||
| Film End: | 18 June 2009 |
The Amazing Race en Discovery Channel 1 is the first season of The Amazing Race en Discovery Channel, a Latin American reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Hosted by Harris Whitbeck,[1] it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, in a race across Latin America to win US$250,000. The season was produced by RGB Entertainment.[2] This season visited two continents and nine countries and traveled over 14600km (9,100miles). Starting in Iguaçu National Park, racers traveled through Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Mexico before finishing in Mexico City. The Amazing Race en Discovery Channel premiered on Discovery Latin America on Sunday 20 September 2009 at 10:00 p.m. (UTC-5).[3] The season finale was aired on 13 December 2009 at 10:00 p.m. (UTC-5).
Argentine married couple Matías Franchini and Tamara Reichelt were the winners of this season, while Venezuelan godfather and godson Daniel España and David Galavis finished in second place, and Chilean friends Ferna Guzmán and Fran Coombs finished in third place.
Discovery Channel greenlit the first installment in November 2008.
Filming lasted for 23 days and covered nearly 14600km (9,100miles). The first season spanned nine countries in two continents. This season was the first-time any Amazing Race franchise outside of the original American version visited North America. Among the countries visited this season, 7 had been visited by the original American version, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Peru. At the time the season aired, Colombia and the Dominican Republic hadn't been visited by the American version, with Colombia later visited in the twenty-eighth season of the original American version in 2016.[4]
The route markers in this season were colored blue and black, including the clue envelopes and the Pit Stop. Also different from other editions is the fact that the opening shows the teams' country of origin.
Only two teams, both of which were Mexican teams (Casilda & Casilda and Guillermo & Gabriel), appeared at the Finish Line in Mexico City.
Applications were accepted from 17 November 2008 to 31 January 2009.
Visa, Palm Treo Pro and Nintendo were the sponsors of this season.
This season counted with eleven teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela. The cast includes the first team in the history of the franchise composed of a godfather and a godson, a homosexual dating couple, and a team of non-identical twins.
| Contestants | Age | Relationship | Hometown | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Siblings | Rosario, Argentina | Eliminated 1st (in Buenos Aires, Argentina) | |
| 33 | ||||
| 33 | Twins | Playa del Carmen, Mexico | Eliminated 2nd (in Aconcagua Provincial Park, Argentina) | |
| 33 | ||||
| 60 | Father & Daughter | Panama City, Panama | Eliminated 3rd (in Santiago, Chile) | |
| 26 | ||||
| 38 | Dating | Bucaramanga, Colombia | Eliminated 4th (in Lima, Peru) | |
| 24 | ||||
| 26 | Boyfriends | Bogotá, Colombia | Eliminated 5th (in Bogotá, Colombia) | |
| 28 | ||||
| 55 | Mother & Daughter | Mexico City, Mexico | Eliminated 6th (in Cartagena, Colombia) | |
| 30 | ||||
| 29 | Dating Biologists | São Paulo, Brazil | Eliminated 7th (in Gamboa, Panama) | |
| 28 | ||||
| 27 | Friends | Araraquara, Brazil | Eliminated 8th (in Irazú Volcano National Park, Costa Rica) | |
| 29 | ||||
| 28 | Friends | Santiago, Chile | Third place | |
| 28 | ||||
| 55 | Godfather & Godson | Caracas, Venezuela | Runners-up | |
| 23 | ||||
| 29 | Married | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Winners | |
| 35 |
The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12a | 12b | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matías & Tamara | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | ||
| Daniel & David | 2nd | 10th | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 6th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | |
| Ferna & Fran | 10th | 3rd | 9th | 5th | 5th | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Daniel & Carlos | 5th | 2nd | 7th | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 5th | 5th | 1st | 2nd | ||||
| Rodrigo & Anna | 6th | 8th | 4th | 6th | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 4th | ||||||
| Casilda & Casilda | 3rd | 6th | 1st | 3rd | 6th | 6th | ||||||||
| Diego & Miguel | 7th | 5th | 5th | 8th | 7th | 5th | ||||||||
| Mario & Melissa | 8th | 4th | 8th | 7th | ||||||||||
| Ricardo & Adriana | 4th | 9th | 6th | |||||||||||
| Guillermo & Gabriel | 9th | 7th | ||||||||||||
| Nora & Ariel | ||||||||||||||
Airdate: September 20, 2009
This series' first Detour was a choice between Flores (Flowers) or Árbol (Tree). In Flores, teams made their way to Lago Negro, where they had to paddle a swan boat across the lake to pick up a basket of flowers from a villager. Then they had to go back to the dock and give the basket to a female villager to receive their next clue. In Árbol, teams made their way to the Aldeia Do Papai Noel, where they had to search the "Arvore dos Desejos" for a wooden block called a "mimo" with their names written on it that they had to give to an elf to receive their next clue.
Airdate: October 4, 2009
In this season's only Fast Forward, one team had to arrange 1,000 toy soldiers to make 25 rows with 40 soldiers in each to win the Fast Forward award.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search a vineyard for 18 wine bottles of three different colors, label them, and put the bottles in their corresponding boxes to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Aire (Air) or Piedra (Stone). In Aire, teams had to ride a zip-line over the Mendoza River to receive their next clue. In Piedra, teams received a stone with a drawing and had to search Cerro Tunduqueral for the matching petroglyph to receive their next clue from a shaman.
Airdate: October 11, 2009
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to jump from a platform into the Pacific Ocean and swim 30 meters underneath the platform to receive next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Mariscos (Seafood) or Carnada (Bait). In Mariscos, teams had to eat an entire plate of a cold mollusk dish called Mariscal Frío to receive their next clue. In Carnada, teams had to place bait onto 100 fish hooks to receive their next clue.
Airdate: October 18, 2009
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to make a big soap bubble, drive a robot to transport two stones, then read a famous scientific quotation out loud in a gyroscope to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Dulce (Sweet) or Salado (Salted). In Dulce, teams had to buy a packet of fortune cookie with a provided Visa card at Hong Kong Market and search for the one cookie containing a message. Then they had to find that message in the sidewalk tiles on Capon Street to receive their next clue from the Chinese master. In Salado, teams had to buy two cutting boards and a knife with a provided Visa card at Hong Kong Market, find the Salón China Restaurant and cut two ducks, 3kg (07lb) of onions and ten heads of garlic to receive their next clue from the chef.
Airdate: October 25, 2009
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to perform the highest bungee jump in South America to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Hojas (Leaves) or Granos (Grains). In Hojas, teams had to search for three coca leaves among many different leaves and give them to the Master Healer to receive their next clue. In Granos, teams had to transport 100 maize cobs through a large course to receive their next clue from the cacique.
Airdate: November 1, 2009
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to rappel down a waterfall to receive the next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Visual or Táctil (Tactile). In Visual, teams had 15 seconds to observe a Fernando Botero painting in Virgilio Barco Public Library, then fill in another painting with the correct missing colors to receive their next clue. In Táctil, teams had to receive a chocolate massage to receive their next clue.
For their Speed Bump, Casilda & Casilda had to play tejo until one team member struck a gunpowder-loaded target with a stone before they could continue racing.
Airdate: November 8, 2009
This leg's Detour was a choice between Hacia Adelante (Onward) or Hacia Arriba (Upward). In Hacia Adelante, teams had to go to Baluarte Santo Domingo, retrieve 12 baskets, and deliver them to Baluarte San Pedro Mártir to receive their next clue. In Hacia Arriba, teams had to climb up a ship's mast, take two flags, and give them to the captain to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to eat a bottle of local candies to receive their next clue.
Airdate: November 15, 2009
This leg's Detour was a choice between Pasacables (Cableman) or Timonel (Helmsman). In Pasacables, teams had to go to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, then pass a cable above a metal rod high above them. After passing three cables above the rod (with six shots per turn), a cableman would give them the next clue. In Timonel, teams had to go to Sidmar Marine Training School and sail a boat in a simulator of the Panama Canal without crashing into any other boat for 15 minutes to receive their next clue from the captain.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search among 60 freight wagons at the Cargo Terminal of the Pacific for a working lamp to receive their next clue.
Airdate: November 22, 2009
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to hit a professional pitcher's throw to receive their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Ofrenda (Offering) or Astucia (Cunning). In Ofrenda, teams had to search for a small statuette inside a cave, take it to a big statuette in another place in the cave, and place it as an offering to receive their next clue. In Astucia, teams had to form a square from pieces of a tangram to receive their next clue.
Airdate: November 29, 2009
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to choose a site, dig to get a chest with keys inside, then search for another chest and try to open it with one of the keys they found. The clue was inside one of the chests, but there were many empty chests buried.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Palas (Shovels) or Remos (Paddles). In Palas, teams had to create the picture of a seahorse in the sand, following an example exactly. When they had completed this correctly, the sculptor would give them their next clue. In Remos, teams had to row a kayak to a boat in the sea, where a sailor would give them their next clue.
For their Speed Bump, Matías & Tamara had to set up six hotel rooms by making the beds and folding a pair of towel swans in each room before they could continue racing.
Airdates: December 6 and 13, 2009
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to eat three Mexican tacos with grasshoppers, Maguey Worm and several species of cricket to receive their next clue from the waiter.
This leg's first Detour was a choice between Altura (Height) or Profundidad (Deepness). In Altura, teams had three minutes to climb a greasy pole with each team member having to grab a flag from the top of the pole to receive their next clue. In Profundidad, teams had three minutes to dive into a shark tank, where each team member had to find a marked stone on the bottom of the tank to receive their next clue.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member, regardless of who performed the first Roadblock, had to grab a flag from one wrestler's boot in three minutes to receive their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Mariachis or Trajineras. In Mariachis, teams had to find an image of Santa Muerte under a hat worn by one of the mariachis playing to receive their next clue. In Trajineras, teams had to find a trajinera (typical boats of Xochimilco) called "Zita" and find the clue inside the boat.