The Amazing Race Season 17 Premiere: Tony and Ron Lost Their Way

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Tonight was the much anticipated starting leg of The Amazing Race, now in it’s 17th season. One thing this reality show guarantees is that there will be action, constantly. Oh, and every once in a while there is a close to severe injury (no one has been seriously injured though). Tonight we saw what happens when melons take their revenge!

It started off like any other Amazing Race. Phil Keoghan met with all the teams at the starting line, tonight’s was Glouchester, MA. There are eight pit stops that are elimination legs. There is also a new twist... the Express Pass. The winners of this first leg, win a free pass before or during any challenge they choose during the course of the race. This will definitely affect the race. When played, the team will be allowed to skip the challenge and head to the pit stop.


Off went the teams to the airport in Boston for a flight to London.

The Amazing Race Season 17 teams:
Brook & Claire - QVC sales women
Chad & Stephanie - Chad plans to propose
Katie & Rachel - sand volleyball team
Connor & Jonathan - a capella singers (dubbed on Twitter as #teamGlee)
Kat & Nat - doctors... not just that, but surgeons!
Michael & Kevin - father and son YouTube sensations
Nick & Vickie - Dating couple (bikers)
Ron & Tony - Best friends ... oh and they met on doing the play The Wiz (dubbed #teamWiz)
Jill & Thomas - Dating couple
Gary & Mallory - Reigning Miss Kentucky and her father
Andie & Jenna - Birth mother reunited with her adult daughter (who was adopted)

Cast of The Amazing Race 17: Bio video


Yep, lots of room for drama in this cast.

Ron and Tony made it clear that they were the smartest navigators in the group. They backed it up by being the first team to the airport in Boston. The first three teams to arrive would leave on a flight that arrives 30 minutes earlier in London.

Joining Ron and Tony on the first plane were: Jill and Thomas, and Chad and Stephanie.

Once in England, The Amazing Race was on to Stonehenge. It always looks kind of weird to me to see these major historical landmarks with a yellow and red TAR flag off to the side. Only “Harry Potter” look-alike Jonathan noticed the beauty. In fact he said it was “magical” (I swear!).

Nick and Vicki were in the dark from the start of the race, lagging far behind. Vicki had no idea what Stonehenge was/is and said, “...now I find out it’s a bunch of rocks!” I think I’ll be shaking my head a lot in shame for our education system when I watch Nick and Vicki. Please let them be dropouts!

The stop at Stonhenge was only to pick up directions to the challenge at a castle. The Amazing Race always comes down to the little things... driving a car. Gary and Mallory got a flat tire.

Rule number one for TAR: Learn to drive a stick shift!
Rule number two: Learn to work on a car like a pit crew!

While getting to the castle for the challenge proved nearly too much for a couple of teams, once they got there it was no picnic. First the teams had to storm a castle wall... with peasants throwing freezing green water on them from the top. Once at the top, grab a flag and head for these tiny turtle shell shaped boats.

The boats were hysterical. I could have watched nothing but them... slowly sinking... and laughed all night. It got much better though.

After getting across a stream in the boat, teams headed to a knight vs watermelon challenge. Using a giant slingshot, one team mate had to knock over an armored knight target. Simple enough... until the melons turn on you!

In a classic “man vs. nature” match up, Claire got a face full of watermelon at high speed. She did not even cry. Claire got back up, after saying several times that she could not feel her face, and shot two more watermelons. She knocked down the target. Impressive! Her mantra running to the finish line was “my face is frozen...my face is frozen... my face is frozen...” I bet! That’s what happens when bad watermelons attack good people.

Here it is again! “Right in the kisser!” ~ Brook



Back on the road... yes there were still teams trying to find the castle late in the game. Ron and Tony showed that they only have great American navigation skills. Meaning they do not transfer to Europe, apparently. These two spent more time on the road than they did in The Amazing Race. Even the father/daughter team of Gary and Mallory lapped them after changing a tire.

Here is how the first leg of The Amazing Race 17 finished:
1st: Jill & Thomas (Express Pass winners)
2nd: Nat & Kat
3rd: Connor & Jonathan
4th: Brook & Claire
5th: Katie & Rachel
6th: Gary & Mallory
7th: Michael & Kevin
8th: Chad & Stephanie (who wandered looking for Phil forever!)
9th: Andie & Jenna
10th: Nick & Vicki

When Nick and Vicki arrived at the pit stop Phil asked what country they were in, Vicki replied “London”. Yes, Phil agreed, “...we are in the country of London.”

All the Master’s Degrees in the world could not get Ron and Tony across the river in that tiny boat (when they finally found their way). It was more sad watching them, since I kind of liked them both. Phil pronounced them the last team to arrive, and out of The Amazing Race.

Is there anyone you are rooting for yet in TAR 17? I like #teamGle (Connor & Jonathan) and the docs (Nat & Kat). After her brutal melon mugging tonight, I feel I have to cheer for Claire... but that means cheering for Brook (and her voice is going to drive me nuts). Who do you like so far?

Watch the full episode of The Amazing Race now!


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