The Amazing Race season 26, episode 1, “Great Way to Start a Relationship” just finished airing! Read our recap to find out which team got eliminated.
For the first time on The Amazing Race, 10 singles will be teamed up for an extreme form of a blind date. They will compete against six other teams made up of existing relationships.
Phil seems hopeful for love in the air and asks the teams coupled up on blind dates if they felt any tingling feelings. So far, all the blind daters say they’re happy with their teammates. But the preexisting couples think they have an advantage for knowing their couples.
Obstacle Course
The first challenge is the teams racing a mud run for plane tickets with only eight leaving on an earlier flight. Whoever wins the first leg of the race will win an express pass. The mud run looks cold and awful, and we’re not envious of the girls who had done their hair and makeup perfectly only to have it ruined right away.
On the first flight to Japan is Matt and Ashley, Jeff and Jackie, Laura and Tyler, Aly and Steve, Harley and Jonathan, Jeff and Lyda, Bergen and Kurt, and Jelani and Jenny.
On the second flight is Hayley and Blair, Mike and Rochelle, and Libby and CJ.
After a quick shower, the teams head off to the airport to fly to Tokyo, Japan. At the airport, Jonathan reveals to Hayley that he’s in New Kids on the Block and it turns out she saw him in concert.
Once the teams land in Tokyo, they must find Kanda Myojin. Some teams take the Skyliner and others jump in taxis. Blair and Hayely are off to a rough start when they miss their train and are the last team to leave.
Detour
Jelani and Jenny are the first team to reach the Detour where they can either choose Syncing Steps or Samurai Sake. Jeff and Jackie are right behind them, but the teams end up going to different challenges.
At Samurai Sake, Jeff and Jackie must memorize 10 different types of sake to serve the samurai. Thanks to Jeff, they end up getting it correct on their second try. But Harley and Jonathan get it on their first try and catch up to them.
At Syncing Steps, Jelani and Jenny had to learn the choreography to the dance and learn to time it correctly. Most of the other teams end up choosing this one as well, but they quickly learn it’s not so easy, with each team taking multiple tries. Laura and Tyler are the first team to finish the dance routine.
Rochelle and Michael, and Jeff and Lyda have a particularly hard time learning the dance routine. Fearing that they could face elimination, Rochelle and Michael end up using the U-Turn on Jeff and Lyda.
Pit Stop
Jeff and Jackie are the first to get to the Double U-turn but decide not to use it, instead going straight for the clue to the pit stop. They must find the parking spot where Phil is waiting for them near UDX building.
Jelani and Jenny, and Laura and Tyler get there shortly after and also decide not to U-turn anyone. While Jeff and Jackie go into the parking building, Jelani and Jenny use their brains and realize that the clue is pointing to a place outside of the building.
Jelani and Jenny are the first to the pit stop and win the first leg of The Amazing Race, as well as the express pass. Phil is impressed that a blind date team did so well.
The remaining teams arrive in the following place:
2nd place: Jeff and Jackie
3rd place: Laura and Tyler
4th place: Aly and Steve
5th place: Harley and Jonathan
6th place: Bergen and Kurt
7th place: Mike and Rochelle
8th place: Hayley and Blair
9th place: Matt and Ashley
10th place: Libby and CJ
Jeff and Lyda come in last place and are eliminated from the The Amazing Race season 26.