The Amazing Race 14 is the fourteenth season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world in order to win US$1,000,000. This season visited three continents and nine countries and traveled over 40000 mi. Starting in Los Alamitos, California, racers traveled through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, Russia, India, Thailand, and China before returning to the United States and finishing in Maui. A new twist introduced in this season includes the Blind U-Turn, which a team could use anonymously. The season premiered on CBS on February 15, 2009, and the season finale aired on May 10, 2009. Siblings Tammy and Victor Jih were the winners of this season, while former cheerleaders Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal finished in second place, and mother and son Margie and Luke Adams finished in third place.

Production

Development and filming

The Amazing Race 14 lasted for 22 days and traveled over 40000 mi. The teams raced in nine countries, including Romania and the Russian region of Siberia for the first time. In an interview, executive producer Bertram van Munster revealed that the teams took a 13-hour train ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway and got into a Siberian snowstorm with below-zero temperatures. He also revealed that the teams suffered extreme climates, intense Roadblocks, and less time in airports, which added up to an exhausting course for the racers. In addition, CBS revealed the season included the world's second tallest bungee jump, suffocating heat in India, and an Olympic-themed challenge that left the teams "gasping for air." The show's route map was updated via Google Earth, and according to van Munster prior to the show's debut, the season included new graphics, a new opening sequence, and a tuneup in the musical score, as well as the use of a split screen to show several scenes at the same time. Season 14 introduced a new twist to the U-Turn: the Blind U-Turn, in which a team could use it anonymously; other U-Turns required teams to acknowledge their use to subsequent teams. Leg 10 was a double-length leg: a surprise feature of every season from season 6 to season 10. However, this double-length leg was the first where it was revealed to the teams at a location that was explicitly called a Pit Stop, but teams were not warned of an elimination in the clue. After checking in, teams were told "this leg of the race is not over" and were given a clue by Phil Keoghan to continue racing. This was the last season to feature a double-length leg until season 32, where it was renamed the mega leg.

Cast

Luke Adams, was the first deaf contestant in the American series and relied on his mother to communicate in the competition. Margie & Luke had originally applied to be on The Amazing Race: Family Edition (along with two other family members), but ended up being one of the last families cut. Mike White had originally been chosen to participate on The Amazing Race 13 with director Jon Kasdan, but the latter dropped out before filming. The show's casting director wanted White for season 14 and he was ultimately paired with his father. After this season, Jodi Wincheski began working as a casting producer for both The Amazing Race and Survivor. Amanda & Kris, Mel & Mike, Kisha & Jen, Margie & Luke, and Jaime & Cara raced again in The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business. Margie & Luke also competed in the second All-Star edition. Outside of The Amazing Race, Jaime Edmondson appeared on The Girls Next Door and The Girls Next Door: The Bunny House. Victoria Hunt appeared on the TLC reality show Extreme Cheapskates in 2012. Mike White later competed on Survivor: David vs. Goliath.

Results

The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.

Race summary

Leg 1 (United States → Switzerland)

Leg 2 (Switzerland → Germany → Austria)

Leg 3 (Austria → Germany → Romania)

Leg 4 (Romania → Russia)

Leg 5 (Russia)

Leg 6 (Russia → India)

Leg 7 (India → Thailand)

Leg 8 (Thailand)

Leg 9 (Thailand → China)

Leg 10 (China)

Leg 11 (China → United States)

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Elimination Station

After elimination, the first six teams eliminated were sequestered at a villa in Ko Samui, Thailand, to await the finale. CBS posted short videos on its website after each episode aired in the Pacific time zone to show the eliminated teams interacting at the villa.

Reception

Critical response

The Amazing Race 14 received mixed-to-positive reviews. Andy Dehnart of reality blurred praised the reduction of time in airport, the cast, and improvements in editing and said that the season finished with "a strong end to an even stronger season." Michael Hewitt of the Orange County Register wrote that the season was "another excellent edition of 'The Amazing Race.'" Michael Russnow of The Huffington Post criticized this season's route as the show "didn’t travel in as diversified a fashion, and wherever the teams wound up they stayed in the immediate region a lot longer than in earlier years." Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger wrote that his "interest in the season dropped rapidly after Mel and Mike were eliminated" and that he "lacked either an emotional investment in another team or an admiration for them as pure Racers." In 2016, this season was ranked 12th out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents. In 2021, Val Barone of TheThings ranked this season as the show's 9th best season. In 2022, Jason Shomer of Collider ranked this season among the show's top seven seasons. In 2023, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season as the fifteenth-best season. In 2024, Taguiam's ranking was updated with this season ranked 18th out of 36.

Ratings