Incredible & amazing race in full speed

MANILA, Philippines - The Amazing Race (TAR) marks a milestone with its 25th season, which recently started on AXN. With its ninth Emmy Award recently won (for Outstanding Reality Competition Program), TAR has proudly charted successful seasons aired across the globe and even localized in many countries, including the Philippines.

 Since TAR premiered in 2001, the reality-game show goes on an incredible and fascinating journey every season that covers several countries, goes through different cities and logs in thousands of miles before a new winner is declared. There are always 11 teams with two members of pre-existing relationship. Season 8 saw the Family Edition, with teams composed of four members.

Participants are tasked to decipher the clues provided in route markers stationed in every leg and that will eventually lead them to their next itinerary. Then teams perform challenging tasks — Detour or Roadblock — that test their skills and endurance, so they can arrive at the Pit Stop.

Teams get to experience trying different modes of transportation — from airplanes and hot air balloons to trains, ships, jeepneys and even tuk-tuk (in Thailand) or canal boats (in Wales) — that will also bring them to their next destination.

After every leg, there’s a team that wins a trip, cash prize or the latest car model for each member, while the weakest one gets eliminated. However, there are non-elimination legs within the race, where the weakest team gets to join again the next leg instead of getting eliminated. In the end, the strongest team gets to take home the $1M at stake.

TAR 25 started taping last May 31, shortly after The Amazing Race All-Stars ended its TV airing, with father and son Dave and Connor O’Leary as big winners. The starting point of TAR 25 kicked off at the busy and crowded Times Square in New York City, allowing the public to take a peek at the race for the first time.

It will be remembered that the first edition of TAR kicked off at Central Park, also in New York City. TAR 25 will cover 26,000 miles in eight countries, including first-time visits to US Virgin Islands, Malta and the Shetland Islands in Scotland.

TAR 25 teams are mother-daughter Shelley and Nici Porter from Detroit, Michigan; married dentists Jim and Misti Raman from Columbia, South Carolina; engaged couple Keith Tollefson and Whitney Duncan from Nashville, Tennessee;

College sweethearts Tim Tsao and Te Jay McGrath from Pasadena, California; firefighters Michael Ward and Scott Strazzullo from Boston, Massachusetts; dating pro-wrestlers Brooke Adams from Houston, Texas and Robbie Strauss from Woodbridge, New Jersey;

Food scientists Amy Dejong and Maya Warren from Madison, Wisconsin; urban bike racers Kym Perfetto and Alli Forsythe from Brooklyn, New York; married professional surfers Bethany Hamilton and Adam Dirks from Princeville, Hawaii.

Realtor sisters Lisa and Michelle Thomson from Miami, Florida were the first team eliminated in the US Virgin Island leg. Accountant Dennis Hour and model Isabelle Du from Tustin, California were the second team who made their exit in the United Kingdom leg.

The race introduces the Save, which was awarded to the team that won in the first leg. Married dentists Jim and Misti won the Save, which they can use when they face elimination at any point before the ninth leg, so they can continue racing.

Meanwhile, the Express Pass was awarded on the second leg to married professional surfers Adam and Bethany. The latter was undaunted in joining the race despite her handicap. She lost her left arm at 13 after she was attacked by a shark.

TAR is hosted by Phil Keoghan.