Amazing Race 29 continues to cross continents

MANILA, Philippines - The Amazing Race (TAR) US always airs two much-anticipated, well-received and successful seasons within the year. However, the 29th season finished taping in Chicago, Illinois only in late July 2016 that’s why the premiere was delayed.

Also, the Emmy Award-winning reality show was reportedly not included in the Fall line-up of CBS, so TAR wasn’t aired as originally scheduled. Host Phil Keoghan, who hosted TAR from the first season, was deluded with queries on his Twitter account. Sadly, even him couldn’t give a definite date about the actual airing.

The latest season, TAR 29, finally aired on AXN last March 31, only 12 hours after the US premiere. It experiments anew in pairing individuals who didn’t know each other. Thus, the all-strangers season for the first time.

It will be remembered that TAR 26 paired five couples who were blind dating. In fact, one of the blind dating pairs — Tyler Adams and Laura Pierson from Southern California — ended up as winners. The other two teams who also crossed the finish line were all blind dating pairs.

For the first time, TAR 29 pairs up individuals who are complete strangers. Yes, all participants have no prior relationship with each other, which is supposedly the normal premise of all teams.

The 22 contestants (not pairs yet) initially converged at the Grand Hope Park in downtown Los Angeles. From there, they were made to do their first challenge more than a mile away from the park and it was to look for the flag of Panama in a store that sells luggage.

Then, it was find your own partner going back to the park to bring the luggage to Phil. Teams were subsequently formed and they were made to plot their respective trips to their initial destination which was Panama.

Former X-gamer and professional snowboarder Matt Ladley from Steamboat Springs, Colorado has Navy veteran with one leg Redmond Ramos from Fremont, California as his race partner. As the only two guys who teamed up together, Matt and Redmond are an early favorite touted to win the race.

Meanwhile, Amazon lady cop Jessica “Jessie” Lynn Shields from Howland, Ohio and army drill sergeant Francesca Piccoli from Banning, California are the only ladies pair who bonded together.

Strong and hunky realtor Ashton Theiss from Fort Worth, Texas joined Wall Street analyst Vanck Zhu from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Ditto, good-looking pairs Logan Bauer, a surgical consultant from Navarre, Florida and London Kaye, an artist from Brooklyn, New York.

Shamir Arzeno, a Wall Street banker from Jersey City, New Jersey teamed up with Sara Fowler, a realtor from Baltimore, Maryland. Self-confessed gay redhead Scott Flanary, a recruiting manager from Charlotte, North Carolina, partnered with criminal lawyer Brooke Camhi from New York City.

Rock climbing instructor Becca Droz from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and drum major Floyd Pierce from Boulder, Colorado make up one team, while police sergeant Joey Covino from Boston, Massachusetts and army officer Tara Carr from Alexandria, Virginia make up another new pair.

Olive Beauregard, a firefighter from Providence, Rhode Island and Seth Tyler, a police officer from Seattle, Washington are teammates.

California pair Jennifer Lee, a professional model from Palos Verdes, and athletic trainer/Asian surfer Kevin Ng from San Diego were technically not the last team to arrive on the first leg. However, they incurred a two-hour penalty for failing to find the entrance to Panama’s Canopy Tower.

Around 45 minutes while Jenn and Kevin waiting out their penalty, Liz Espey, an auctioneer from Maryville, Missouri, and Michael Rado, a butcher from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, checked in at the Pit Stop. Hence, the former pair was subsequently eliminated.

TAR 29 will expectedly traverse the globe and cross continents to also visit Greece, Italy, Norway, Brazil, Tanzania and even Vietnam.