The Amazing Race 12

In May 2007, CBS confirmed The Amazing Race was picked up for a 12th season. It was originally to be scheduled in the mid-season of the 2007–08 TV season.[5] However, when Viva Laughlin was canceled in October of the same year, The Amazing Race 12 started early to take the time slot.[4]

The Amazing Race 12 spanned 30,000 miles (48,000 km) in 21 days, making it the shortest Amazing Race course since the Family Edition of Season 8. The season covered four continents, visiting ten countries (five of which were not previously visited by the series), while traveling entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. The newly visited countries were Ireland, Burkina Faso, Lithuania, Croatia, and Taiwan (Republic of China). Also, for the first time, the Finish Line was not in the continental United States. The shortened filming schedule was initially attributed, in part, to the removal of non-elimination legs, which would have been a first on The Amazing Race.[1] However, host Phil Keoghan told Kynt & Vyxsin in Leg 7 that there were two non-elimination legs in this season. Most prior seasons without "To Be Continued" or "superlegs" had four non-elimination points. With this season only having two non-elimination legs, the number of episodes was reduced by two. This is also the last season to date to air both a Detour and a Roadblock the Final Leg.

This season introduced two new twists to The Amazing Race: the U-Turn and the Speed Bump. Positioned just after a Detour, the U-Turn allowed one team to force a team behind them to complete both sides of that Detour.[6] The Speed Bump was a penalty task for a team that finished last in a non-elimination leg, to be completed during the next leg in addition to other tasks. The U-Turn and the Speed Bump each occurred in two episodes of The Amazing Race 12.

The Alaska Finish Line was the northernmost finish location of the series.

Applications for The Amazing Race 12 were due on January 16, 2007. Semi-finalist interviews were held in February 2007 or March 2007 and final casting interviews took place in April 2007.[7][8]

This season's 11 teams included married lesbian ministers, dating Goths, and siblings. Executive producer Bertram van Munster felt that "it was not intentional" for casting to leave out young-male teams commonly found in past seasons. He also said that it was pure coincidence for 15 of 22 racers to be residents of California.[1]

The grandson and grandfather team of Nicolas & Donald are, respectively, the son and father-in-law of singer Robbie Fulks.[9] Shana was the on-and-off girlfriend of TV personality Ryan Seacrest,[10][11] while racers Staella, TK, Rachel, and Nathan all attended Fountain Valley High School in Fountain Valley, California.[12] Kynt had originally applied for an unknown season of the reality television show Survivor.[13]

During The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business, Christina revealed that she was engaged to fellow Season 12 racer Azaria Azene. They married in March 2011.[14]

After the season ended, Kynt & Vyxsin applied for third season of The Amazing Race Asia, but were turned down by producer Michael McKay due to their prior Amazing Race experience. Their audition was shown on the "Racers Revealed" episode of the season.[15] They eventually along with Ron & Christina raced again on The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business among a cast of returning teams from seasons 12–17, with Kynt changing his name to Kent.[16]

Two days after the series premiere, CBS launched an Amazing Race page on social networking site Facebook via Facebook Ads.[17] The site contained interactive contents such as maps, trivia, a travel log, and prizes. The site also included a tie-in with the Where I've Been application.

After arriving in Ireland, teams traveled to Teampall Bheanáin on Inishmore in the Aran Islands.

Airdate: November 4, 2007

• Los Angeles, California, United States (Playboy Mansion) (Starting Line)
• Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) to Shannon, Ireland (Shannon Airport)
• Rossaveal, Connemara (Rossaveal Ferry Port) to Kilronan, Inishmore, Aran Islands (Kilronan Inis Mór Harbour)
• Inishmore (Teampall Bheanáin) (Overnight Rest in The Pier House)
• Kilronan (Kilronan Inis Mór Harbour) to Rossaveal (Rossaveal Ferry Port)
• Cleggan (Cleggan Farm)
• Clifden (Connemara Heritage and History Centre)

In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to pedal a high-wire bicycle across a windswept ravine, suspended almost 200 feet (61 m) above the North Atlantic, to reach their next clue. Their partner, sitting 8 feet (2.4 m) below, would be taken along for the ride.

Additional tasks

• At Los Angeles International Airport, teams had to book one of two flights to Shannon, Ireland. Five teams would be on a British Airways flight that was scheduled to arrive 45 minutes earlier than an Aer Lingus flight with the remaining six teams.[lower-alpha 1]
• Once in Shannon, teams took a ferry from Rossaveal ferry port to Inishmore and find Teampall Bheanáin. At the church, teams had to sign up for one of three ferries departing the next morning at 8:00, 8:30, and 9:30 a.m. The first two ferries accommodated three teams each, while the last ferry carried five teams.
• After returning to the Irish mainland, teams had to choose a marked car, which contained their next clue instructing them to drive themselves to Cleggan Farm.
• At Cleggan Farm, teams had to pedal a tandem bicycle along a dirt path to their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams had to choose a donkey, fill each of its baskets with 15 pieces of peat, and then walk the donkey back to the entrance of the farm to receive their next clue.

While in the Netherlands, teams went to the rural village of Ransdorp for the Roadblock.

Airdate: November 11, 2007

• Shannon (Shannon Airport) to Amsterdam, Netherlands (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol)
• Haarlemmermeer (Schiphol Airport Railway Station) to Amsterdam (Amsterdam Centraal Station)
• Amsterdam (Melkmeisjesbrug (in Dutch))
• Amsterdam (Buikslotermeerplein (in Dutch)) to Ransdorp (Rural Village Field)
• Durgerdam (Durgerdam Yacht Club (in Dutch))

This season's first Detour was a choice between Hoist It or Hunt It. In Hoist It, teams had to use a traditional rope-and-pulley system to hoist five pieces of furniture up to a typical Amsterdam apartment before receiving their next clue from the foreman. In Hunt It, teams made their way on foot several blocks to the Fietsflat bicycle parking lot to search through thousands of bicycles for two bikes tagged with a specific color designated in their clue. After finding these bikes, teams had to ride them 5 miles (8.0 km) to an attendant, who would give them their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to play a sport called fierljeppen, which required completing a 12-foot (3.7 m) vault across an irrigation ditch and landing on both feet on the marshy grass. Once the vault was completed correctly, they could pick up their clue and vault back to their partner. This task was later revisited on Season 21 as a Switchback.

Additional tasks

• Once in Amsterdam, teams had to travel by train to Amsterdam Centraal station and then search for their next clue on Melkmeisjesbrug.
• After the Detour, teams had to travel by bus to a marked field in Ransdorp to find their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to ride a freight bicycle, known as a bakfiets, to the Pit Stop at the yacht club in Durgerdam.

The Roadblock in Burkina Faso required one team member to milk a dromedary camel and then drink the milk.

Airdate: November 18, 2007

• Amsterdam (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol) to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou Airport)
• Ouagadougou (Gare Centrale (in French)) to Boulkiemdé (Bingo)
• Boulkiemdé (Village School)
• Boulkiemdé (Outskirts of Bingo)

In this leg's Roadblock, in an area inhabited by Tuareg people, one team member had to milk a dromedary and collect the camel milk in a dried gourd bowl. After they reached a marked line and showed it to a local for approval, they then had to drink all the milk to receive their next clue. If team members were unable to obtain enough milk from their chosen camel, they would have to wait until everyone who could complete the task had left before switching camels.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Teach It or Learn It. In Teach It, teams had to teach a schoolchild, who did not speak English, to memorize English ten words. When a local teacher was satisfied that the child could recite the words, teams would receive their next clue. In Learn It, teams had to learn ten words in the local Moré language from a schoolchild and then reiterate the words in a test by a local teacher to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At the start of the leg, teams were only told to fly to Ouagadougou and had to figure out that it's the capital of the African nation of Burkina Faso. Once there, teams had to travel by taxi to the city's train station to find their next clue.
• At Gare Centrale, teams had to travel by train to Bingo and to listen for their stop as the town of Bingo did not have a station. After disembarking, teams had to search nearby for their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams had to lead four camels along a marked path to a group of nomads, where they would find their next clue.
• After completing the Detour, teams had to follow a marked path to the outskirts of Bingo to find the Pit Stop.

For one task of this leg's Detour, teams took part in panning for gold.

Airdate: November 25, 2007

• Boulkiemdé (Bingo)
• Bouda Pelegtanga, Yako, Passoré (Village Field)
• Bouda Pelegtanga (Pelegtanga Market)
• Ouagadougou (Tampouy Goat Market)
• Ouagadougou (Hotel de Ville)

This leg's Detour was a choice between Shake Your Pans or Shake Your Booty. In Shake Your Pans, teams had to use traditional methods to pan for one ounce (28 g) of gold they could trade for their next clue. In Shake Your Booty, teams had to learn a traditional local dance and perform it with Winiama masked dancers for a crowd of locals. Teams only had one attempt, and if three local celebrity judges felt a team lacked creativity or had a bad performance, the team would incur a 10-minute penalty. After successfully performing the dance or waiting out the penalty, teams would receive their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to load a large amount of cumbersome goods, including a small goat, onto a bicycle and then deliver the goods to a specific person stated in their clue at a nearby market to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At the start of the leg, teams had to follow a marked path to the tribal chief, who would give them a gift of a chicken that they had to carry with them to the Pit Stop and their next clue.
• After completing the Detour, teams had to travel by foot along a marked path to Pelegtanga Market to find the U-Turn board and their next clue.

The Roadblock of this leg focused around the city of Vilnius, Lithuania.

Airdate: December 2, 2007

• Ouagadougou (Ouagadougou Airport) to Vilnius, Lithuania (Vilnius Airport)
• Trakai (Trakai Island Castle)
• Vilnius (St. Anne's Church)
• Vilnius (Old Town – Narutis Courtyard, Vilnius University Courtyard, and Several Locations)
• Rumšiškės (Lithuanian Open Air Museum – Dzūkija Village)
• Rumšiškės (Lithuanian Open Air Museum – Račkiškės Chapel (in Lithuanian))
• Rumšiškės (Lithuanian Open Air Museum – Aukštaitija Windmill)

In a post-show interview, Shana & Jennifer revealed that a Fast Forward was included with their clue at Trakai Island Castle; however, the objective was unknown. As no team chose to claim the Fast Forward, it went unaired.[19]

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to choose a local Lithuanian woman working in Narutis courtyard, who would give them a basket and tell them to whom to bring it to at Vilnius University Courtyard. After traveling on foot through the confusing streets of the Vilnius Old Town and delivering their basket, they would then be handed a book and one of four final destinations: Gabi Kavine, Saint Germain Restaurant, Hair Salon Sidabrynas, or Shakespeare Hotel. When the delivery was made to the correct location, they received their next clue.

This leg's Detour at a traditional Midsummer's Festival was a choice between Count Down or Step Up. In Count Down, teams had to correctly count a marked section of picket fence and give their count (717) to a villager to receive their next clue. In Step Up, both team members had to stilt-walk along a marked course to the finish line without falling to receive their next clue. If a person fell before reaching the end, they had to start over.

Additional tasks

• Upon arrival in Vilnius, teams had to choose a marked car and drive themselves to Trakai Island Castle to find their next clue, which went unaired.[20] Teams then had to drive to St. Anne's Church to find their next clue.
• At the Lithuanian Open Air Museum, teams had to search through the village for a Travelocity Roaming Gnome, as depicted in a picture in their clue, hidden among 100 common Lithuanian gnomes. When teams found the correct gnome, they had to follow a marked path to their next clue box at a chapel. Teams had to carry the Travelocity Gnome with them all the way to the Pit Stop.

Additional note

• Leaving Ouagadougou, teams were only allowed to book tickets at an official airline ticketing office.

Upon arrival in the coastal city of Dubrovnik, teams visited the historic Fort of St. Lawrence for the Roadblock.

Airdate: December 9, 2007

• Vilnius (Vilnius Airport) to Dubrovnik, Croatia (Dubrovnik Airport)
• Dubrovnik (Fort of St. Lawrence)
• Dubrovnik (Walls of Dubrovnik – Fort Bokar)
• Dubrovnik (Trg Oružja)
• Dubrovnik (Fort Imperial – Stone Cross)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to find one of eight stones out of 150 that could fit into the rock wall at the fort being rebuilt from the Croatian War of Independence to receive their next clue from the stonemason.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Short & Long or Long & Short. In Short & Long, teams had to rappel down the walls of Fort Bokar and follow a marked path to a wall, where they had to finish assembling a rope ladder they would use to scale the wall.[21] Then, they had to make their way on foot a long distance through the confusing old-quarter streets to Trg Oružja to find their next clue. In Long & Short, teams had to tandem zipline from the fort, swim to a floating platform, then row a fishing boat around the city walls to a flagged harbor. They then had to make their way on foot a short distance to Trg Oružja to find their next clue.

Additional tasks

• Once in Dubrovnik, teams had to travel to the base of the Fort of St. Lawrence to find their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams had to go to the Fort of St. Lawrence's roof and ride a zipline down to Fort Bokar to retrieve their next clue.

Teams ended this Tuscany leg in front of Boboli Gardens' kaffeehaus overlooking a scenic view of Florence.

Airdate: December 23, 2007

• Dubrovnik (Autobusni Kolodvor Dubrovnik) to Split (Autobusni Kolodvor Split)
• Split (Ferry Terminal) to Ancona, Marche, Italy (Ferry Terminal)
• Empoli, Tuscany (Campo di Volo Silvano Poli)
  • Empoli (Fabio Studio)
• Vinci (Da Vinci Birthplace (in Italian))
• Vinci (Da Vinci Birthplace or Piazza Guido Masi)
• Florence (Boboli Gardens)

In this season's only aired Fast Forward, one team had to travel to Fabio Studio to take part in a local seafaring tradition, which they would discover when they arrived was getting a permanent tattoo inked onto their arms: the letters ƒƒ for Fast Forward. When both team members had their tattoo completed, they would win the Fast Forward award.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to fly over Tuscany in an ultralight and scan a six-mile (9.7 km) radius of the countryside for the name of their next destination: Vinci. If team members thought they spotted the word, they had to signal their pilot to land. Once on the ground, they had to tell the instructor the word and, if correct, he would hand teams their next clue. There was a thirty-minute time limit per flight, after which the ultralight would land for refueling.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Invention or Tradition. In Invention, teams made their way to a nearby courtyard and chose a replica of a centuries-old crane designed by Leonardo da Vinci. They had to first assemble the crane, then use it to lift a large stone one foot (30 cm) off the ground. They then had to place a mirror underneath and read a clue printed on the bottom of the stone. In Tradition, teams made their way to Piazza Guido Masi, where they had to learn and correctly perform a traditional local flag routine to receive a flag displaying the name of their next destination from the lead flagman.

Additional tasks

• From Dubrovnik, teams had to travel by bus to Split and then take a ferry to Ancona, where they would find their next clue after disembarking.
• After choosing a marked car, teams had to drive themselves to Campo di Volo Silvano Poli in Empoli, where they would find their next clue. Teams also received a BlackBerry which would be used to receive a message that teams would find out was a message from their loved ones at home.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to drive themselves to the town of Vinci and find their next clue outside the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci.

Bandra Fort, a Portuguese fort on the shoreline of Mumbai, served as the Pit Stop of the eight leg.

Airdate: December 30, 2007

• Florence (Florence Airport) to Mumbai, India (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport)
• Mumbai (Khar Danda – M.R. Naik Newspaper Stall)
• Mumbai (Chauhan Alteration Tailors)
  • Mumbai (Dariya Mahal)
• Mumbai (Dadar West Bridge or Dadar Flower Market)
• Mumbai (Kabutar Khana)
• Mumbai (Colaba – Bharatgas Colaba Gas Service)
• Mumbai (Bandra – Bandra Fort)

For their Speed Bump, Kynt & Vyxsin had to find the yoga master at Dariya Mahal and successfully perform a series of yoga poses before they could continue racing.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Paste 'Em or Thread 'Em. In Paste 'Em, teams had to make their way to a marked underpass on Tulsi Pipe Road beneath Dadar West Bridge and use the provided supplies to properly paste a 6-panel Bollywood movie poster onto the wall to receive their next clue. The panels were large and unwieldy, and if one panel was out of line, teams might to take them all down and start over. In Thread 'Em, teams had to make their way to Dadar Flower Market, find a marked flower stall called Shyam Pandurang Bhagat, and create a traditional wedding garland by threading 108 flowers in an alternating pattern (red, orange, and yellow). When the judge approved the garland, teams had to deliver it to a nearby bridegroom who would give them their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to load a bicycle cart with six tanks of propane gas, pedal to the two addresses listed on their order slips, deliver three tanks to each address, and collect receipts as proof of delivery. Once their deliveries were complete, they had to hand their two order slips and two receipts to the foreman to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At the M.R. Naik Newspaper Stall, teams had to search for an ad[22] in The Times of India, which instructed them to travel by auto rickshaw to Chauhan Alteration Tailors to receive their next clue from the shop owner.
• After completing the Detour, teams had to travel to Kabutar Khana, where they would find the U-Turn board and their next clue.

After arriving in Osaka, teams visited Kishiwada Castle to find a clue.

Airdate: January 6, 2008

• Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport) to Osaka, Japan (Kansai International Airport)
• Kishiwada (Kishiwada Castle)
• Osaka (JR Kanjosen Noda Station)
• Osaka (Kita-Mido Temple (in Japanese))
• Osaka (Shimojima Building or Saera Flower Shop (in Japanese))
• Osaka (Tempozan Park)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to put on a hat and gloves like the local cabbies and transport a Japanese couple 5 miles (8.0 km) through a maze of confusing, often one-way streets to a specified address (the Osaka Central Post Office). They could stop and ask for directions but could not invite a local to lead them or join them in the car, and the couple could not help them. Once at the post office, the couple would hand them their next clue; however, the drivers had to return to their teammate before they could read the clue.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Sense of Touch or Sense of Smell. In Sense of Touch, teams made their way on foot to the Shimojima Building and had to use miniature robots, controlled by cell phones, to play a game of soccer against two robotic defenders. Once each team member scored a goal, the referee would give them their next clue. In Sense of Smell, teams made their way on foot to the Saera Flower Shop, where only artificial flowers were sold. Once there, they had to use only their noses to find one real flower, hidden among thousands of artificial flowers in the two-story flower shop, to receive their next clue from the shop owner.

Additional tasks

• At Kishiwada Castle, teams had to search the castle ground for their next clue.
• At Noda Station, teams had to locate a cleaning man inside the station terminal who would hand them their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by taxi to Kita-Mido Temple to find their next clue.

While in Taipei, teams drank a cup of tea, which had a clue written underneath in Chinese.

Airdate: January 13, 2008

• Osaka (Umeda Sky Building – Floating Garden)
• Osaka (Kansai International Airport) to Taipei, Taiwan (Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport)
• Taipei (Taipei Main Station) to Taichung (Taichung HSR Station)
• Jiji (Acrobatics Jeep)
  • Jiji (Heping Elementary School (in Chinese))
• Taichung (Taichung HSR Station) to Taipei (Taipei Main Station)
• Taipei (GK Teahouse)
• Taipei (Gong Guan Night Market)
• Taipei (Zhongzheng Park or Youth Park (in Chinese))
• Taipei (Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to ride a car driven by a professional stunt driver, who would maneuver the vehicle onto a giant teeter-totter and then rock back and forth precariously 25 feet (7.6 m) above the ground. Then, the team member would switch into an amphibious car, don a pair of goggles, and had to hold their breath while they were driven underwater for 17 seconds before receiving their next clue.

For their Speed Bump, TK & Rachel had to find Heping Elementary School, don protective gear, run through a barrage of fireworks, and then get doused with water before they could continue racing.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Fire or Earth. In Fire, teams made their way to Zhongzheng Park to participate in a mystical Chinese ritual by writing messages of luck, good or bad, on Kongming lanterns. They had to burn "spirit money" under the lanterns, heating air to lift the lanterns into the sky. Once a team sent 20 sky lanterns into the air, they would receive their next clue. In Earth, teams made their way to Youth Park to participate in a local custom used to reduce stress. Team members had to walk barefoot down a 220-foot (67 m) path made of jagged stones, turn around, and walk back to the start to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Umeda Sky Building, teams had to take an elevator to the Floating Garden and search for their next clue.
• Outside Taipei Main Station, teams found a clue instructing them to travel by train and taxi to Acrobatics Jeep to find their next clue.
• At GK Teahouse, each team member had to drink a cup of tea to find their next clue written in Chinese on the bottom of the cup sending teams to Gong Guan Night Market, where they searched for a clown who would give them their next clue.

Anchorage, Alaska, overlooking Chugach Mountains, was the site of the final leg of The Amazing Race 12.

Airdate: January 20, 2008

• Taipei (Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) to Anchorage, Alaska, United States (Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport)
• Anchorage (6th Avenue Outfitters)
• Anchorage (Ship Creek Boat Launch)
• Anchorage (Twentymile River to Twenty-Mile Glacier)
• Anchorage (Twenty-Mile Glacier to Merrill Field)
• Anchorage (Goose Lake Park)
• Anchorage (Resolution Park – Captain Cook Statue)
• Anchorage (Alaska Center for the Performing Arts – Salmon Hooker Statue)
• Girdwood (Girdwood Airport)

This season's final Detour was a choice between Cut the Cod or Grab the Crab. In Cut the Cod, teams had to cut through several 50-pound (23 kg) lingcod and search for a miniature clue hidden in one of the fish. In Grab the Crab, teams had to jump into the hold of a boat swarming with over 500 live crabs. Then, they had to search through the nipping crustaceans for a crab marked with Amazing Race colors to receive their next clue.

In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to face a field of things they had encountered along the racecourse. They had to match 10 of 15 recognizable items to their respective legs, but the combination of items had to meet the following requirements:

• Three items had to be animals or animal by-products.
• One had to be a U-Turn.
• Two had to be items either at or brought to the Pit Stop.
• Two had to be items of transportation with wheels, one of which was used at a Detour.
• One had to be an item of transportation resembling the shape of a stick.

Leg	Flag	Country	Objects Encountered
1		Ireland	Tandem Bicycle
2		Netherlands	Bicycle
3		Burkina Faso	Camel Milk
4			Chicken
5		Lithuania	Stilts
6		Croatia	Croatian Gun
7		Italy	BlackBerry
8		India	U-Turn Board
9		Japan	Cleaning Man
10		Taiwan	Tea

Only one combination of items satisfied the conditions and would open the clue box allowing teams to obtain their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At 6th Avenue Outfitters, teams would pick up necessary gear for the leg, along with their next clue.
• At Twentymile River, teams took a high-speed boat to Twenty-Mile Glacier. Once there, both team members had to climb a wall of ice to reach their next clue, which instructed them to travel via helicopter to Merrill Field and then take a taxi to Goose Lake Park to find their next clue.
• After completing the Roadblock, teams were told to travel to "Cook's Eye View of the Sleeping Lady", which referred to the Captain Cook Statue at Resolution Park, to find their next clue instructing them to search on foot for the Salmon Hooker to find their final clue.