Motu Tapu is the starting line for this leg of the race.
The opening of the episode focused on Dave and Conner and their sudden struggle with Dave’s Achilles’s tendon. This could be a very important turnaround in the race because it was mentioned. What could be the repercussions of this injury? The medical staff advised that Dave get a sonograph to check the severity of this injury and he was given crutches. How could you race with crutches? But, good spirits brought him to the phrase of “it ain’t over until it’s over”.
To start off, the teams are instructed to go to Phil’s homeland of Christchurch, New Zealand and drive themselves to the Rakaia River Gorge. Wow, this race is bringing the teams to really great landscapes and places. It’s also great timing and coincidence for John and Jessica to give the Express Pass to Dave and Conner because (1) they probably won’t last long and the other Express Pass would be just wasted and (2) it will just look like they’re really good people to give someone with the injury a chance to skip a task.
Dave had his Achilles’s tendon checked and learned that it’s damaged. Then they bought a boot to keep it stable. I was just wondering who financed that boot? Was it from the money they get from the start of the race or is it the race producers themselves? And can people stop playing the cancer card? It’s just so irritating already.
The only thing that sucks with going to exotic places is that teams catch up with each other at the airport because of the unavailability of flights. It gives a lot of the teams to be on a level playing field again. But, on the other side of the fence, it’s great TV because teams at the head of the pack are suddenly pressured to do well again because their time advantage suddenly diminished.
At the Rakaia River Gorge, they are given numbers for boats that will bring them upriver. But, they have to spend the night on the riverside because they weren’t able to make it to the tour hours. The clue for the Detour requires them to choose between Rev it Up and Reel it In. In Rev it Up, the teams are required to race in a modified vintage car in a specified amount of time. In Reel it In, the teams are required to fish and have their catch measure at least 12 inches long. On the way to the Detour venues, they are to ride an ATV. The landscape was just so awesome.
Dave and Connor initially arrived at the Rev it Up Detour but they realized that Dave cannot drive with his injured tendon. How could they not have thought of that before? The easier choice of Detour would be Rev it Up because it won’t consume most of your time if you’re an able driver. However, Dave and Conner used the Express Pass when they switched Detours. So, they go forward one step. Wynona and Chuck are expected to do the fishing task. The cool thing was after catching the fish, they returned it to the river. After the Detour, teams are tasked to drive to Mount Hutt Station.
At Mount Hutt Station they are given a Roadblock clue to participate in a Shemozzle Race. It’s kind of a dirty and muddy obstacle course with the goal of delivering 12 eggs! It sounds fun! It would have been harder if the participant was to shepherd the dog around the course too instead of just holding the eggs.
It was a great decision for Dave and Connor to use the Express Pass. However, who knows how long they could keep this up? Connor can’t do all the tasks alone and there will definitely be physical tasks that requires two people to do it successfully. However, they receive bad news as they arrive at the pit stop of this leg as this is a “to be continued” leg. Here, they are posed with a dilemma if they will continue on or just resign from the race.
Terrence Downs, New Zealand is the pseudo-pit stop for this continuous leg of the race.
I loved how this is a “to be continued” leg. After all of the hassle of going from Bora Bora to New Zealand, teams are given the opportunity to catch up with other teams. It makes the race a little more exciting. Also, I entitled this as the Achilles’s tendon because who knows what effect this could have to future legs. Dave could very well give in to the pain and hassle of racing with crutches.