The Amazing Race 31, Episode 1 Recap

Avid viewers of The Amazing Race (U.S. version, CBS channel) waited quite a while for Season 31 to grace their television screens and CBS mobile apps. Season 31 commenced on Wednesday, April 17th, 2019 and brought teams to the Hermosa Beach pier in California, UNITED STATES for the show's first episode (leg). Colloquially known as The Amazing Race: Reality Showdown, this season featured a total of eleven teams from previous seasons of...

● ● ● ● ●  The Amazing Race  ● ● ● ● ●
Art Velez & J.J. Carrell (friends and federal agents)
Becca Droz & Floyd Pierce (friends)
Christie Woods & Colin Guinn ("life partners" and/or lovers)
Jamal Zadran & Leo Temory (cousins)
Korey Kuhl & Tyler Oakley (friends)

● ● ● ● ●  CBS' Big Brother  ● ● ● ● ●
Britney Godwin & Janelle Pierzina-DeSanto (friends)
Elissa Slater & Rachel Reilly-Villegas (sisters)
Nicole Franzel & Victor Arroyo (dating but now engaged!)

● ● ● ● ●  CBS' Survivor  ● ● ● ● ●
Bret LaBelle & Chris Hammons (friends)
Corinne Kaplan & Eliza Orlins (friends)
Laura Boneham & Rupert Boneham (married)

The teams' first task was to find their clue cards in a giant sand octopus on the beach. The clue instructed teams to fly to Narita International Airport in JAPAN. Teams took a bus ride to the Shibuya district in Tokyo — specifically to the world's busiest pedestrian crossing — and then had to find a clue at one of the two following businesses: ACB Lock and Security or the Tokyo Tokyo restaurant. Each location had a limited number of clue cards; teams who were slow to arrive at one location did not receive a clue if clue cards ran out, thereby having to find the other business. For example, Elissa and Rachel arrived at the restaurant where there were no more clue cards available, so they had to find ACB Lock and Security to receive a clue. Laura & Rupert was the first duo to find a clue at Tokyo Tokyo, followed by Bret & Chris in 2nd (TT), Jamal & Leo in 3rd (ACB Lock and Security), Britney & Janelle in 4th (TT), Christie & Colin in 5th (TT), Becca & Floyd in 6th (ACB), Nicole & Victor in 7th (TT), Elissa & Rachel in 8th (ACB), Korey & Tyler in 9th (ACB), Corinne & Eliza in 10th (ACB), and Art & J.J. in 11th (ACB).

After finding and reading through the next clue, teams arrived at the EDGEof building to participate in a tasty Roadblock challenge: "Who Wants a Sweet New Pair of Shoes?" Teams had to find and chew on one of 12 game-show-inspired* geta sandals made of coated chocolate from dozens — if not hundreds — of options. Next, teams rode in taxis to Onarimon Station and then walked or sprinted to Shiba-kōen (Shiba Park). This park is not too far away from Zōjō-ji, a serene Buddhist temple. The next Roadblock, "Who Wants to Climb Mount Fuji?," did not take the teams to Japan's highest mountain. Instead, The Amazing Race's Mt. Fuji is a 20-feet slippery, man-made slide within Shiba Park that one member from each team had to climb — while wearing a neon blue unitard!

Jamal & Leo completed both the geta-tasting and slide-climbing Roadblock challenges first and subsequently was the first team to arrive at the Atago Jinja shrine Pit Stop. Near Shiba park, this shrine was “built on the highest hill in central Tokyo. Climbing to the top is meant to bring success," according to host Phil Keoghan. For arriving at the Pit Stop first, Jamal & Leo earned and won a seven-day Tahiti cruise from Travelocity in Tahiti. They would relax on Windstar Cruises’ Wind Spirit cruise ship and stay in the Ocean State Room, visit six islands, enjoy a Bora Bora celebration festival, and partake in a Tahitian feast on a private motu, which is a Polynesian reef islet that includes vegetation. Art and J.J. arrived last to the Pit Stop and were therefore eliminated from The Amazing Race competition.

  Season 31, Episode 1 Pit Stop Results
  1st — Jamal & Leo
  2nd — Christie & Colin
  3rd — Korey & Tyler
  4th — Elissa & Rachel
  5th — Becca & Floyd
  6th — Nicole & Victor
  7th — Bret & Chris
  8th — Britney & Janelle
  9th — Corinne & Eliza
  10th — Laura & Rupert
  11th — Art & JJ (eliminated)

* Broadcasted by Nippon TV, Sokkuri Sweets (↗) is one such game show featuring realistic objects that are edible!