The Amazing Race Asia 3

The third season of The Amazing Race Asia is a reality television game show based on the American series, The Amazing Race. The third installment of the show features ten teams of two with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around Asia to win US$100,000. The season premiered on September 11, 2008 and consists of 11 episodes, two episodes fewer than the first and second seasons.[1] The season finale aired on November 20, 2008.[2]

The Amazing Race Asia 3
The Amazing Race Asia logo
Presented byAllan Wu
No. of teams10
WinnersVince Chung & Sam Wu
No. of legs11
Distance traveled21,600 km (13,400 mi)
No. of episodes11[1] (12 including racers revealed)
Release
Original networkAXN Asia
Original releaseSeptember 11 –
November 20, 2008
Additional information
Filming datesMay 20, 2008 (2008-05-20) – June 8, 2008 (2008-06-08)
chronology

In 2009, the series was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Non-Scripted Entertainment,[3] losing to the Dutch reality series The Phone.[4]

Friends Vince Chung and Sam Wu, representing Hong Kong, were the winners of the Race. Vince also became the first non-Asian by nationality to win the Race.

Production

Development and filming
The park within the King Rama I Monument in downtown Bangkok served as the Starting Line for the third installment of The Amazing Race Asia.

The third season of The Amazing Race Asia covered 21,600 kilometres in six countries. Route markers were coloured yellow and white in Vietnam to avoid confusion with the former flag of South Vietnam. This season introduced the U-Turn marker, while the Intersection was not included. This season, like the American version's Family Edition and Brazilian version, was the first to have had the entire Race take place in one continent, Asia (previous seasons covered at least two continents). Unlike past seasons, this was the first Race to not have the first leg as a non-elimination leg. This season also had the number of episodes decreased from 13 to 11.

According to AXN, this season was dubbed as "the toughest Race ever" compared to previous seasons as both contestants and crew personnel experienced high fatigue during the Race due to the faster pace and shorter break times. During filming, one production crew member was even hospitalized.[5]

Paula Taylor, one of the racers in Season 2, appeared as the local greeter in the first leg of the Race.[6]

Cast

Applications for the third season were due on March 3, 2008 (extended from the original deadline on February 25, 2008). Interviews for semi-finalists and finalists were held sometime around March or April 2008. Filming was expected to have taken place around the middle of 2008.[7][8]

This season's cast include cousins, and a father & son team. Like Season 2, the Race featured a large number of local media personalities or their relatives. Natalie is the winner of Miss Universe 2005 and also the wife of Thai tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan.[9] Her teammate, Pailin, is the runner-up in 2006 Miss Thailand Universe and also contested in Miss Earth 2006.[9] Tisha is the ex-girlfriend of Survivor Philippines's host, Paolo Bediones and was once Miss Philippines but had to forgo her crown due to her Canadian citizenship, while Ida, Niroo and Mai are famous actors in their respective homelands and Bernie is the host of Project Runway Malaysia. William and Isaac are sports commentators and football agents for professional players in the Korean K-League. Vince is a leading stand-up comedian in Hong Kong, often performing and hosting at The TakeOut Comedy Club Hong Kong, and was a finalist in Hong Kong's first nationwide stand-up comedy competition.[10]

This season consists of three non-Asians. Natalie and Vince are Canadians (though Natalie was born in Russia; Vince has a Chinese ethnicity), and Geoff is from New Zealand. Additionally, Sam, who was originally from Singapore, is representing Hong Kong. Tisha is of Canadian nationality but of Filipino ethnicity; Henry and Bernie are of Australian nationality but of Chinese ethnicity.

Kynt Cothron and Vyxsin Fiala's audition video was shown on the Racers Revealed episode. Michael McKay, the executive producer of the show, confirmed that Kynt and Vyxsin of season 12 of the original American version of the Race did really submit an audition tape but did not made it because according to McKay "we felt it would be unfair to have a team that had already raced (and raced very well I might add) and also we take teams from Asia. But if we do an All Star version down the track you never know."[11]

Marketing

The third season of The Amazing Race Asia had six official sponsors: Caltex, MASkargo, Nokia, Singha, Sony and Standard Chartered Bank.[12] A special episode known as Racers Revealed was aired one week before the actual premiere, on September 4, 2008, and a special "Memories" episode aired after the season finale on November 27, 2008, similar to the second season.[1]

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, with their relationships at the time of filming. Placements are listed in finishing order:

Team Relationship Position (by leg) Roadblocks
performed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Vince & Sam Best Buddies 7th1 3rd 2nd 2nd 1stƒ 1st 2nd 4th 1st 3rd5 1st Vince 4, Sam 5
Geoff & Tisha Dating 2nd 5th 5th 6th 4th 3rd 1st> 1st 3rd⊃ 2nd 2nd Geoff 5, Tisha 5
Ida & Tania Actress & Heiress 5th 6th 3rd 1st 5th 5th 5th 3rd4 2nd 1st 3rd Ida 5, Tania 5
A.D. & Fuzzie Friends 15 Years 8th 2nd 4th 5th 3rd 4th 3rd 2nd 4th⊂ 4th5 A.D. 4, Fuzzie 5
Henry & Bernie Brother & Sister 3rd 1st 1st 4th 2nd 2nd 4th< 5th Henry 3, Bernie 4
Mai & Oliver Friends 1st 8th 6th 3rd 6th3 Mai 1, Oliver 2
Niroo & Kapil Father & Son 9th 4th 7th 7th2 Niroo 1, Kapil 23
Pailin & Natalie Beauty Queens 4th 7th 8th2 Pailin 1, Natalie 12
Isaac & William Brothers 6th 9th Isaac 0, William 1
Neena & Amit Cousins 10th Neena 0, Amit 0
  • A red team placement indicates that the team was eliminated.
  • A blue team placement indicates the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg of the Race.
    • An italicised blue placement indicates that the team had to relinquish all of their money and were not allotted money for the next leg.
    • An underlined blue placement indicates that the team was "Marked for Elimination"; if the team did not place 1st in the next leg, they would receive a 30-minute penalty.
  • A green ƒ indicates that the team won a Fast forward clue.
  • A yellow > indicates that the team chose to use the Yield; < indicates the team who received it.
  • A brown ⊃ means the team chose to use a U-Turn; ⊂ indicates the team who received it.
  1. ^ Vince & Sam initially arrived 5th, but they did not pay the taxi driver. They were asked to pay the taxi first before they could be checked in. Ida & Tania and Isaac & William checked in while they went back, dropping them to 7th.
  2. ^ Pailin & Natalie (Leg 3) and Niroo & Kapil (Leg 4) were issued 4-hour penalties at their respective elimination legs after Natalie and Kapil, respectively, had failed to complete their respective Roadblocks; however, since the teams arrived in last on each leg, each team was eliminated without being assessed the 4-hour penalty.
  3. ^ Mai & Oliver failed to complete the leg after having fallen too far behind the other teams during the leg's first task. Hours after all the teams had checked in, Mai & Oliver still had not completed neither the Roadblock nor the Detour. Allan came over to the area where they had spent the night to inform of their elimination.
  4. ^ Ida & Tania initially arrived 2nd, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for being "marked for elimination" and not arriving 1st. A.D. & Fuzzie checked during their penalty time, dropping Ida & Tania to 3rd.
  5. ^ Vince & Sam and A.D. & Fuzzie were issued 4-hour penalties after Sam and Fuzzie, respectively, had failed to complete the Roadblock. A.D. & Fuzzie were further issued another 30-minute penalty for being "marked for elimination" and not arriving 1st. At that time they were the only two teams left to check in at that point, and since A.D. & Fuzzie's penalty time was longer, Vince & Sam were allowed to check-in with their penalty time to be assessed at the start of the next leg, while A.D. & Fuzzie were eliminated without the 4-hour 30-minute penalty being issued.

Prizes

Individual prizes were awarded to the first team to complete a leg.

  • Leg 1 – US$2,500 for each team member, courtesy of Standard Chartered Bank.
  • Leg 2 – Free fuel with techron for a year, courtesy of Caltex.
  • Leg 3 – A Sony Handycam for each team member.
  • Leg 4 – A Nokia N96 handphone for each team member.
  • Leg 5 – A three-day, two-night holiday in Ko Samui, Thailand, courtesy of Singha Beer.
  • Leg 6 – A three-day, two-night holiday in Ko Samui, Thailand, courtesy of Singha Beer.
  • Leg 7 – A Sony BRAVIA and Sony PlayStation 3 for each team member.
  • Leg 8 – A holiday in Hong Kong, courtesy of Caltex.
  • Leg 9 – A Nokia N96 handphone for each team member.
  • Leg 10 – US$2,500 for each team member, courtesy of Standard Chartered Bank.
  • Leg 11 – US$100,000

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.

  1. "The Toughest Race Ever" – Season Tagline
  2. "I Wanna Be A Man" – Bernie
  3. "You Are Running Away, Nobody's Helping Me" – Niroo
  4. "Where's Our Car?" – Kapil
  5. "You See How They're Not Fighting All The Time" – Oliver
  6. "I Think I'm Cuter" – Sam
  7. "What The Fish?" – Tania
  8. "The Gloves Are Coming Off, The War Paint Is Coming On" – Vince
  9. "Are People Here Funny?" – A.D.
  10. "I'm Telling You Right Now There's No Giving Up" – Vince
  11. "The Moment You've Been Racing For And The Moment We've Been Waiting For" – Allan Wu

Race summary
Complete Route Map
Destinations Air travel    Rail travel    Water travel    Bus travel
Helicopter travel    Bicycle travel    Gondola travel
Route Markers Detour    Roadblock    Fast Forward    Yield    U-Turn    Pit Stop

Leg 1 (Thailand)

Airdate: September 11, 2008

Teams ended the first leg of the Race in Chiang Mai Province at Ho Kham Royal Pavilion, on the center of Royal Ratchaphruek Garden.

The first Detour of the Race was a choice between Race or Rice. In Race, teams had to proceed to the Chiang Mai X-Centre and drive an off-road buggy over an 8-kilometre (5.0 mi) track to receive their next clue. In Rice, teams had to work together to pound rice into paste and make two rice balls before receiving their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At Khaosan Road, each team had to consume large bowl of Thai delicacies, consisting of assorted fried bugs, frogs and scorpions. Once they finished eating all those delicacies, they would receive their next clue.
  • At the Caltex Service Station, each team had to completely clean a 22-seat passenger bus to the Caltex's staff satisfaction. Once they have finished, they had to signup for one of three buses to Suphan Buri, the first and second would carry three teams while the last bus would carry four teams.
  • At Wat Phai Rong Wua, teams had to search the temple grounds amongst hundreds of Buddha statues for their next clue. The first two buses, however, would depart 20 minutes after they have arrived at the temple. Teams had to try to find their clue within this time if they want to leave on the same bus.

Leg 2 (Thailand → Vietnam)

Airdate: September 18, 2008

One of the Detour choices in Cái Bè required teams to row a sampan with a traditional Vietnamese method along the town's famous floating market.

In the first Roadblock of this Race, one team member had to cross the plantation and retrieve their next clue from a hanging backpack. The catch was that along the way, snipers brandishing paintball guns would fire at the team member. If the team member was shot, they had to return to the starting point and perform the task again.

The Detour on this leg was a choice between Sampan and Some Walk. In Sampan, teams had to transport fruits on a sampan and row across the river to a designated fruit stall along the river. Once they've transported all of the fruits, the store vendor would give teams their next clue. In Some Walk, teams had to gather twenty live chickens and bring them to a designated retailer in the nearby market. Once all chickens were delivered, the store keeper would hand teams their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At the Flight of the Gibbon, teams had to go through a jungle heights course consisting of zip-lines and parallel drops before getting their next clue hooked at the end of the course.
  • At Saigon Phố Cafe, each team member had to play a Nokia N-Gage game, known as System Rush: Evolution, on a Nokia N82 handphone and complete three rounds of a specified track within a time limit to receive their next clue.
  • At Thánh Nữ Jeanne D'Arc Church, teams had to choose a Red Cross aid expert, each representing one of the nine available charity organisations, and use US$500 from Singha to purchase supplies as needed by the organisation. Once complete, team would find their next clue outside the Saigon Central Post Office.

Leg 3 (Vietnam)

Airdate: September 25, 2008

Teams finished this leg of the Race in Huế, Vietnam's ancient capital, at Thế Miếu Temple inside its old citadel.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to retrieve seven coins representing the seven emperors of the Nguyễn Dynasty in Vietnam at the tomb of Minh Mạng, bring them back to Khải Định Tomb, where they'll learn that they have to put the coins in the correct order of the reign of the emperors. Each table at Minh Mạng Tomb had information about the coin's emperor, and teams that did not realize this fact could return to the tomb. Once they placed all seven coins in the correct order, teams would receive their next clue.

The Detour of this leg was a choice between Sticks and Stalks. In Sticks, teams had watch a silent demonstration to make ten incense sticks to receive their next clue. In Stalks, teams had to thresh rice stalks into a farming machine and fill two baskets to receive their next clue from a farmer.

Additional tasks
  • At the Caltex service facility, teams had to change the tire and engine oil of a marked jeep, which would be their transportation for the rest of the leg, to receive their next clue.
  • At Quốc Học Park, teams had to search for a marked cyclo with their next clue and use it to travel to the Pit Stop.
Additional note
  • Teams began the third leg outside the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

Leg 4 (Vietnam → Taiwan)

Airdate: October 2, 2008

Upon arrival in Taipei, teams took part in a Detour based on the famous Taiwanese night market in Songshan.

The Detour on this leg was a choice between Shoot It or Shape It. In Shoot It, teams had to drive themselves to the Miniatures Museum of Taiwan and pick a Sony Cybershot camera to shoot a very miniature model of a yellow-Race envelope hidden inside one of the dioramas. After the photo was printed, the next clue could be found behind their new photo. In Shape It, teams had to drive themselves to Raohe Street Night Market, where they had to solve four sets of figures using a large tangram set to receive their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to eat an entire bowl of a delicacy common in Chinese cuisine: stinky tofu. Once the food was completely eaten, a waiter would hand them their next clue.

Additional task
  • At the Institute for the Blind of Taiwan, one team member would be blindfolded and then, using their hands only to feel the braille message, translate each letter to their partner, who could not see their teammate's board, to get the correct phrase "Go to Shenkeng". When they correctly translated this message, teams would receive their next clue. One team would find a check worth NT$612,000 (US$20,000) courtesy of Standard Chartered along with their next clue and would donate it to the said institute before proceeding.

Leg 5 (Taiwan)

Airdate: October 9, 2008

The Roadblock in Pingsi had teams involved in its coal mining industry.

In the only Fast Forward on this Race, one team had to travel to a certain street, where there would find a clue box. The clue would then instruct each team member to get a permanent tattoo at Kevin's Tattoo in order to win the Fast Forward award.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to find a souvenir, a small silver token that had the AXN logo on one side and The Amazing Race Asia logo on the other side, hidden in a mine cart full of coal and exchange it for their next clue.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Pick or Pail. In Pick, teams had to drive themselves to Wan Nian Building and retrieve three soft toys from inside from a game machine to receive their next clue. In Pail, teams had to go to the Grand Tong Temple, fill a bucket full of water, and carry it to the top of the mountain, where a monk would check to see if they had enough water. If they had enough, teams would receive their next clue.

Additional task
  • At the Sony Style Store, teams had to find one of thousands of discs in the racks available that displayed "Correct! You may receive your next clue." when played on a Blu-ray player, while the others would display "Sorry. Try again."

Leg 6 (Taiwan → Hong Kong)

Airdate: October 16, 2008

The Roadblock in Hong Kong required racers to search through the busy Ladies' Market for a women wearing a matching handbag.

In this Detour, teams had to choose between Get Fishy or Get Lucky. In Get Fishy, teams had to find a seafood store on Graham Street and scale and gut 12 fishes to the satisfaction of a fishmonger before they would receive their next clue. In Get Lucky, teams had to head to one of the designated tables at Mee Lun Street and bite into hundreds of fortune cookies in a marked jar and find the one cookie which contains a fortune regarding their next clue so can they proceed.

In this Roadblock, one team member had to choose one of the provided handbags and search through the crowded market for the lady carrying the same handbag, who would give them their next clue.

Additional task

Leg 7 (Hong Kong → Macau)

Airdate: October 23, 2008

The Macau Tower in Macau was the location for both the Roadblocks of Legs 7 and 8 of the Race.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb to the top of the Macau Tower to obtain their next clue there and go down back to their partner before reading their next clue. However, due to a storm, not all the teams who chose to perform the Roadblock at the time were allowed to climb to the top as a precaution and were given their clue.

The Detour on this leg was a choice between Dance or Chance. In Dance, the team members must correctly perform a lion dance routine to the satisfaction of the performance troupe before receiving their next clue. In Chance, teams had to don formal attire and play a game of blackjack in the casino of Hotel Royal Macau. Teams had to beat the dealer nine times (as denoted each letter given after a win that would form the word COMPLETED) before receiving their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At Mong Kok, teams must pick up four goldfish and bring them to a designated pet shop at Bonham Strand to exchange for their next clue.
  • At Sai Van Lake, teams had paddle a dragon boat around a floating Caltex buoy to get their next clue.
  • At A-Ma Culture Village, teams had to arrange lanterns bearing the animals of the Chinese zodiac into the correct order before being let into the Pit Stop.

Leg 8 (Macau → Hong Kong → India)

Airdate: October 30, 2008

One side of the Detour in Kochi required teams to make an intricate colored rice pattern used for Hindu festivals, locally known as Rangoli.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to perform the world's tallest bungee jump from the top of the Macau Tower and fall 233 metres (764 ft) to the ground. When they landed, they received their next clue. The first team to complete the task would receive a helicopter ride from Macau to Hong Kong instead of the TurboJET ferry ride.

The Detour on this leg was a choice between Fish or Fill. In Fish, team members had to carry six large swordfish to a nearby restaurant before receiving their next clue. In Fill, teams had to fill an intricate floor pattern using coloured rice, known as Rangoli. Once teams properly made the pattern, they would receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At the MASkargo Warehouse, teams had to search and open their box containing letters from their loved ones before receiving their next clue.
  • At the Neelam Kulangara Devi Temple, teams had to get a blessing from the Indian priest before they received their next clue.
  • At the Elephant Wash Area in SPS Temple, teams had to wash an elephant using the traditional way of using coconut husks as abrasives. After washing the elephant, teams would get their next clue.

Leg 9 (India)

Airdate: November 6, 2008

While in Pune, teams visited the historic fort of Shaniwar Wada for the Roadblock.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to find a pheta with the word "Correct" inside it amongst ones worn by 50 men walking around the castle to receive their next clue.

The Detour on this leg was a choice between Push and Crush. In Push, teams had to go to Datta Shinde Pottery Shop and push the cart with 75 pots one kilometre to Rajkumar Provision Stores in Mahatma Phule Market. If teams had 70 or more pots intact when they reached the market, the store manager would hand them the next clue. In Crush, teams had to go to the market, make 40 glasses of sugar cane juice, and sell them to earn ₹200 or more to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At Nehru Stadium, one team member had to hit a cricket ball onto a board decorated with the Race colours to receive their next clue. If teams did not manage to do so in 36 balls or under, they would incur a ten-minute penalty.
  • After the cricket task, teams use a map application on the Nokia 6210 Navigator to direct their auto rickshaw driver to their next destination, the Shaniwar Wada.
  • At Sony World, teams had to persuade the locals to tell them a joke while one team member recorded them on a Sony Handycam camera, then teams have to come back and replay the video to the staff. If the staff thought the joke was funny enough, they would give teams the next clue.

Leg 10 (India → Oman)

Airdate: November 13, 2008

Teams ended this leg of the Race in Oman's Wadi Tanuf, located at the outskirt of Nizwa.

The Detour on this leg was a choice between Carpet and Count It. In Carpet, teams had to walk to a carpet shop and find two matching carpets, using the images in the Sony Cybershot as a reference. Once they found the right carpets, the shopkeeper would give them their next clue. In Count It, teams had to walk to a shop and count the dry limes. Once each team gave their correct individual amount (1601, 1595, 1598, or 1577), the shop owner would hand them their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to tyrolean traverse across Wadi Tanuf to retrieve their next clue on the other side before pulling themselves back across to reunite with their partner.

Additional tasks
  • At the Standard Chartered Bank building, teams would insert the ATM card provided to them and punch Mahatma Gandhi's birth year: (1869 → 1-8-6-9) as the PIN. The next clue would be printed on the receipt. If a team made three unsuccessful attempts, they would incur a ten-minute time penalty before receiving their next clue.
  • At Nizwa Fort, teams had to search for the correct clue box containing their next clue from among the other clue boxes scattered around the fort.

Leg 11 (Oman → Thailand)

Airdate: November 20, 2008

The last Detour of the Race in Phuket Province paid tribute to the pearl cultivation of Thailand.

For the final Roadblock of the Race, one team member had to find one of seven special keys out of seventy keys buried in the sand using the metal detector to unlock the clue box.

The final Detour of the Race was a choice between Pull or Plunge. In Pull, teams had to kayak to Rang Yai pearl farm and find a marked shell by pulling from among the 900 oyster lines. Then teams had to bring the marked shell back to the beach to exchange it for their next clue. In Plunge, teams had to snorkel and search for a giant clam shell containing a pearl, which they could exchange their next clue.

Additional tasks
  • At Said's Camel Farm, teams had to move ten camels into the holding pens before receiving their next clue.
  • At the Thai Trade Food Ice Factory, teams had to search for a small Amazing Race ice cube buried in a barrel of ice to get the next clue.
  • At Lam Hin Pier, teams had to ride a traditional Thai fishing boat, known as the long-tail boat, and look for a fisherman in a marked boat located between Cape Yamu and Rang Noi Island to get the next clue.
  • After finishing the Detour, teams had to dig up a treasure chest within a marked area and carry it to the Finish Line at the nearby coconut plantation.
Additional note
  • Teams began the final leg at Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

References
  1. "AXN-Asia September 2008 Schedule" (PDF). AXN Asia. August 2, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  2. "Two-and-a-half S'poreans in new race". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on August 11, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  3. Gaita, Paul (November 18, 2009). "Nominations for International Emmys announced". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  4. "Brits dominate International Emmy Awards". ABCNews. November 25, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  5. "RP duo in 2nd spot on 'Amazing Race Asia'". Inquirer.net. September 8, 2008. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  6. Fang, Ken (September 14, 2008). "The Amazing Race Asia 3 - Episode 1 Recap". The Sports Daily. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  7. "Application Procedure and Eligibility Requirements" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2009. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  8. "Application Form" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2009. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  9. "Natalie & Pailin Bio". AXN-Asia. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  10. "Sam & Vince's bio". AXN-Asia. August 4, 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
  11. "Fang's Bites: Interview with the Amazing Race Asia Executive Producer Michael McKay". Archived from the original on October 16, 2011. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  12. "The Amazing Race Asia 3 Is The Toughest Race Ever. Teams & Global Partners Gear Up for a Season Bar None!". AXN-Asia. August 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
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