The Amazing Race 21 is the twenty-first season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world. This season visited three continents and nine countries and traveled over during twelve legs. Starting in Pasadena, California, racers traveled through China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Turkey, Russia, the Netherlands, Spain, and France before returning to the United States and finishing in New York City. New elements introduced in this season include the Blind Double U-Turn and the Double Your Money prize. While the prize for winning the season remained at , if the team that came in first in the first leg had also won the final leg, the prize would have been doubled to . The season premiered on CBS on September 30, 2012, and concluded on December 9, 2012.
The Fabulous Beekman Boys stars and life partners Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge were the winners of this season, while Chippendales dancers Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis finished in second place, and dating couple Trey Wier and Lexi Beerman finished in third place.
Production Development and filming
Season 21 was broadcast during the 2012 fall season on CBS. Filming took place from late May 2012 to mid-June 2012. It spanned a little over of travel to three continents and nine countries.
This season introduced the "Double Your Money" prize. The team who won the first leg would have been eligible to win a total of $2 million if they ultimately won the race. Elise Doganieri, co-executive producer for the show, called the larger potential prize "a real game-changer". While teams reacted with excitement at the larger prize, Doganieri hoped that if it were won, the additional prize money would be used for "something wonderful" such as supporting charitable medical research. Abbie Ginsberg and Ryan Danz, the winners of the Double Your Money prize, were eliminated at the end of the ninth leg.
Leg 3 featured the series' first-ever Blind Double U-Turn, where two teams could U-Turn another team, and whichever team used the U-Turn remained anonymous.
Although contestants are typically forbidden contact with family and friends during the filming (except where such contact was part of a task), James LoMenzo was shown video chatting with his wife during the fourth Pit Stop in order to receive an update on his father's medical condition.
During the seventh leg in Moscow, James & Abba left their bags, which included the latter's passport, in an illegal taxi operation, but the cab drove off with their bags while James & Abba performed the task. They continued the leg, but before they could check in, they had to try to find Abba's passport to continue the race. Ultimately, James & Abba ended the leg in last place, which was a non-elimination leg, but if they were required to leave the country in a subsequent leg, they would be automatically disqualified. The next leg remained in Russia, but James & Abba ended up in last after spending time again searching for the passport and were eliminated. As production continued, the two had to secure an exit visa for Abba in lieu of a valid passport. According to Abba, the events of these legs occurred on the Friday and Saturday prior to a major Russian holiday, and it became difficult to work through the limited bureaucracy to do this. James & Abba were fortunate enough that Abba's prior fame was recognized by an employee at the U.S. Embassy, and they were able to secure the visa in time to fly back to the United States on the day before the finale.
Contestants
This season's cast included The Fabulous Beekman Boys stars Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, former White Lion and Megadeth metal bassist James LoMenzo, Chippendales dancers Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis, double amputee professional snowboarder Amy Purdy, and former The Apprentice: Martha Stewart contestant Ryan Danz. ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus 52Lumberjack & Marketing Exec Ketchikan, AlaskaEliminated 1st(in Shanghai, China) 44 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 32Dating On and Off Las Vegas, NevadaEliminated 2nd(in Surabaya, Indonesia) 36 Crested Butte, Colorado 24Best Friends St. Louis, MissouriEliminated 3rd(in Bangil, Indonesia) 25 Chicago, Illinois 52Substitute Teachers Livonia, MichiganEliminated 4th(in Dhaka, Bangladesh) 53 Dearborn Heights, Michigan 46Married Monster TruckersBoston, GeorgiaEliminated 5th(in Istanbul, Turkey) 50 53Rock Star & Lawyer Burbank, CaliforniaEliminated 6th(in Moscow, Russia) 45 Denver, Colorado 31Dating Divorcés Encinitas, CaliforniaEliminated 7th(in Ransdorp, Netherlands) 35 San Diego, California 26TwinsEdgewater, New JerseyEliminated 8th(in Chenonceaux, France) 26 23Dating Austin, TexasThird place 22 Dripping Springs, Texas 30ChippendalesLas Vegas, NevadaRunners-up 27 43Goat FarmersSharon Springs, New YorkWinners 38 Future appearances Natalie and Nadiya Anderson returned for The Amazing Race: All-Stars. They later competed on Survivor: San Juan del Sur. On May 23, 2016, Natalie appeared on a Survivor-themed primetime special of The Price Is Right. Natalie then returned to compete on Survivor: Winners at War, and Nadiya also made an appearance as part of the loved ones visit. Natalie also competed on the thirty-sixth season of the MTV reality show The Challenge, but had to withdraw in the fifth episode after learning that she was pregnant. In 2026, Natalie Anderson competed on the fourth season of The Traitors.
Amy Purdy later competed in the eighteenth season of the ABC reality series Dancing with the Stars. On June 9, 2014, she appeared on CBS's The Price Is Right as a guest model.The Price Is Right. Season 42. Episode 6771K. June 9, 2014. CBS. On April 1, 2016, Purdy appeared on TLC's Say Yes to the Dress. She later also appeared in the 2016 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony where she danced with a robotic arm.
Results The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order. A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. An placement with a double-dagger () indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg, and had to perform a Speed Bump task in the following leg. A indicates that the team won the Fast Forward. A indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks. A indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn. +Team placement (by leg) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Josh & Brent7th5th5th4th6th5th5th4th3rd3rd1st Jaymes & James10th3rd3rd6th6th5th2nd1st2nd2nd1st2nd Trey & Lexi9th2nd2nd7th5th1st1st2nd3rd1st2nd3rd Natalie & Nadiya4th1st6th3rd3rd4th3rd3rd1st Abbie & Ryan1st4th1st2nd2nd2nd4th4th James & Abba6th6th4th1st1st3rd Rob & Kelley5th8th7th5th4th Gary & Will8th9th8th Caitlin & Brittany3rd7th Amy & Daniel2nd Rob & Sheila Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (United States → China)
Episode 1: "Double Your Money" (September 30, 2012) Prize: The Double Your Money prize (awarded to Abbie & Ryan) Eliminated: Rob & Sheila Locations Pasadena, California (Colorado Street Bridge) (Starting Line) Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) → Shanghai, China Shanghai (Yuanshen Sports Centre Stadium) Shanghai (Cui Ping Jiu Jia Restaurant) Shanghai (The Bund) Shanghai (Bund Signal Tower) Episode summary At the Colorado Street Bridge, teams had to rappel 10 stories down the side of the bridge in order to retrieve their first clue, which identified their first destination: Shanghai, China. Teams then drove to Los Angeles International Airport and booked one of two flights to Shanghai, with only seven teams able to make the China Airlines flight and the remaining four teams arriving 75 minutes later via EVA Air. Once there, teams had to travel to the Yuanshen Sports Centre Stadium, where they found their next clue. In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to score one point in a game of table tennis against a 10-year-old Chinese national champion in order to receive their next clue. For each attempt after the racers' first match, the champion played with ordinary household objects, such as a clipboard, frying pan, or tambourine instead of a paddle. After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Cui Ping Jiu Jia Restaurant in order to find their next clue. In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to eat two servings of a Chinese dessert known as hasma, consisting of the fatty connective tissue around a frog's fallopian tubes served in two hollowed-out papaya halves, using only a provided pair of chopsticks and without lifting the papaya off the table, in order to receive their next clue. After the second Roadblock, teams had to travel to The Bund and search the promenade for a woman and boy with traditional Suanpan abaci, who gave them their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Bund Signal Tower. Additional note Abbie & Ryan received the Double Your Money prize for winning the first leg. Had they won The Amazing Race, the grand prize would have been doubled to US$2 million. Since they did not win, the grand prize at the end remained at US$1 million.
Leg 2 (China → Indonesia)
Episode 2: "Long Hair, Don't Care" (October 7, 2012) Prize: Express Pass (awarded to Natalie & Nadiya) Eliminated: Amy & Daniel Locations Shanghai (Bund Signal Tower) Shanghai → Surabaya, Indonesia Bangkalan (Alun-Alun Bangkalan) Surabaya (Genteng Kali Bridge) Surabaya (Ekspresi Park) Surabaya (Wijaya Motor Shop) Surabaya (Tirta Maya Ice Factory & Pabean Fish Market Pabean Fish Market) Surabaya (Pabean Market ) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Surabaya, Indonesia. Once there, teams traveled across the Suramadu Bridge to an alun-alun stadium in Bangkalan on the island of Madura. Teams picked up a numbered bullwhip that reflected their order in a traditional karapan sapi bull race, with the teams riding on motorcycles alongside the bulls before receiving their next clue. Teams were directed to the Genteng Kali Bridge, where they found their next clue. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to select four children and operate a pedal-powered ride known as an odong-odong while making eight pieces of balloon art for the children in order to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by taxi to the Wijaya Motor Shop in order to find their next clue. This season's first Detour was a choice between Ice By The Pound or Fish By The Barrel. In Ice By The Pound, teams had to load ten blocks of ice from an industrial machine onto a waiting truck, ride the truck to a local market, and then transport the ice by cart to an unloading zone in order to receive their next clue. In Fish By The Barrel, teams had to carry two barrels of fish to a vacant fishmonger's stall inside the Pabean Fish Market. They then had to set up the stall using a display stall as an example, including breaking a block of ice into chips to keep the fish cold, in order to receive their next clue. After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the main entrance of the fish market.
Leg 3 (Indonesia)
Episode 3: "There's No Crying in Baseball" (October 14, 2012) Prize: A trip for two to Tokoriki, Fiji (awarded to Abbie & Ryan) Eliminated: Caitlin & Brittany Locations Surabaya (Pabean Market ) Surabaya (Antika Jaya Padang Restaurant) Surabaya → Bangil Bangil (Alun-Alun Bangil) Bangil (Perliman POS. I) Bangil (State Senior High School 1 of Bangil – Greenhouse) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the Antika Jaya Padang Restaurant in Surabaya, where they found their next clue.