The Amazing Race 2 () is the second season of the Chinese reality competition show The Amazing Race (). Loosely based on the American reality TV series The Amazing Race, it initially featured six teams of two in a race around the world. Singapore based Chinese-American actor Allan Wu, who was also the host of The Amazing Race Asia and The Amazing Race: China Rush and episodes 3 to 10 of the first season returned for this season. This season visited four continents and eight countries and traveled over during ten legs. Starting in Sydney, racers traveled through Australia, Turkey, Spain, France, Namibia, Mauritius, and Thailand before finishing in Chengdu with intermittent returns to China throughout the season. New twists introduced in this season include Invasion and Cumulative Intersection-Versus Leg. This season premiered on Shenzhen TV on July 10, 2015 and concluded on September 25, 2015.
Friends Han Geng and Wu Xin were the winners of this season, while married couple Yang Qianhua and Ding Zigao finished second, and Xiao Yang and Wang Taili finished third.
Production Development and filming
Filming began June 2, 2015 at Sydney and ended on August 16, 2015 at Chengdu, Sichuan. Unlike the American version and most other versions that always start and end in the same country, this was the first season where both the Starting Line and Finish Line were held in different nations, and also the first season overall in the entire franchise the Starting Line was not held in the show's home country.
This season introduced two new twists. Invasion was a new twist that allowed several teams to join in the game as intruders. The intruders entered at the start of a given leg. In their Invasion leg, the intruders had to finish in a given position (top two in Leg 7, or first Leg 9) in order to continue racing. If they failed their invasion, they would be eliminated as if they had finished last. If they succeeded, the intruders would keep on racing in future legs.
This season also introduced the Cumulative Intersection-Versus Leg, which was a combination of Intersection and Versus for some tasks. At the start of the leg, the four remaining teams had to choose which team they want to be Intersected by voting. Once two teams chose each other at the same time, they would be Intersected. Then, the pairs of teams would complete in either a head-to-head or a timed task. The team that won the task would earn two points. After five rounds, the teams with the most points would automatically finish in first place. The second pair would compete in a final task, and the winning team would keep racing while the losing team was eliminated.
Marketing The show was sponsored by Infiniti, Sohu, Pepsi and RRS.com. Eastroc Super Drink returned to sponsor, and teams could still pick up their drinks as energy supplements during the legs.
Cast
Similar to the first season, this season featured celebrities who were chosen to race on the show. Notable casting members including singers Deng Ziqi and Super Idol winner Zhang Yunjing, the Chopstick Brothers notable for the viral video "Little Apple", as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics gymnast Feng Zhe.
ContestantsAgeRelationshipNotabilityStatus (冯喆) 27Dating Olympic gymnastEliminated 1st(in Cairns, Australia) (朱珠) 30 Actress / Singer / VJ (曾志伟) 62Father & Daughter Actor / Director / ProducerEliminated 2nd(in Uçhisar, Turkey) (曾宝仪) 42 Actress / Singer / TV host (邓紫棋) 23Friends Singer / SongwriterEliminated 3rd(in Cabrières-d'Avignon, France) (张芸京) 31 Singer (原子鏸) 37Siblings ActressEliminated 4th(in Savanne District, Mauritius) (原和玉) 30 (金鐘國) 39Friends Musician / EntertainerEliminated 5th(in Nonthaburi, Thailand) (李光洙) 30 Actor / Model (肖央) 35PartnersViral video starsThird Place (王太利) 46 (杨千嬅) 41Married Singer / ActressSecond Place (丁子高) 35 Entrepreneur (韩庚) 31Friends Mandopop singer / ActorWinners (吴昕) 32 Actress / TV host
Future appearances Zhu Zhu competed on Race the World in 2016, with Yuan Heyu appearing as a replacement contestant for two episodes.
Results The following teams participated in the season, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:
TeamPosition (by leg)Roadblocksperformed12345678910Han Geng & Wu Xin2nd4th2nd2nd1st1st2nd1st4th1stHan Geng 6, Wu Xin 1Yang Qianhua & Ding Zigao1st2nd1st3rd2nd3rd1st3rd2ndYang Qianhua 1, Ding Zigao 6Xiao Yang & Wang Taili5th5th4th4th3rd2nd3rd3rd1st3rdXiao Yang 6, Wang Taili 1Kim Jong-kook & Lee Kwang-sooKim Jong-kook 0, Lee Kwang-soo 1Yuan Zihui & Yuan Heyu1st Yuan Zihui 0, Yuan Heyu 0Deng Ziqi & Zhang Yunjing3rd1stDeng Ziqi 3, Zhang Yunjing 2Zeng Zhiwei & Zeng Baoyi4th1st3rdZeng Zhiwei 2, Zeng Baoyi 1Feng Zhe & Zhu Zhu3rdFeng Zhe 1, Zhu Zhu 1
Key A team placement means the team was eliminated. A indicates that the team won a Fast Forward. A indicates that the team decided to use the first Express Pass on that leg. A indicates the team had previously been given the second Express Pass and used it on that leg. An team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg and had to perform a Speed Bump during the next leg. An team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg and had some penalties during their mandatory rest period after the leg (Each penalty see below.). An underlined leg number indicates that there was mandatory rest period but was not in the hotel, teams must find their rest place given by the host. While the last team to check-in had to sleep inside the convenient store as the penalty of last. The first place team was still awarded a prize for that leg. A indicates that the team chose to or successfully voted to U-Turn another team; indicates the team who received it. An indicates that there was a Versus on this leg, while an indicates who lost the Versus and was given a 15-minute penalty. Matching colored symbols ( and ) indicate teams who worked together during part of the leg as a result of the Cumulative Intersection-Versus Leg and the team represented color. A indicates that the leg introduced intruders; means the intruders succeed while means they failed.
Notes
Zeng Zhiwei chose to forfeit the Roadblock at Leg 1 and he & Zeng Baoyi were issued a 1-hour penalty at the Roadblock site. Deng Ziqi & Zhang Yunjing elected to quit the Detour challenge and were issued a 1-hour penalty at the Pit Stop. Xiao Yang chose to forfeit the Roadblock at Leg 3 and he & Wang Taili were issued a 1-hour penalty at the Roadblock site. Han Geng & Wu Xin and Xiao Yang & Wang Taili were each issued 15-minute penalties before starting the Detour because they both received money from locals earlier in the leg, which was prohibited per the rules for Leg 3. Yang Qianhua & Ding Zigao used their Express Pass to bypass the Detour on Leg 4. Zeng Zhiwei & Zeng Baoyi were subject to various placement changes on Leg 4: They were forced to quit the Versus because of an injury Zeng Zhiwei sustained during the task. They were issued a 15-minute penalty which started after the last team of the Versus had served their 15-minute penalty. They used the Express Pass given to them by Yang Qianhua & Ding Zigao to bypass the underground city task on Leg 4. They initially arrived at the Pit Stop 2nd, but were issued a 1-hour penalty for not completing the last task on Leg 3 after checking in which involved finding a local's house and spending the night there. All other teams trailing them checked-in during their penalty time, dropping Zeng Zhiwei & Zeng Baoyi to last place and resulting in their elimination. Yang Qianhua & Ding Zigao chose to quit the Detour challenge and they were issued a 1-hour penalty before they could continue racing. Due to modification to the "Intruders" rule on Leg 9, Kim Jong-kook & Lee Kwang-soo were required to win this leg (finish 1st) in order to continue racing. They placed 2nd in this leg, resulting in their elimination. The placement at the end of the leg did not affect the other two teams (Yang Qianhua & Ding Zigao and Han Geng & Wu Xin). Han Geng & Wu Xin were issued a time penalty as they had failed to deliver a chicken to Allan. They arrived at the Pit Stop last, but they were not issued a penalty. They were also notified that Jin Zhongguo & Li Guangzhu failed their Invaders mission (see note 8), and they were safe from elimination.
Voting history Similar to the Israeli, Australian and Philippine versions, teams on the second leg voted for who should receive the U-Turn. The team with the most votes had to complete the other Detour option they did not select. Leg #:2U-Turned:Feng Zhe & Zhu Zhu3–2–1VoterTeam's voteYang Qianhua & Ding ZigaoFeng Zhe & Zhu ZhuXiao Yang & Wang TailiFeng Zhe & Zhu ZhuZeng Zhiwei & Zeng BaoyiFeng Zhe & Zhu ZhuFeng Zhe & Zhu ZhuYang Qianhua & Ding ZigaoHan Geng & Wu XinYang Qianhua & Ding ZigaoDeng Ziqi & Zhang YunjingXiao Yang & Wang Taili
Prizes The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg. In most legs (except Leg 5 and 8), the winners of the leg were also given Infiniti Fund of to donate to their charity of choice. Additional prizes were awarded as follows: Leg 1 – Two Express Passes, an intelligent water filter and travel vouchers worth both sponsored by RRS Electronics. Leg 2 – The ability to choose between two Infiniti vehicle models to use for the next leg and an immediate exclusive helicopter tour around the Great Barrier Reef. Leg 3 – An intelligent water filter and travel vouchers worth both sponsored by RRS Electronics. Leg 4 – A to donate for charity. Leg 5 – Chando facial treatment package. Leg 6 – Diamond necklaces worth each, and the ability to choose between two Infiniti vehicle models to use for the next leg. Leg 7 – Free flight upgrade to premium-class. Leg 8 – Diamond necklaces worth each Leg 9 – An intelligent water filter and travel vouchers worth both sponsored by RRS Electronics, and the ability to choose between two Infiniti vehicle models to use for the next leg. Leg 10 – An Infiniti Q50L and QX50 for each racer, and two trophies.
An item that can be used to skip any one task of the team's choosing. The winning team keeps one for themselves but must relinquish the second to another team before the end of the sixth leg. Two teams arrived in first place, due to the Cumulative Intersection-Versus Leg (see below). However, both teams (Han Geng & Wu Xin and Yang Qianhua & Ding Zigao) were each given the same prizes.
Race summary
Leg 1 (Australia)
Airdate: July 10, 2015 Sydney, Australia (Watsons Bay) (Starting Line) Sydney (Centennial Parklands) Sydney (City Centre – Farm Cove) Sydney (Sydney Opera House – North Square) Sydney (City Centre – Hyde Park)
This season's first Detour was a choice between (Huáliuliū – Slippery) or (Ruǎnmiánmián – Soft). In Slippery, one team member had to put on a helmet, a wetsuit, and watermelon shoes and then surf along a slippery track while being pulled on a rope by a rugby player and their partner, much like the during the Chinchilla Melon Festival, without falling to receive their next clue. In Soft, teams had to catch three sheep and calm each sheep for at least three seconds by placing a cowboy hat over their eyes to receive the next clue.
In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to don a diving suit and enter a shark cage. Once the cage was submerged, they had to unravel five ropes in the cage to retrieve the key that opened the cage to receive their next clue from the diver.
Additional tasks At Watsons Bay, teams had to grab a flag, then pull an inflatable rescue boat ashore that would take them to the Søren Larsen, which they had to search for their first clue.