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The Amazing Race 23

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The Amazing Race 23
Season 23
Region 1 DVD cover
Presented byPhil Keoghan
No. of teams11
No. of legs12
Distance traveled35,000 mi (56,000 km)
No. of episodes11
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 29 (2013-09-29) –
December 8, 2013 (2013-12-08)
Additional information
Filming datesJune 9 (2013-06-09) –
July 2, 2013 (2013-07-02)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 22
Next →
Season 24
List of episodes

The Amazing Race 23 is the twenty-third season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world in order to win US$1,000,000. This season visited four continents and nine countries and traveled over 35,000 miles (56,000 km). Starting in Santa Clarita, California, racers traveled through Chile, Portugal, Norway, Poland, Austria, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and Japan before finishing in Juneau. The season premiered on CBS on September 29, 2013, and the two-hour season finale aired on December 8, 2013.[1][2]

Dating couple Jason Case and Amy Diaz were the winners of this season, while exes Tim Sweeney and Marie Mazzocchi finished in second place, and married doctors Travis and Nicole Jasper finished in third place.

Production

Development and filming

Iquique, Chile was the first destination in the 23rd season of The Amazing Race.

The season was renewed on March 27, 2013. A revised opening credits sequence and on-screen clue graphics were developed for this season along with an updated map using 3D blue marble layout.[3]

The season spanned 35,000 miles (56,000 km) across four continents and nine countries.[4] The Double Express Pass, introduced in the previous season, returned, where the first team to arrive at the Pit Stop on the first leg received two Express Passes: one for themselves and one to give to any other team.[3]

Cast

Tim Sweeney
Amy Diaz

The cast included former Houston Texans players Chester Pitts and Ephraim Salaam, the wives of baseball players Chris Getz of the Kansas City Royals and David DeJesus of the Tampa Bay Rays, a pair of LA Kings Ice Crew maintenance workers, former Miss Rhode Island USA beauty queen Amy Diaz, former Minor League Baseball player Tim Sweeney and former Lingerie Football player Marie Mazzocchi, and a pair of theater performers from the stage comedy The Queen of Bingo.[5] Married emergency room doctors Travis and Nicole Jasper have also appeared on the docudrama series Untold Stories of the E.R.[6]

Contestants Age Relationship Hometown Status
Hoskote Venkatesh 60 Father & Daughter Laguna Niguel, California Eliminated 1st
(in Iquique, Chile)
Naina Venkatesh 27
Rowan Joseph 56 Theatre Performers Charlotte, North Carolina Eliminated 2nd
(in San José de Maipo, Chile)
Shane Partlow 47
Chester Pitts II 33 Former NFL Teammates Missouri City, Texas Eliminated 3rd
(in Lisbon, Portugal)
Ephraim Salaam 36 Studio City, California
Brandon Squyres 34 Childhood Friends Chico, California Eliminated 4th
(in Sopot, Poland)
Adam Switzer 34 Los Angeles, California
Tim Wiyninger 26 Best Friends Cordell, Oklahoma Eliminated 5th
(in Vienna, Austria)
Danny Merkey 25
Nicky Getz 25 Baseball Wives Kansas City, Missouri Eliminated 6th
(in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates)
Kim DeJesus 32 Chicago, Illinois
Ally Mello 22 NHL Ice Crew Los Angeles, California Eliminated 7th
(in Lembang, Indonesia)
Ashley Covert 25
Leo Temory 26 Cousins Los Angeles, California Eliminated 8th
(in Tokyo, Japan)
Jamal Zadran 26
Nicole Jasper 39 Married ER Doctors Atlanta, Georgia Third place
Travis Jasper 43
Tim Sweeney 32 Exes Morristown, New Jersey Runners-up
Marie Mazzocchi 29
Jason Case 33 Dating Attleboro, Massachusetts Winners
Amy Diaz 29 Providence, Rhode Island
Future appearances

While the season was still airing, Tim & Marie and Leo & Jamal were invited to appear on The Amazing Race: All-Stars. The former declined the invitation,[7] but the latter participated.[8] Leo & Jamal also returned for a third time on The Amazing Race: Reality Showdown.[9]

On May 25, 2016, Leo & Jamal appeared on an Amazing Race-themed primetime special of The Price is Right.[10] In 2022, Leo also competed on the first season of The Challenge: USA.[11] In 2023, Ephraim Salaam competed on Raid the Cage.[12]

Results

The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order.

  • A red placement with a dagger (†) indicates that the team was eliminated.
  • An underlined blue 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.
  • An italicized and underlined placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop, but there was no rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were instructed to continue racing. There was no required Speed Bump task in the next leg.
  • A purple ε indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks.
  • A brown ⊃ indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a brown ⊂ 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
Jason & Amy 8th 5th 2nd 2nd 2nd 5th 2nd 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 1st
Tim & Marie 1st 8th 8th 5th 1stε[a] 4th 4th 3rd[b] 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd
Nicole & Travis 2nd[c] 4th 1st 3rd 3rd 1st 3rd 1stε
[d][e]
4th 3rd 3rd 3rd
Leo & Jamal 7th 2nd[f] 6th 4th 6th
[g][h]
3rd 1st 4th[e] 1st 4th 4th
Ally & Ashley 6th 7th 7th 7th 7th 6th 5th 5th 5th
Nicky & Kim 5th 9th 3rd 8th[i] 4th 2nd 6th 6th[b]
Tim & Danny 9th 6th 4th 6th 5th[g] 7th
Brandon & Adam 10th 3rd 5th 1st 8th[h]
Chester & Ephraim 4th 1st 9th
Rowan & Shane 3rd 10th
Hoskote & Naina 11th
Notes
  1. ^ Tim & Marie used their Express Pass to bypass the Detour on this leg.
  2. ^ a b Tim & Marie chose to use the U-Turn on Nicky & Kim.
  3. ^ Nicole & Travis initially arrived 1st, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for taking a taxi to the Pit Stop when the clue explicitly stated that teams had to go on foot. Tim & Marie checked in during this penalty time, dropping Nicole & Travis to 2nd.
  4. ^ Nicole & Travis used their Express Pass to bypass the Detour on this leg.
  5. ^ a b Nicole & Travis chose to use the U-Turn on Leo & Jamal.
  6. ^ Leo & Jamal initially arrived 1st, but could not check in because they did not fully pay their cab fare. Chester & Ephraim checked in while Leo & Jamal went back to pay their driver, dropping Leo & Jamal to 2nd.
  7. ^ a b Tim & Danny chose to use the U-Turn on Leo & Jamal.
  8. ^ a b Leo & Jamal chose to use the U-Turn on Brandon & Adam.
  9. ^ This team arrived last at the Pit Stop, but they were instructed to continue racing.

Race summary

The route of The Amazing Race 23.
Destinations Air travel    Rail travel    Water travel    Bus travel
Helicopter travel    Bicycle travel    Gondola travel
Route Markers Detour    Roadblock    Fast Forward    U-Turn    Speed Bump    Pit Stop

Leg 1 (United States → Chile)

In the first Roadblock of The Amazing Race 23, one team member had to follow their partner, who paraglided down from Alto Hospicio to Iquique, Chile.
  • Episode 1: "We're Not in Oklahoma No More" (September 29, 2013)
  • Prize: Two Express Passes (awarded to Tim & Marie; one for themselves and the other to be given to another team)
  • Eliminated: Hoskote & Naina
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio, teams had to choose a vehicle and use the in-vehicle communication system to contact a man named Javier, who revealed their first destination: Iquique, Chile. Teams then drove to Los Angeles International Airport, where they booked one of two American Airlines flights to Iquique, the first of which had room for seven teams and arrived 2:30 hours before the second flight, which carried the remaining four teams. Once there, teams had to look for Javier at the Alto Hospicio in order to receive their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who wants to follow the leader?" In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to direct their taxi to follow their partner, who paraglided from the Alto Hospicio down to either Playa Brava or Huayquique Beach. Once team members reunited on the beach, they received their next clue.
  • After the first Roadblock, teams had to travel to Muelle Prat in order to find their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who's got both oars in the water?" In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who paraglided in the previous Roadblock had to collect five fish from one of three boats, reaching them by rowboat, and then deliver the fish to a fishmonger in order to receive a postcard, which depicted their first Pit Stop. The three fishing boats each had a limited number of fish, so if a boat ran out of fish, racers had to find one of the other boats in order to get their remaining fish.
  • Teams had to travel on foot to the Pit Stop: the Teatro Municipal de Iquique.

Leg 2 (Chile)

In Iquique, teams visited a recreation of the Chilean ship Esmeralda.
  • Episode 2: "Zip It, Bingo" (October 6, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to the Turks and Caicos Islands (awarded to Chester & Ephraim)
  • Eliminated: Rowan & Shane
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams had to find the Museo Corbeta Esmeralda, where they had to repeat to the officer on deck the famous quote uttered by Arturo Prat at the Battle of Iquique"¡Al abordaje, muchachos!" – "Charge the ship, men!" – in order to receive their next clue. Teams then had to travel to the Irlanda 3 Road Sign in the Atacama Desert, where they found their next clue.
  • Detour: Brining or Mining This season's first Detour was a choice between Brining or Mining. Both Detour options required teams to bike to the salt mine in the Tarapacá salt flats. In Brining, teams had to carry bags of salt and dump them into a pool in order to reach neutral buoyancy. Once they were able to float on the surface, they could receive their next clue. In Mining, the teams had to use pickaxes and sledgehammers to open halite boulders until they found one that contained their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams were instructed to travel by bus to Santiago. Once there, they had to travel to the Plaza de Armas, where they found their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who's got the knack to pack?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to take on the role of a lustrabota: a Chilean shoeshiner. After shining a customer's shoes, the racer had to properly put everything at their lustrabota station into the cart and transport it back to the storage depot in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Cascada de las Animas in San José de Maipo.
Additional note
  • Promotional photos showed some teams riding a zip-line above the Maipo River at Cascada de las Animas before checking in at the Pit Stop. Once it was nighttime, teams could no longer ride the zip-line and simply checked in at the Pit Stop, which was also moved from the suspension bridge.[13]

Leg 3 (Chile → Portugal)

One of the Detour options in Lisbon had teams measuring the distance traveled by Ferdinand Magellan during his circumnavigation of the globe on the compass rose at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos.
  • Episode 3: "King Arthur Style" (October 13, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to Costa Rica (awarded to Nicole & Travis)
  • Eliminated: Chester & Ephraim
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Lisbon, Portugal. Once there, teams had to travel to Martim Moniz Square, where they had to take a tram uphill to the Miradouro das Portas do Sol. Once there, they had to find Fado performers, who gave them their next clue: a painting of the Embassy Coach sent by King John V to Pope Clement XI. Teams had to figure out that the painting was directing them to the Museu Nacional dos Coches and that their next clue was near the depicted Embassy Coach.
  • Detour: Tiles or Miles This leg's Detour was a choice between Tiles or Miles. In Tiles, teams had to correctly assemble a life-size tile puzzle in order to receive their next clue. In Miles, teams had to first retrieve a giant-sized compass from the Jerónimos Monastery and then use it to map out the distance traveled by Ferdinand Magellan on his circumnavigation of the globe on the large compass rose at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. Once teams were within 500 nautical miles of the correct answer, they could receive their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Parque Florestal de Monsanto, where they found their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who has a hand for slings and arrows?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to put on a suit of armor and then use a ballista to fire an arrow into a shield 150 feet (46 m) away. Once successful, a knight retrieved their shield which had their next clue on the back directing them to the Pit Stop: the Castelo dos Mouros in Sintra.
Additional note
  • Chester & Ephraim did not arrive in Lisbon until long after all of the other teams had already checked in at the Pit Stop. Phil met them at the Lisbon Airport to inform them of their elimination.[14]

Leg 4 (Portugal → Norway)

The Roadblock had racers jumping off of the Henningsvær Bridge into the icy cold waters of Norway below.
  • Episode 4: "Beards in the Wind" (October 20, 2013)
  • Prize: US$5,000 each (awarded to Brandon & Adam)
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Bodø, Norway, located just north of the Arctic Circle. Once there, teams had to travel by ferry to Svolvær and search for their next clue.
  • Detour: Hang Your Heads or Hammer of the Cods This leg's Detour was a choice between Hang Your Heads or Hammer of the Cods. In Hang Your Heads, teams had to string together six bundles of ten fish heads each. They then had to transport them by wheelbarrow to a drying rack and place them on a rod in order to receive their next clue. In Hammer of the Cods, teams had to collect 15 pairs of cod from a 30-foot (9.1 m) high drying rack and transport them to a manufacturing area (tørrfiskloft), where they had to smash the cod into one kilogram (2.2 lb) of fish jerky in order to receive their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel in an RIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) to the Henningsvær fishing village, where they found their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who's the biggest Swinger?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to put on a wetsuit, jump off the Henningsvær Bridge, and swing on the end of an 80-foot (24 m) rope. They then had to unclip, fall into the water, and swim to a buoy that held their next clue. Once they swam back to their partner, who was waiting in an RIB, they could return to shore.
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to properly hitch a granite boulder on a sled to a provided truck in a rock quarry. They then had to pull the sled far enough forward so as to reveal their next clue and a satchel of Viking coins underneath. Teams then had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Viking Longhouse in Vestvågøy.
Additional note
  • There was no elimination at the end of this leg; all teams were instead instructed to continue racing.

Leg 5 (Norway → Poland)

One of the Detour choices in Poland required teams to pose like the statute of Neptune on Neptune's Fountain in front of the Gdańsk Town Hall.
  • Episode 5: "Get Our Groove On" (October 27, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to Hawaii (awarded to Tim & Marie)
  • Eliminated: Brandon & Adam
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by overnight ferry to Trondheim and then fly to Gdańsk, Poland. Once there, teams had to travel to Solidarity Square at the Gdańsk Shipyard, where they found their next clue directing them to the Golden Gate.
  • Detour: Pose or Polka This leg's Detour was a choice between Pose or Polka. In Pose, teams had to dress up as Neptune, pose like his statute at the Neptune Fountain in front of the Gdańsk Town Hall, and solicit donations from passersby until they collected 75 (roughly US$19) in order to receive their next clue. In Polka, teams had to don traditional Polish costumes and then perform a polka dance routine to the satisfaction of their dance instructor in order to receive their next clue. After completing either Detour task, teams had to continue to wear their costumes for the remainder of the leg. Tim & Marie used their Express Pass to bypass this Detour.
  • After the Detour, teams had to search the Motława Riverfront for the foreman at the Medieval Harbor Crane with their next clue, which directed them to Przymorze.
  • Roadblock: "Who's got a sweet tooth?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search among twelve addresses in the 12-mile (800 m) long, 6,000 person falowiec in Przymorze and taste a traditional Polish pastry called a pączek in each apartment. Once they found the apartment serving rose hip jam-filled pączki (identified by a red center), they received their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Sopot Pier.
Additional note
  • Double U-Turn: Tim & Danny U-Turned Leo & Jamal and Leo & Jamal U-Turned Brandon & Adam This leg featured a Double U-Turn. Tim & Danny chose to use the U-Turn on Leo & Jamal, while Leo & Jamal chose to use the U-Turn on Brandon & Adam.

Leg 6 (Poland → Austria)

The gloriette of Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace was the Pit Stop for this leg.
  • Episode 6: "Choir Boy at Heart" (November 3, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to Anguilla (awarded to Nicole & Travis)
  • Eliminated: Tim & Danny
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by overnight train to Vienna, Austria. Once there, teams traveled to the Vienna State Opera and met an actor dressed as Rigoletto, who escorted them to the opera house's costume department and then gave them their next clue.
  • Fast Forward: Bungee Jump This season's only Fast Forward was a Switchback from season 4, where both team members would have had to perform a 500-foot (150 m) bungee jump from the top of the Donauturm. However, the Fast Forward was unavailable due to high winds, and no teams chose to wait for more favorable weather.
  • Detour: Light Brigade or Masquerade This leg's Detour was a choice between Light Brigade or Masquerade. In Light Brigade, teams would have traveled to the Ephesos Museum, dressed as court servants, and assembled an elaborate crystal chandelier to the satisfaction of the chamberlain in order to receive their next clue. In Masquerade, teams had to wear elaborately colored masks before joining a Viennese ball, where they had to search amongst waltzing couples for the pair wearing identical masks to their own in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose the Masquerade.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel to Palais Augarten in order to find their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who's a choir boy at heart?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to learn how to sing Franz Schubert's "Die Forelle" and then perform it with the Vienna Boys' Choir with correct German pronunciation and musicality in order to receive their next clue.
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Schönbrunn Palace and search the palace's garden hedge maze for their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the gloriette on the palace grounds.

Leg 7 (Austria → United Arab Emirates)

After arriving in Abu Dhabi, teams visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world.
  • Episode 7: "Speed Dating Is the Worst" (November 10, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to Paris, France (awarded to Leo & Jamal)
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Once there, teams had to enter the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in order to receive their next clue. Female racers had to don a traditional abaya before entering the mosque. Teams were then directed to find their next clue at the Jaber Khoory Household Appliances Company.
  • Detour: Sort It Out or Sew It Up This leg's Detour was a choice between Sort It Out or Sew It Up. In Sort It Out, teams had to search through several types of dates and prepare an elaborate tray that matched an example in order to receive their next clue. In Sew It Up, teams had to put together a traditional fishing net to the satisfaction of the fishing boat captain in order to receive their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Al Bandar Marina, where they had to board a marked yacht that departed every 15 minutes to their next clue on Yas Island.
  • Roadblock: "Who wants to drop in on a hot lap?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member dropped 200 feet (61 m) from the top of the Yas Viceroy Hotel Abu Dhabi before rappelling down to the ground. They then got into a Le Mans Prototype race car and rode along on a lap of the Yas Marina Circuit. While in the car, racers had to look amongst signs on the track with drivers' names and times logged in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the circuit record set by Sebastian Vettel. Once they told the pit crew chief the correct time and driver, he gave them their next clue. If they were incorrect, they had to make another lap around the track until they got the correct answer.
  • Teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the champions' podium of the Yas Marina Circuit.
Additional note
  • This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 8 (United Arab Emirates)

Jebel Hafeet was the location of the Pit Stop on this leg.
  • Episode 8: "One Hot Camel" (November 17, 2013)
  • Prize: A choice of any two Ford EcoBoost vehicles (awarded to Nicole & Travis)
  • Eliminated: Nicky & Kim
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams had to use the Viking coins they'd received in Norway to decipher a numeric code and unlock a vehicle, which they then drove the Boudthib Endurance Village in the Al Khatim Desert. There, teams had to use dune buggies to follow a marked course until they found the clue box containing their next clue.
  • At the Al Ain Oasis, teams had to search for their next clue, which was located at the top of one of several date palm trees. Teams had to ask for help from the local tree climbers in order to retrieve their clue.
  • Detour: Wedding Guests or Beauty Contest This leg's Detour was a choice between Wedding Guests or Beauty Contest. In Wedding Guests, teams had to prepare machbūs, a traditional Emirati dish for wedding guests. After gathering and preparing all of the necessary ingredients, teams had to put it into a large pot and then serve the finished dish to a wedding party in order to receive their next clue. In Beauty Contest, teams had find a camel that met a set of breed guidelines and then dress it for a camel show. If the judges were pleased with their camel selection, they awarded the teams their next clue. Nicole & Travis used their Express Pass to bypass this Detour.
  • After the Detour, teams had to make their way to the Al Jahili Tower, where they found their next clue sending them to Wadi Adventure.
  • Speed Bump: Swim across a wave pool For their Speed Bump, Nicky & Kim had to swim across a wave pool with a six-foot (1.8 m) high wave crashing down upon them every 90 seconds, and climb up the ladder on the other side of the pool, before they could continue racing.
  • Roadblock: "Who likes rapid transit?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to ride down the largest man-made river rapids in the world and collect red, green, and black flags in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Mercure Grand Hotel.
Additional note
  • Double U-Turn: Nicole & Travis U-Turned Leo & Jamal and Tim & Marie U-Turned Nicky & Kim This leg featured a Double U-Turn. Nicole & Travis chose to use the U-Turn on Leo & Jamal, while Tim & Marie chose to use the U-Turn on Nicky & Kim.

Leg 9 (United Arab Emirates → Indonesia)

The Roadblock in Bandung had racers assemble an angklung, a traditional Indonesian musical instrument.
  • Episode 9: "Part Like the Red Sea" (November 24, 2013)
  • Prize: US$7,500 each (awarded to Leo & Jamal)
  • Eliminated: Ally & Ashley
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Bandung, Indonesia, on the island of Java. Once there, teams had to travel to Cileunyi, pick up two Priangan rams, and take them to the ram arena so they could participate in a traditional West Javanese ram fight. Once the rams butted heads, teams had to load them back on their trucks in order to receive their next clue, which instructed them to travel by train back to Bandung and search inside the train station for their next clue.
  • Detour: For the Elephants or For the Birds This leg's Detour was a choice between For the Elephants or For the Birds. In For the Elephants, teams visited the Simpang Dago Market, where they had to pick up watermelons, bananas, sweet potatoes, and sugar cane before taking everything to the Bandung Zoo. Once there, they had to transport the food to the elephant enclosure where they fed the elephants and received their next clue. In For The Birds, teams picked up two matching rosy-faced lovebirds at the Sukahaji Bird Market and then took them to a bird song grand prix at the Sumber Sari Arena. After entering the birds into the competition, teams had to get their birds to sing. Once they were scored, the judge awarded them their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel to Saung Angklung Udjo in order to find their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who has an inkling for Angklung?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to properly assemble an angklung: a traditional Indonesian musical instrument made of bamboo. Once racers assembled the stand correctly, put all eight notes in order, and could play a complete octave, they received their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Bosscha Observatory in Lembang.

Leg 10 (Indonesia)

While in Bandung, teams had to climb down 587 steps to reach Curug Cimahi, the Pit Stop for this leg.
  • Episode 10: "Cobra in My Teeth" (December 1, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to Cancún, Mexico (awarded to Jason & Amy)
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams had to travel to the King Cobra House, where both team members had to eat a 20-centimeter (7.9 in) portion of grilled cobra meat in order to receive their next clue. Teams then had to travel to Tangkuban Perahu in order to find their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who's feeling Hard-Boiled?" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member picked up sixty eggs from a food stand and then took an eight-minute moped taxi ride into the Kawah Domas crater of Tangkuban Perahu, where they used one of the volcanic hot springs to boil the eggs. After returning to the stand with the eggs, an egg-spert sliced open each egg to see if they were sufficiently boiled. Once they had a dozen hard-boiled eggs, teams received their next clue.
  • Detour: Paint Your Partner or Turn Over a New Leaf This leg's Detour was a choice between Paint Your Partner or Turn Over a New Leaf. In Paint Your Partner, teams went to the Gracia Spa Graha Ciater, where they had to make each other up in traditional Javanese bridal makeup without the use of a mirror. Once the beautician was satisfied with their work, teams received their next clue. In Turn Over a New Leaf, teams traveled to a tea plantation in Ciater and dressed as traditional tea harvesters. They then had to search the plantation for a pair of clipping shears hidden in the plants, which they could trade for their next clue.
  • Teams had to had to climb down 587 steps to reach the Curug Cimahi and check in at the Pit Stop.
Additional note
  • This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 11 (Indonesia → Japan)

After arriving in Tokyo, teams traveled to the Gotokuji Temple, known for its extensive collection of maneki-neko statues.
  • Episode 11: "Amazing Crazy Race" (December 8, 2013)
  • Prize: A trip for two to Aruba (awarded to Tim & Marie)
  • Eliminated: Leo & Jamal
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Tokyo, Japan. Once there, teams had to travel to the Gotokuji Temple in order to find their next clue.
  • Detour: Knock It Down or Call It Up This season's final Detour was a choice between Knock It Down or Call It Up. In Knock It Down, teams had to pick up four large pins outside Tokyo Media City studios and then participate in a human bowling game show, with team members alternating slides down an incline on an inner tube into a set of pins. Once teams scored a strike, they received their next clue. In Call It Up, one racer had to put on a swimsuit, jump into an art installation using one of Tokyo's obsolete telephone booths filled with water and goldfish, dial a provided telephone number, and then listen to the provided message: "Welcome to Tokyo. Wasabi taberu." They then had to repeat the message to their partner, who had to correctly relay the message to a judge in order to receive their next clue.
  • After the Detour, teams had to travel to Shinjuku Central Park in order to find their next clue.
  • Speed Bump: Capture Escaped Rhino For their Speed Bump, Leo & Jamal had to join a group of zookeepers in a training drill and help capture an escaped "rhinoceros" before they could continue racing.
  • Roadblock: "Pipe up or go home!" In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to assemble a "robot" using a set of cardboard pipes with only a miniature model as a guide in order to receive their next clue.
  • After the Roadblock, teams had to search the Shibuya Scramble Crossing for a roaming "vending machine" that held their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Konnō Hachimangū Shrine.

Leg 12 (Japan → United States)

Teams flew to the Norris Glacier in the Taku Inlet during this last leg in Juneau.
  • Episode 11: "Amazing Crazy Race" (December 8, 2013)
  • Prize: US$1,000,000
  • Winners: Jason & Amy
  • Runners-up: Tim & Marie
  • Third place: Nicole & Travis
Locations
Episode summary
  • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Juneau, Alaska. Once there, teams had to travel by marked boat from Douglas Harbor to Grizzly Bar, where they found their next clue.
  • Roadblock: "Who needs to increase their flour power?" In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to ride in a bush plane, and while flying at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) at least 150 feet (46 m) above the ground, drop a bag of flour onto a target on the ground in order to receive their next clue.
  • After the Roadblock, teams took a helicopter to Norris Glacier, where they chose a mountain guide to help them reach the face of the glacier, crossing a crevasse and going through an ice tunnel along the way. They then had to use a pickaxe to dig out their next clue, which was frozen inside a glacier amongst numerous false clues. Teams then paddled kayaks to an island where they found their next clue, and then returned to Juneau in a helicopter.
  • At Blueberry Hills Trailhead, teams had to assemble a wall of totem poles that spelled out the names of the currencies used in the countries they visited in chronological order in order to receive their final clue, which directed them to the finish line: the Outer Point Trail at the end of the North Douglas Highway.
Country Currency
Chile Peso
Portugal Euro
Norway Krone
Poland Złoty
Austria Euro
United Arab
Emirates
Dirham
Indonesia Rupiah
Japan Yen
United States Dollar
Additional note
  • Legs 11 and 12 aired back-to-back as a special two-hour episode.

Reception

Critical response

The Amazing Race 23 received mixed reviews. Daniel Fienberg of HitFix wrote that it "was an average-to-slightly-below-average 'Amazing Race' season. There were some memorable moments and a few likable people, even if they were eliminated way too earlier. There’s a version of this season in which Chester & Ephraim and Brandon & Adam make it way, way further and the season ends up much more enjoyable. But there were some good locations and I personally got a kick out of all of the travel wackiness in the first handful of episodes."[15] Michael Hewitt of the Orange County Register called it "one of its least-ambitious seasons".[16] In 2016, this season was ranked 15th out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.[17] Kareem Gantt of Screen Rant wrote that "Season 23 had a great cast and went to some truly stunning places in countries such as Chile and Indonesia. Season 23 proved that you can't judge a season just by its cover."[18] In 2023, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season as the twelfth-best season.[19]

Ratings

U.S. Nielsen ratings
# Airdate Episode Rating Share Rating/Share Viewers Rank Rank Rank Rank
Households 18–49 (millions) Timeslot
(Viewers)
Timeslot
(18–49)
Week
(Viewers)
Week
(18–49)
1 September 29, 2013 "We're Not in Oklahoma No More" 5.4[20] 8 2.0/5 8.62[21] 2 4 <25 <25
2 October 6, 2013 "Zip It, Bingo" 5.9[22] 9 2.4/6 9.74[23] 2 2 23 <25
3 October 13, 2013 "King Arthur Style" 5.0[24] 8 1.9/5 8.08[25] 3 4 <25 <25
4 October 20, 2013 "Beards in the Wind" 5.5[26] 8 1.9/5 8.87[27] 2 2 25 <25
5 October 27, 2013 "Get Our Groove On" 5.0[28] 7 1.8/4 8.11[29] 3 4 <25 <25
6 November 3, 2013 "Choir Boy at Heart" 5.8[30] 9 2.1/5 9.38[31] 2 3 22 <25
7 November 10, 2013 "Speed Dating Is the Worst" 5.5[32] 8 2.2/5 9.12[33] 2 2 24 24
8 November 17, 2013 "One Hot Camel" 5.4[34] 8 2.0/5 9.12[35] 3 3 24 <25
9 November 24, 2013 "Part Like the Red Sea" 4.9[36] 7 1.6/4 7.97[37] 3 4 <25 <25
10 December 1, 2013 "Cobra in My Teeth" 6.1[38] 9 2.1/4 10.29[39] 2 2 17 23
11 December 8, 2013 "Amazing Crazy Race" 5.4[40] 8 2.1/5 9.21[41] 2 3 18 25
  • Episode 1, "We're Not in Oklahoma No More", aired at 8:12 p.m. Eastern / 7:12 p.m. Central in some markets due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 2, "Zip It, Bingo", aired at 8:44 p.m. Eastern / 7:44 p.m. Central due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 4, "Beards in the Wind", aired at 8:42 p.m. Eastern / 7:42 p.m. Central in some markets due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 5, "Get Our Groove On", aired at 8:08 or 8:36 p.m. Eastern / 7:08 or 7:36 p.m. Central in some markets due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 6, "Choir Boy at Heart", aired at 8:59 p.m. Eastern / 7:59 p.m. Central due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 7, "Speed Dating Is the Worst", aired at 8:46 p.m. Eastern / 7:46 p.m. Central due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 8, "One Hot Camel", aired at 8:08 p.m. Eastern / 7:08 p.m. Central in some markets due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 9, "Part Like the Red Sea" went up against the 2013 American Music Awards; the episode aired at 8:10 p.m. Eastern / 7:10 p.m. Central in some markets due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 10, "Cobra in My Teeth", aired at 8:51 p.m. Eastern / 7:51 p.m. Central due to the NFL on CBS.
  • Episode 11, "Amazing Crazy Race", aired at 8:27 p.m. Eastern / 7:27 p.m. Central in some markets due to the NFL on CBS.
Canadian ratings

Canadian broadcaster CTV also airs The Amazing Race on Sundays. Episodes air at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, Central and Pacific (9:00 p.m. Mountain and Atlantic) with one exception: Episode nine aired two hours earlier than its normal start time due to CTV's broadcast of the 2013 American Music Awards.

# Airdate Episode Viewers
(millions)
Rank
(Week)
1 September 29, 2013 "We're Not in Oklahoma No More" 2.38 6[42]
2 October 6, 2013 "Zip It, Bingo" 2.04 6[43]
3 October 13, 2013 "King Arthur Style" 1.73 10[44]
4 October 20, 2013 "Beards in the Wind" 1.99 6[45]
5 October 27, 2013 "Get Our Groove On" 2.30 2[46]
6 November 3, 2013 "Choir Boy at Heart" 2.17 3[47]
7 November 10, 2013 "Speed Dating Is the Worst" 1.95 6[48]
8 November 17, 2013 "One Hot Camel" 2.41 2[49]
9 November 24, 2013 "Part Like the Red Sea" 1.66 22[50]
10 December 1, 2013 "Cobra in My Teeth" 2.51 4[51]
11 December 8, 2013 "Amazing Crazy Race" 2.64 2[52]

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