The Amazing Race 16 is the sixteenth 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 to win US$1,000,000. This season visited five continents and nine countries and traveled over during twelve legs. Starting in Los Angeles, racers traveled through Chile, Argentina, Germany, France, the Seychelles, Malaysia, Singapore, and China before returning to the United States and finishing in San Francisco. This season also saw the return of the Intersection. The season premiered on CBS on February 14, 2010, and concluded on May 9, 2010. In Canada, the show premiered on the A-Channel instead of CTV due to the 2010 Winter Olympics, but it returned to CTV after the Winter Olympics concluded.
Brothers Dan and Jordan Pious were the winners of this season, while cowboy brothers Jet and Cord McCoy finished in second place, and dating models Brent Horne and Caite Upton finished in third place.
Production Development and filming
The sixteenth season spanned across five continents and nine countries, including a first-time visit to the Seychelles.
Racers were observed leaving Los Angeles International Airport on November 28, 2009. Racers checked into a Pit Stop in Puerto Varas, Chile, on December 2. Filming of the show also was reported in Bariloche, Argentina. Production crews were reported in Singapore, particularly in the Bugis area and the Singapore Flyer, on December 16.
In the episode which aired on February 28, 2010, and featured the contestants departing Chile, Phil Keoghan acknowledged the February 27 Chilean earthquake in a special opening.
Leg 4 featured an Intersection for the first time since season 11. Additionally, teams did a Roadblock together for the first time, where one person from each of the Intersected teams worked together to complete the Roadblock.
Casting Applications were originally due on July 10, 2009, but the deadline was extended. Semi-finalist interviews were held in August 2009 and the final casting interviews took place in Los Angeles in September and October 2009. Filming took place in November and December 2009.
Contestants
Notable cast members included Big Brother 11 HouseGuests Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder, professional bull rider Cord McCoy, and Cleveland Indians third-base coach Steve Smith. Caite Upton was the 2007 Miss South Carolina Teen USA, who gained international notoriety after giving a convoluted response to a question asked to her during the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant. ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus 39High School SweetheartsArlington, TexasEliminated 1st(in Valparaíso, Chile) 40 71Grandmother & Granddaughter Round Rock, TexasEliminated 2nd(in Puerto Varas, Chile) 22 Georgetown, Texas 39Moms & Attorneys West Orange, New JerseyEliminated 3rd(in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina) 39 Bowie, Maryland 42MarriedEl Segundo, CaliforniaEliminated 4th(in Massiges, France) 37 22Newly Dating Charlotte, North CarolinaEliminated 5th(in Épernay, France) 31 Norridge, Illinois 57Father & DaughterEncinitas, CaliforniaEliminated 6th(in George Town, Malaysia) 23 47DatingLos Angeles, CaliforniaEliminated 7th(in Singapore) 40 47DetectivesProvidence, Rhode IslandEliminated 8th(in Shanghai, China) 45 28Dating Models Columbia, South CarolinaThird place 20 Lexington, South Carolina 30Brothers & Cowboys Ada, OklahomaRunners-up 29 Tupelo, Oklahoma 24BrothersBarrington, Rhode IslandWinners 22
Future appearances Jet & Cord raced again in The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business. They raced again in The Amazing Race: All Stars. Jet and Cord also appeared on The Amazing Race: 25 Years Around the World.
Jordan & Jeff competed on Big Brother 13 a year later. The two returned to the Big Brother house three years later on the thirty-third episode of Big Brother 16, where they got engaged. In 2015, they also appeared on Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 3. On May 24, 2016, Jeff Schroeder appeared on a Big Brother-themed primetime special of The Price Is Right. He also appeared on the second episode of Big Brother: Over the Top to host a Power of Veto competition and on the penultimate episode of Big Brother 20.
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 the U-Turn and a indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn. A indicates that the teams encountered an Intersection. +Team placement (by leg) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Dan & Jordan8th8th6th6th4th5th2nd5th1st3rd3rd1st Jet & Cord3rd1st1st4th3rd4th1st3rd1st2nd2nd Brent & Caite7th4th7th7th6th6th3rd4th2nd2nd1st3rd Louie & Michael9th9th8th1st1st1st4th3rd4th Carol & Brandy6th3rd3rd5th5th2nd5th2nd Steve & Allie4th7th2nd2nd2nd3rd1st Jordan & Jeff1st6th5th7th Joe & Heidi5th2nd4th3rd Monique 2nd5th Jody & Shannon10th Dana & Adrian Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (United States → Chile)
Episode 1: "Nanna Is Kickin' Your Butt" (February 14, 2010) Prize: A trip for two to Vancouver, British Columbia (awarded to Jordan & Jeff) Eliminated: Dana & Adrian Locations Los Angeles, California (Vista Hermosa Natural Park) (Starting Line) Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) → Santiago, Chile Santiago → Valparaíso Valparaíso (Ascensor Villaseca ) Valparaíso (Ascensor Artillería) Valparaíso (Paseo Templeman) Valparaíso (Palacio Baburizza) Episode summary Teams set off from Vista Hermosa Natural Park in Los Angeles, California, and had to travel by public transportation to Los Angeles International Airport, where they booked one of two American Airlines flights to Santiago, Chile. The first three teams received tickets on a flight that would have departed one hour ahead of the second flight, but due to a mechanical failure on the first flight, those three teams were re-booked on the second flight with the other eight teams. After arriving in Santiago, teams had to travel by bus to Valparaíso. In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to cross a tightrope the length of a football field () suspended above the ground to the end of the valley, where they found their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams had to take a funicular down the mountain to find their next clue. Teams then had to travel to Paseo Templeman, pick up painting supplies, and find a group of house painters next to a house matching the color of their paint. Once at the house, they had to finish painting a portion of the house in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Palacio Baburizza. Additional notes Once in Valparaíso, teams had to travel to Wulff Castle in Viña del Mar and find their next clue, which sent them to Ascensor Villaseca. This task was unaired. Dana & Adrian were unable to complete the Roadblock. After all the other teams checked in at the Pit Stop, Phil came out to the Roadblock to inform them of their elimination.
Leg 2 (Chile)
Episode 2: "When the Cow Kicked Me in the Head" (February 21, 2010) Prize: A pair of sailboats (awarded to Jet & Cord) Eliminated: Jody & Shannon Locations Valparaíso (Palacio Baburizza) Valparaíso → Santiago Santiago → Puerto Varas Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park (Hotel Petrohué) → Todos los Santos Lake (Isla Margarita – Mirador) Puerto Varas (Onces y Cabañas Bellavista) Puerto Varas (Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús – Gruta de la Virgen) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by bus back to Santiago before boarding another bus to Puerto Varas. Once there, teams had to drive themselves to the Hotel Petrohué and then take a boat to Isla Margarita on Todos los Santos Lake in order to find their next clue. This season's first Detour was a choice between Llama Adoration or Condor Consternation. In Llama Adoration, teams traveled by boat to a farm where they had to properly dress a llama in order to receive their next clue. In Condor Consternation, teams traveled by boat to a beach where they used hang glider-like condor costumes to "fly" to their next clue in the water. After the Detour, teams had to drive to the Onces y Cabañas Bellavista in Puerto Varas, where they found their next clue. In this leg's Roadblock, teams had to collect the ingredients to make Kuchen – including a plate of butter, a bowl of sugar, a bag of flour, a baker's dozen of eggs from a hen house, and a cup of milk from a cow – and then deliver them to the baker in order to receive a serving of Kuchen and their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Puerto Varas.
Leg 3 (Chile → Argentina)
Episode 3: "Run Like Scalded Dogs!" (February 28, 2010) Prize: A trip for two to Patagonia (awarded to Jet & Cord) Eliminated: Monique & Shawne Locations Puerto Varas (Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús – Gruta de la Virgen) Puerto Varas → San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina Nahuel Huapi (El Boliche Viejo) Nahuel Huapi (Peña Gaucha) Ñirihuau (Puente Ñirihuau) Neuquén Province (Estancia Fortin Chacabuco) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by bus to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Once there, teams had to drive to El Boliche Viejo in Nahuel Huapi. Teams had to win a game of five-card stud against a Travelocity Roaming Gnome in order to receive the gnome with their next clue on its base, which directed them to the Peña Gaucha. Teams had to keep their gnome with them for the remainder of the leg. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member used a lasso to rope a target away and pull it toward them in order to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to Puente Ñirihuau and find their next clue. This leg's Detour was a choice between Horse Sense or Horse Power. In Horse Sense, teams were given a set of directions and, using only a stationary compass, had to find a bag of loot buried in a field. They then delivered the bag to a bandit, and if the markings on their bag matched the coordinates given to them, he gave the team a coin imprinted with the name of the Pit Stop. In Horse Power, teams went to a polo field and, using a wooden practice horse, had to score a goal within nine strokes in order to receive a trophy imprinted with the name of the Pit Stop. After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Estancia Fortin Chacabuco in Neuquén Province.
Leg 4 (Argentina → Germany)
Episode 4: "We Are No Longer in the Bible Belt" (March 7, 2010) Prize: Two US$5,000 pre-loaded Discover Cards (awarded to Louie & Michael) Locations Neuquén Province (Estancia Fortin Chacabuco) San Carlos de Bariloche → Frankfurt, Germany Frankfurt → Hamburg Hamburg (Jungfernstieg) Hamburg (Port of Hamburg) Hamburg (Altonaer Rathaus – Kaiser Wilhelm I Statue) Hamburg (Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn Stadium Alt-Hamburger Bürgerhaus) Hamburg (Haifischbar ) Hamburg (Beatles-Platz) Hamburg (Reeperbahn – Indra Musikclub) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Frankfurt, Germany, and then travel by train to Hamburg. After arriving in Hamburg, teams had to travel to the Jungfernstieg. There, teams encountered an Intersection, which required two teams to mutually join together to complete the following task. The teams were paired up thusly: Dan & Jordan and Carol & Brandy, Jet & Cord and Louie & Michael, Brent & Caite and Jordan & Jeff, and Steve & Allie and Joe & Heidi.