The Amazing Race 3 is the third season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured twelve teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world. This season visited four continents and thirteen countries, traveling approximately over thirteen legs. Filming took place from August 9 to September 8, 2002. Starting in the Everglades, racers traveled through Mexico, England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, before returning to the United States, traveling through Hawaii, and finishing in Seattle. The season premiered on CBS on October 2, 2002, and concluded on December 18, 2002.
Friends Flo Pesenti and Zach Behr were the winners of this season, while married parents Teri and Ian Pollack finished in second place, and brothers Ken and Gerard Duphiney finished in third place.
Format
The Amazing Race is a reality television show created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, and hosted by Phil Keoghan. The series follows teams of two competing in a race around the world. Each leg of the race requires teams to deduce clues, navigate foreign environments, interact with locals, perform physical and mental challenges, and travel on a limited budget provided by the show. At each stop during the leg, teams receive clues inside sealed envelopes, which fall into one of these categories: Route Info: These are simple instructions that teams must follow before they can receive their next clue. Detour: A Detour is a choice between two tasks. Teams may choose either task and switch tasks if they find one option too difficult. There is usually one Detour present on each leg. Roadblock: A Roadblock is a task that only one team member can complete. Teams must choose which member will complete the task based on a brief clue they receive before fully learning the details of the task. There is usually one Roadblock present on each leg. Fast Forward: A Fast Forward is a task that only one team may complete, which allows that team to skip all remaining tasks on the leg and go directly to the next Pit Stop. Teams may only claim one Fast Forward during the entire race. Most teams who arrive last at the Pit Stop of each leg are progressively eliminated, while the first team to arrive at the finish line in the final episode wins the grand prize of US$1,000,000.
Production
The third season of The Amazing Race spanned a total of and visited four continents and 13 countries, 12 of which were new to the series: Mexico, England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Casting for this season began in April 2002. Filming began on August 9, 2002, and finished on September 8, 2002.
Contestants
The cast of The Amazing Race 3 included twelve teams. Jill and her brother F.T. had originally applied for season 1, but after F.T. was killed on September 11, John Vito and Jill applied in his memory. Contestants Age Relationship Hometown Status 35 Soccer Moms Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Eliminated 1st(in Puente de Ixtla, Mexico) 34 22 Brother & Sister Gary, Indiana Eliminated 2nd(in Tulum, Mexico) 29 Los Angeles, California 48 Father & Son Lexington, Kentucky Eliminated 3rd(in Stonehaven, Scotland) 21 25 Law School Roommates Boston, Massachusetts Eliminated 4th(in Lisbon, Portugal) 25 New York City, New York 28 Long-Distance Dating San Diego, California Eliminated 5th(in Fez, Morocco) 31 Birmingham, Michigan 27 Lifelong Friends New York City, New York Eliminated 6th(in Marrakesh, Morocco) 27 32 Cop & Fireman Los Angeles, California Eliminated 7th(in Schwangau, Germany) 33 Long Beach, California 28 Dating Staten Island, New York Eliminated 8th(in Singapore) 24 Manhattan, New York 32 Twins & Models Los Angeles, California Eliminated 9th(in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) 32 40 Brothers New York City, New York Third place 35 Denville, New Jersey 49 Married Parents Palm City, Florida Runners-up 50 23 Friends New York City, New York Winners 23 Future appearances Teri & Ian and John Vito & Jill were selected to compete in The Amazing Race: All-Stars.
In 2021, Andrew Shayde (né Hyde) appeared on Naked and Afraid and lasted 13 days in South Africa before being removed for a possible MRSA infection. In 2023, Shayde returned for Naked and Afraids fifteenth season once again in South Africa. Shayde later appeared on the spin-off Naked and Afraid: Castaways. Shayde also competed on the CBS reality competition show Buddy Games. In 2024, Shayde appeared on Naked and Afraid XL.
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. A indicates that the team won the Fast Forward. +Team placement (by leg) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Flo & Zach 2nd 5th 3rd 2nd 4th 2nd 1st 2nd 3rd 2nd 1st Teri & Ian 8th 10th 9th 5th 6th 1st 4th 3rd 4th 4th 1st 1st 2nd Ken & Gerard 1st 6th 2nd 1st 1st 3rd 5th 4th 2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd 3rd Derek & Drew 11th 1st 1st 3rd 3rd 4th 2nd 1st 3rd 1st John Vito & Jill 5th 7th 7th 6th 4th 5th 3rd 1st Andre & Damon 9th 8th 8th 4th 2nd 6th Aaron & Arianne 3rd 2nd 4th 8th 7th Michael & Kathy 4th 4th 6th 7th Heather & Eve 6th 3rd 5th Dennis & Andrew 7th 9th Tramel & Talicia 10th Gina & Sylvia Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (United States → Mexico)
Episode 1: "What If Our Parachute Doesn't Open?" (October 2, 2002) Prize: A seven-night Caribbean cruise (awarded to Ken and Gerard) Eliminated: Gina and Sylvia Locations Miami-Dade, Florida (Everglades National Park) (Starting Line) Miami → Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City (Angel of Independence) Mexico City (Zócalo) Mexico City (Hotel de Cortes) Mexico City (Plaza Santo Domingo) Mexico City (Hotel de Cortes) → San José Vista Hermosa (Tequesquitengo Airfield) Puente de Ixtla (Hacienda San Gabriel de las Palmas) Episode summary From the Everglades, teams drove themselves to Miami International Airport, where they had to book one of two flights to Mexico City, Mexico. Once there, teams had to travel to the Angel of Independence, where they received a picture of a man named Pablo. They had to use the picture as a reference to find him at the Zócalo, where he gave them their next clue directing them to the Hotel de Cortés. There, teams had to sign up for one of three charter buses leaving the next morning to an unknown destination (San José Vista Hermosa). This season's first Fast Forward required one team to travel to Plaza Santo Domingo and search for the one street typist out of dozens who had a "special message": the Fast Forward award. Ken and Gerard won the Fast Forward. This season's first Detour was a choice between Wings and Wheels. In Wings, teams had to board a plane, climb to an altitude of over , and then each team member had to skydive in tandem with an instructor to receive their next clue. In Wheels, teams had to choose a donkey-drawn cart and use a supplied map to direct a driver, who didn't speak English, along a course to receive the next clue. After the Detour, teams had to drive themselves to the Pit Stop: the Hacienda San Gabriel de las Palmas in Puente de Ixtla.
Leg 2 (Mexico)
Episode 2: "This Seems Like the Path Straight to Hell!" (October 9, 2002) Eliminated: Tramel and Talicia Locations Puente de Ixtla (Hacienda San Gabriel de las Palmas) Mexico City (National Museum of Anthropology) Teotihuacan (Pyramid of the Sun) Mexico City → Cancún Cancún (San Marino Marina) Cancún (Las Velas Beach Club Marina) Playa del Carmen → Cozumel Cozumel (Chankanaab Park) Cozumel → Playa del Carmen Tulum (Diamante K Bungalows) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams had to drive themselves to the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, climb up to the top of the pyramid, and retrieve their next clue, which instructed them to travel by bus to Cancún and find their next clue at the San Marino marina. This leg's Fast Forward required one team to travel to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and join a group of performers called the Voladores by climbing a pole and swinging around the pole while suspended on ropes. Derek and Drew won the Fast Forward. This leg's Detour was a choice between Man Power and Horse Power. In Man Power, teams had to use a kayak to search a small section of the lagoon for their next clue, which was hanging from a tree. In Horse Power, teams had to use a WaveRunner to search a large section of the lagoon for their next clue, which was attached to a buoy. After the Detour, teams had to land at the marina and then drive to Playa del Carmen, where they boarded a ferry to the island of Cozumel. From there, teams had to find Chankanaab Park to find their next clue. In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to jump into the lagoon and swim with a pod of dolphins to find their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams had to return to Playa del Carmen via ferry and then drive to the Pit Stop: the Diamante K Bungalows in Tulum.
Leg 3 (Mexico → England → Scotland)
Episode 3: "You Always Just Forget About Me!" (October 16, 2002) Eliminated: Dennis and Andrew Locations Tulum (Diamante K Bungalows) Cancún → London, England London → Cambridge Duxford (Duxford Imperial War Museum) Cambridge (Scudamore's Punting Cambridge) Cambridge (Magdalene Bridge) Cambridge (Parker's Piece) → Aberdeen, Scotland Stonehaven (Dunnottar Castle) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to London, England. Once there, teams had to travel by train to Cambridge and find their next clue outside Scudamore's Punting. This leg's Fast Forward required one team to travel to the Duxford Imperial War Museum and maneuver a tank through a battlefield obstacle course within 90 seconds. Dennis & Andrew won the Fast Forward and were driven to Dunnottar Castle in a limousine. This leg's Detour was a choice between Punt and Bike. In Punt, teams rowed a punt with only a long pole and a small paddle to navigate down the River Cam. In Bike, teams rode a tandem bicycle along a marked course through Cambridge. After either Detour task, the team retrieved their next clue from under the Magdalene Bridge. After the Detour, teams had to take one of three charter buses leaving the next day to Aberdeen, Scotland, and then find their next clue at Dunnottar Castle. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to complete three Highland games: the caber toss, the hammer throw, and the stone put. Once done, teams could go directly to the nearby Pit Stop at Dunnottar Castle. Additional note Dennis and Andrew had difficulty booking a flight from Mexico City to London and arrived long after the other teams. Even though they won the Fast Forward, they still arrived at Dunnottar Castle last and were eliminated.
Leg 4 (Scotland → Portugal)
Episode 4: "Did You See How I Stopped It? With My Face" (October 23, 2002) Eliminated: Heather and Eve Locations Stonehaven (Dunnottar Castle) Stonehaven (Stonehaven Harbour) Aberdeen → Porto, Portugal Vila Nova de Gaia (Calem Port Lodge) Porto → Lisbon Lisbon (Estádio do Restelo) Lisbon (Torre de Belém) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams had to walk to Stonehaven Harbour and search for a "message in a bottle": a bottle with their next clue on the inside label, which instructed them to fly to Porto, Portugal. Once there, teams had to travel to the Calem Port Lodge, which had their next clue.